While growing up in Weehawken, Olga Gonzalez-Ramos always hated the stereotypical comments people would make about her weight.
“People would say, ‘You’re a big girl with a cute face,’ ” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “They would say, ‘If only you could lose weight, you could be a model.’ I’ve always been on the heavy side, so those are the things I always heard. No one could give me the compliment by itself. There was always the stipulation. That bothered me. A person’s size should never take away from someone’s personality.”
Gonzalez-Ramos said that when she was single and dating, she would meet men who would offer similar words.
“I’m big, but I’m healthy,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “People think because you’re heavy that you’re slow, lazy and unhealthy. But I’ve always been headstrong. I thought as long as you treated someone good, then you would be fine.”
After graduating from Weehawken High School in 1990, Gonzalez-Ramos said that she wanted to go to college, but it never happened. She went out and had several temporary jobs, like a home health aide and secretarial work, before settling into a position with Pershing Securities in Jersey City, dealing with the New York Stock Exchange as a customer service representative.
During that time, she met her husband, Raul Ramos of Jersey City. She had three boys, Anthony (now 10), Devin (7) and Roman (3). She was content being a working mom and wife.
One day, Raul Ramos took a photograph of his wife and suggested that Olga become a model.
“He told me that I was so beautiful and that I should model,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “I said, ‘Yeah, right,’ and laughed. But Raul was serious.”
Last October, using the picture that her husband took, Gonzalez-Ramos sent the photo to the Miss Plus USA Model Search competition.
“I either found the contest on a website or in a magazine,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “I can’t remember. But I saw the contest and just decided to give it a try. I figured I had nothing to lose. I figured it was worth the try.”
Impressed with photo
To Gonzalez-Ramos’ surprise, she was selected as a finalist in the contest and flew to Cleveland to compete for the title. But she didn’t win. She figured that would be the end of the road and she would go back to Jersey City and resume her regular life.
But the organizer of the contest, Dolores Pressley, who has enhanced the careers of many plus-sized models, approached Gonzalez-Ramos after the contest.
“She told me that she was very impressed with my picture and she told me that I should model, because I had such a pretty face,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “I was shocked. I didn’t expect that.”
Pressley owns the plus-sized modeling agency Dimensions Plus, and she sent Gonzalez-Ramos to meet with the agency.
“Her staff was impressed with the pictures I had,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “We were able to put together a portfolio of pictures.”
After that, Gonzalez-Ramos’ career as a plus-sized model exploded.
“It’s really been crazy,” she said. “I found out that there is a lot of work for plus-sized models.”
The 31-year-old Gonzalez-Ramos has been featured on several different plus-size magazines and websites, like www.loveyoupeaches.com, www.venusdivas.com, and www.plusmodels.com. She became the house model for BBB Women Productions and was selected to be part of the first bridal guide for plus-sized women that will be released in February, 2004, called “Yo’ Go On: Down the Aisle in Style.”
“There has never been a bridal guide for bigger women,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “The woman putting the guide together, Chamein Canton, saw me and wanted me to be the signature model. It’s all wedding gowns and evening gowns, and I’m wearing 25 different gowns in the book. I’m also on the cover. The book is all about self esteem for big girls.”
Gonzalez-Ramos has also been signed as a spokesmodel for Gambino Jeans, owned by Christopher Gambino of the famed Gambino crime family.
“I sent him a letter with my picture and he wrote back, saying that he was so impressed with my letter of all the letters he received,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “He said that he would love for me to be one of his models.”
Gonzalez-Ramos is also doing an instructional yoga video and book for a Columbia University professor Dr. Novis Chubl, called “30 Days to Spiritual Yoga Healing.”
“I love doing yoga,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “My husband is really into it, and I love how it makes me feel good. I love feeling good about myself.”
Album cover
She is also busy working with the recording group Fanny Pack, who has signed Gonzalez-Ramos to pose for the group’s album cover and video.
“They’re a different type of band, playing techno, club music and R&B [rhythm & blues],” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “They’re up and coming and just appeared on the Sharon Osborne Show. I’m really looking forward to working with them.”
Gonzalez-Ramos said that she has always enjoyed writing and she’s also branched out into writing columns for two plus-sized style websites, www.elegantplus.com and www.venusdivas.com.
Needless to say, her new career has taken off.
“I can’t believe it,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “I’ve met so many other plus-sized models who can’t believe that I get the work, because I’m not tall. I’m only 5-7 and most runway plus-sized models are 5-9. I’m also a size 20 to 22. Plus, I’ve done it all on my own, sending out letters and e-mails with my pictures. I don’t have an agent. It’s been remarkable.”
But Gonzalez-Ramos isn’t about ready to retire from the world of financial securities.
“I’ve met some supermodels who don’t have the security and continue to work full-time,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “I have three little guys to worry about. I have a great job and the benefits are excellent.”
But needless to say, the rise has been fun.
“My little boys are so excited, because they think I’m a celebrity,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “My childhood friends from Weehawken, Debbie Vavosa and Victor Benlice, who have been supporting me since third grade and have always been there for me, are so excited for me. And my husband is so proud of me, but the whole thing was his idea. It really has been great and I never expected this.”
Gonzalez-Ramos had to cut the conversation short. She was making plans to travel to North Carolina for another plus-sized model shoot.
“It is getting pretty hectic,” Gonzalez-Ramos said. “But I love it.”
Such is the life of a supermodel in demand.