Tim Victor, a 36-year-old music teacher, model, and stylist based in Brooklyn, has managed to cultivate an active presence in the fashion world despite a modest annual salary of $62,000. He has made two trips to Paris Fashion Week since 2025, epitomizing a resourceful approach to both travel and style.

Victor leveraged a deeply discounted round-trip standby flight to Paris, secured through a relative working for JetBlue, costing him only $254. During his most recent visit in June, he stayed with a friend in the Paris suburbs for four nights and took advantage of the complimentary food and beverages offered at fashion events. His carefully assembled outfit, purchased mostly from a New York vintage store for under $25, attracted attention from a photographer affiliated with WWD, a prominent fashion publication.

Raised initially in East Orange, New Jersey, and then Kingston, Jamaica, Victor followed his mother to Birmingham, England, as a teenager. In his early twenties, he lived in London, where he sang in bars and worked multiple service jobs. He relocated to New York in 2016 with limited resources, facing immediate housing difficulties but ultimately finding shelter in a Flatbush brownstone courtesy of a friend's family. Since then, he has settled in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, renting a $1,450 monthly studio apartment with ample closet space, which he calls essential for housing his extensive clothing collection.

Victor’s monthly expenses reflect a balance between necessity and his lifestyle choices. His electric bills generally range from $75 to $100, peaking at $175 during heat waves. Internet access costs $60 monthly. Food expenditures average $350, mostly spent on groceries from Trader Joe’s and farmers markets, where he sources ingredients for homemade Jamaican dishes such as curry chicken and rice and peas. Social dining often takes the form of “kitchen takeovers,” communal home-cooked meals shared among friends that help manage costs while fostering community.

Transportation expenses hover around $200 monthly, predominantly for subway fares, supplemented by occasional Uber rides. His mobile phone plan, which also covers devices used for content creation, is a significant $200 per month. Victor furthers his distinctive look by buying most of his clothes secondhand – spending around $200 to $250 monthly at vintage stores like Lezzin Vintage – and sets aside about $30 a month for accessories. A hairstylist’s services cost him $100 monthly.

Victor funds part of his lifestyle through freelance work in modeling and styling, earning up to $5,000 annually. He has benefited from gift cards for wellness services and clothing through these engagements. In July, a fall from his bicycle caused a fractured wrist, forcing him to apply for state disability benefits that provided weekly checks of $350, less than his regular income. Supported partially by family and cash advances from the EarnIn app, which he also promoted in a marketing campaign, Victor returned to teaching in mid-September after recovery.

Despite financial and physical setbacks, Victor emphasizes adaptability and community support as key elements to maintaining his lifestyle. “You just have to find a way that works for you,” he said. “Obviously use wisdom, have a community, have faith and it will work out — that’s how it’s been for me.”