{"id":50804,"date":"2017-04-07T17:22:53","date_gmt":"2017-04-07T21:22:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/?p=50804"},"modified":"2024-01-17T17:42:08","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T22:42:08","slug":"julia-sarr-jamois","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/julia-sarr-jamois\/","title":{"rendered":"Julia Sarr-Jamois"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class='coverpic'>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/hp-2000x1184.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1184\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50807\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/hp.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/hp-1280x758.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/hp-200x118.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<style>\n#content div.post {color:black;}\n#introbox,#creditbox {border:1px solid white;padding:30px;max-width: 850px;margin: auto !important;}\n#introbox, #introbox p {font-family:'Neue Haas Unica W01';}\n#introbox{font-size:20px;text-align:center !important;}\n.coverpic {max-width:1280px;padding: 4%;margin:auto;}\n.photogtitle {font-size:2rem;}\n#introtxt {margin:80px 0;padding:0 40px;font-size:1.6rem;}\n.opensans,#introtxt, #introbox, .introcredits {font-family:'Neue Haas Unica W01', sans-serif;}\n#introbox .introcredits {font-size:.85rem;padding:40px 0;}\n.post p, .post div p:first-child {padding:0}\n.toppic {padding-bottom: 20px;}\n.txtdiv {padding: 0 40px;clear:both;}\n#introbox,.txtbox,.rside {margin:0px 0 10px 0;font-weight:300;}\n.title {font-size:4.2rem;color:black;font-weight:normal;margin:auto;padding:60px 0;text-align:center;text-transform: uppercase;font-family: 'Neue Haas Unica W01';font-weight: 400;}\n.title a {color:black;}\n#introbox .titlename {font-size:8.5rem;}\n#introbox .mdctitle {color:#999;}\n#introbox,.txtbox,.introblurb {text-align:justify;}\n.introblurb,.introblurb p {line-height:1.6;}\n.introblurb em {font-weight: 500;font-style: italic;}\n.quote {width:65%;margin:40px auto;}\n.credits {font-size:1.35rem;padding:2rem 0;font-weight:normal;text-align:center;clear:both;text-transform: uppercase;max-width: 800px;margin: auto;}\n.subcredits {font-size:.9rem;}\n.txtcont {border:1px solid black;}\n.txtbox {font-family:'Neue Haas Unica W01', sans-serif;width:36%;border:0;margin:auto;padding: 60px 10%;}\n.rside {padding: 60px 80px 0 50px;}\n.interviewenglish {font-style: italic;}\n.imgbox {margin:0x;padding:40px 0;}\n.rside .quotebox {margin:30px 0px 10px 30px;}\n.fwidth {clear:both;}\n.separ {border:1px solid white;clear:both;margin:60px;}\n.center {text-align: center;}\n.center img {max-width: 80%;}\n.pic40 {width:40%;margin:5% 30%;text-align:center;}\n.fullwidth {max-width:100% !important;margin-top:20px;}\n.videodiv {height:auto;width:auto;background-color:white;padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:20px;max-width:1280px;}\n.pullquote {font-size:1.8rem;text-align:center;font-style:italic;max-width:900px;margin:auto;padding:20px;font-family: 'Neue Haas Unica W01';}\n.txtbox {font-family:'Neue Haas Unica W01', sans-serif;width:36%;border:0;margin:auto;padding: 60px 10%;}\n<\/style>\n<link type=\"text\/css\" rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"\/\/fast.fonts.net\/cssapi\/1ee7eecc-8318-40d7-9f60-2840770611c0.css\"\/>\n<!-- mdc set, L Futura W01,Linotype Didot W01,Neue Haas Unica W01 --><\/p>\n<div class=\"txtdiv\">\n<div id=\"introbox\">\n<div class=\"title\"><a href='\/\/models.com\/people\/julia-sarr-jamois'>Julia Sarr-Jamois<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"introblurb\">\nThere are few stylists in the world that have risen to cult status as swift as <a href='\/\/models.com\/people\/julia-sarr-jamois'>Julia Sarr-Jamois<\/a>. Former model and current senior fashion editor at British monolith, <a href='\/\/models.com\/client\/i-d-magazine'>i-D Magazine<\/a>, the London based style star has charmed fashion enthusiasts worldwide with her bold textural aesthetic, signature gravity defying mane, and street style nerve. It\u2019s easy to forget with all that personal flair and risk-taking that the editor holds no qualms applying the same rules to the people she works with. Aligning herself with the new age of photographic peers like Harley Weir, Tyrone Lebon, Oliver Hadlee Pearch, Angelo Pennetta, and Theo Wenner has launched a whole new aesthetic in intimate, contemporary imagery &#8211; one that\u2019s undaunted in its pursuit of what\u2019s next even if it pushes a few buttons. Her rise to top ranks and tastemaker status is a classic tale of how talent and hard work can make any dream possible. We spoke to the insider on how she started in the business, the female gaze, and her optimistic point-of-view when it comes to fashion. <\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"introcredits\">\n<p>          Interview and text by <a href='\/\/models.com\/people\/irene-ojo-felix'>Irene Ojo-Felix<\/a><\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-top:20px;\">\n<p>     Portrait courtesy of <a href='\/\/models.com\/agency\/camilla-lowther-management'>Camilla Lowther Management (London)<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/344-Feature-Adwoa-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-1.jpg\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1949\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-50819\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/344-Feature-Adwoa-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-1.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/344-Feature-Adwoa-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-1-1280x1663.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/344-Feature-Adwoa-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-1-154x200.jpg 154w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/334_ph_Harley_Weir_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-9-2000x2595.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2595\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50821\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/334_ph_Harley_Weir_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-9.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/334_ph_Harley_Weir_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-9-1280x1661.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/334_ph_Harley_Weir_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-9-154x200.jpg 154w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">LEFT: i-D Fall 2016 by Harley Weir | RIGHT: i-D Winter 2014 by Harley Weir<\/div>\n<div class=\"txtbox\">\n<p><strong>i-D has curated for over 25 years major content. They have such a unique, distinctly British point-of-view. I probably shouldn\u2019t even say British as it\u2019s not only.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s quite global really.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So I must admit, I follow your Instagram, and the story you did with Adwoa (Aboah) and that whole controversy of Instagram and Harley Weir.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes because she got deleted.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Quite hypocritical.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I know, it really is. It was the period picture that we did together for that issue. It was just so crazy.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>I wonder if Instagram has a lot of women over there, to kind of give them that perspective. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The whole nipple thing as well, you\u2019re just like&#8230;&#8221;really?\u201d <\/p>\n<p><strong>But I\u2019m seeing man penises on art. No deletion, no issue, but for whatever reason&#8230;nipples are where we draw the line?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exactly! Sexualizing women all the time, where that was not, you know. <\/p>\n<div class=\"pullquote\">\n&#8220;&#8230;when we sat down we were like, there\u2019s really not that many female photographers. Which is an issue.&#8221;\n     <\/div>\n<p><strong>So when you first started, you used to model, and that\u2019s how you first got hooked into the industry, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A friend of my mum\u2019s worked for a fashion magazine in Paris when I was younger. My mum\u2019s French, my dad is Senegalese, and I grew up in London, saw what she was doing and thought \u201cthis is interesting\u201d. I wanted to be a fashion designer but back then I didn\u2019t realize it was a job that you could really do. <\/p>\n<p>Then I started attending art school, was modeling quite a bit here and there and realized that design wasn\u2019t what I actually  wanted to do. My brother\u2019s girlfriend at the time was the editor of i-D so I spoke to her because I really wanted to get an internship and asked if she could help me. I hadn\u2019t had any experience and it was supposed to be a 2 week placement but I ended up staying there for a year. It was a really fun time. I was working under Francesca Burns and Erika Kurihara who were the fashion editors there at the time and Holly (Shackleton), who is now the editor-in-chief, was there as well. Then, when Fran left to go to Love she offered me a job as her assistant. So, I left with her, worked there for a year and then I got offered a job at Wonderland to become the fashion editor there. Which was a really great experience as well as it really gave me an opportunity to just be an editor. It\u2019s so different from being a stylist, which I think a lot of people don\u2019t realize. <\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s the main difference?<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re a stylist you\u2019re worrying about your own stories and ideas but when you\u2019re an editor you have to think about commissions and putting teams together; you have to come up with editorial ideas and suggest people to feature. There\u2019s a much broader range of things to do. That\u2019s what I really enjoy about both. A past issue that we did, \u201cThe Female Gaze Issue\u201d of i-D was really one of my favorite things to work on.<\/p>\n<p><strong>One of mine as well, such a great perspective.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>Holly had the idea of an all female issue. There struck some challenges, because when we sat down we were like, there\u2019s really not that many female photographers. Which is an issue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/334_ph_Tryone_le_Bon_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-2-2000x1299.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1299\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50827\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/334_ph_Tryone_le_Bon_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-2.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/334_ph_Tryone_le_Bon_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-2-1280x831.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/334_ph_Tryone_le_Bon_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-2-200x130.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">i-D Winter 2014 by Tyrone Lebon<\/p>\n<div class=\"subcredits\">Paula Magyar<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"txtbox\">\n<strong>We talk about it in the office all the time.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>Yes and we couldn\u2019t just be like we\u2019re gonna have this feature shot by a guy. Everyone needs to be female to get the perspective. Actually it was really good because it tied together a lot of different people. We gave younger photographers a bigger opportunity and it actually worked out really well. Brianna Capozzi shot Zosia Mamet and they looked amazing! Hanna Moon and Hari Nef. It\u2019s a good time for female photographers. There aren\u2019t many but the ones that are there have their own point of view and perspective. <\/p>\n<p><strong>What was the first initiation that made i-D delve into the issue of gender representation?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We very much wanted to do a cover with Adwoa and she had her Gurls Talk initiative so it was built around that. Holly then wanted it to be a female photographers only issue and get Inez &#038; Vinoodh, Harley (Weir), and Letty Schmiterlow to shoot her &#8211; kind of like the establishment, the new establishment, and the younger generation of female photographic talent. I think it worked out so well, and to me got what i-D is about. It\u2019s a balance between having those established, well-known fashion photographers and at the same time supporting the next generation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>As far as your perspective in the industry, what has changed from good or bad? Is there anything that you\u2019ve experienced whether it be from an editor&#8217;s point of view or a stylist\u2019s point of view, that you\u2019ve noticed from your perspective?<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>I think it\u2019s probably easier to get recognized for good work with social media. I also think it\u2019s really hard to stay there because the pace is so quick now. I don\u2019t do rushed editorials. I like to think of an idea and have time to discuss it with the photographer. I don\u2019t want it to be like, \u201cthis is what we\u2019re gonna be doing. Put it together in a week.\u201d The costume design is so important to me. What I usually do at the beginning of the season is I start with kind of a vague fashion idea of what I want to do for a story and then I will say, this is the girl that I have to get for this story.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bar none? Nobody else?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes, and so I\u2019ll just say, this needs to be exactly what it\u2019s like. I think it\u2019s really important. Especially with i-D. Because i-D is all about the girls who have personality and who bring something about themselves into the story. i-D is about people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/336_Fashion_ph_Harley_Weir_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-1-2000x1299.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1299\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50811\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/336_Fashion_ph_Harley_Weir_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-1.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/336_Fashion_ph_Harley_Weir_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-1-1280x831.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/336_Fashion_ph_Harley_Weir_st_Julia_Sarr-Jamois-1-200x130.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">i-D Spring 2015 by Harley Weir<\/p>\n<div class=\"subcredits\">Aya Jones<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"txtbox\">\n<strong>Favorite moments you\u2019ve had working with them? As far as covers that you\u2019ve done, or personal stories?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes, I think that the Adwoa cover was quite special because I\u2019ve known her for a long time so it was great to work with her. I love working with Harley so much and it felt like it was really saying something. It wasn\u2019t just like doing a shoot for no reason. It had a message, a strong message. <\/p>\n<p>I also loved shooting Willow Smith with Tyrone (Lebon). She\u2019s incredible and such a babe. I love her so much and she looks amazing in anything you put on her. Again it was just such a magical day as well. Then one of my other shoots that I would say is the Senegal one with Harley.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How was that experience? I mean, taking her to Senegal must have been epic. Where did you cast those guys?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We were there for a week and we did two stories. The Grace Wales Bonner fashion story and then a fashion story as well. It felt like a luxurious amount of time to do the amount of pages that we did. You know, some days we\u2019d get like 4 pictures, other days we just did the whole thing. The Grace one we had someone research and cast them beforehand and then the other people we just drove around and asked, \u201cdo you wanna do a picture?\u201d Just like that. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Normally for a shoot you\u2019re used to a lot of production and having all the pieces together, was it frightening to just jump out there and street cast like that? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I think it is kind of hard to do it like that of course, but you kind of push yourself in that way, to get something more special. Harley and I had a lot of fun. Everything looks incredible there; I\u2019ve always wanted to do a shoot there.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/18New.jpg\" width=\"1474\" height=\"1210\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-50875\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/18New.jpg 1474w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/18New-1280x1051.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/18New-200x164.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1474px) 100vw, 1474px\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">i-D Winter 2015 by Harley Weir<\/p>\n<div class=\"subcredits\">Senegalese Youth<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"txtbox\">\n<strong>You\u2019ve surrounded yourself with amazing collaborators. You\u2019ve mentioned Harley, you\u2019ve mentioned Tyrone. These are kind of the people of the moment as far as fashion and art photography. How did that connection with you and them happen? Was it just an organic thing? I\u2019m curious to see kind of how your energies drew each other to each other, because it seems so seamless the way that you guys work.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Tyrone, before we even started working together, was a friend of mine and I\u2019ve known him for a very long time. I\u2019ve worked with Oliver Hadlee Pearch as well and it\u2019s the same. All of the people I work with are my friends so that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s probably worked. I think when I work with people who aren\u2019t my friends, it\u2019s probably not as good. I think it\u2019s better when I have a relationship that\u2019s more than work with someone, because you can be honest with them, you can have a conversation. It\u2019s not like \u201cthis is work time\u201d.    <\/p>\n<p><strong>i-D has been one of the few publications that has really made sure that their digital presence is not secondary to their published work. Have you found with the invention of digital, it&#8217;s a help or a hindrance to the overall happiness here?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A lot of fashion is quite disconnected from it in a way. I feel like fashion was raised in a very small bubble because it\u2019s all about access and how this new moment translates is still not clear. Like how doing an editorial translates to online. When it\u2019s written, the content, totally but shooting an editorial specifically for a website &#8211; that\u2019s what I mean about the disconnect that those big teams will go invest the money for an editorial but shooting something for a specific website. There are certain brands for who digital is not their priority at all. So I still feel like it\u2019s very different than other types of industries like music, or film. I do think i-D has a really strong platform that was built very quickly.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/1.jpg\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1301\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-50834\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/WILLOW_COVER1_HIGH-2-2000x2599.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2599\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50810\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/WILLOW_COVER1_HIGH-2.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/WILLOW_COVER1_HIGH-2-1280x1663.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/WILLOW_COVER1_HIGH-2-154x200.jpg 154w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">LEFT: i-D Winter 2016 Cover by Zoe Ghertner | RIGHT: i-D Pre-Fall 2015 Cover by Tyrone Lebon<\/div>\n<div class=\"txtbox\">\n<p><strong>What is it about fashion that you find connects all of us? What made you fall in love with it in the first place?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t know if it was a specific thing or if it all fell into place. Being a stylist is creative but also you have to be incredibly organized. You can\u2019t just be good at one of them. There\u2019s many elements and it\u2019s the right combination of them to establish yourself. It\u2019s really hard to make a new voice heard in the same way but I guess it\u2019s the same for a designer when trying to do something new. I just knew I never wanted to do anything else. It just happened to work out. I could have been really bad at organizing.<\/p>\n<p>Also, I\u2019ve learned a lot of things on the job. Which is good, but sometimes it\u2019s frustrating because when you make a mistake you don\u2019t really get a second chance. You just have to be on top of it. Fashion is not very forgiving and very quick to forget! I think it\u2019s good to push yourself as well. \u201cOk, I\u2019ve done this. Try something else.\u201d Try and do something you don\u2019t necessarily do all the time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How do you continue to find inspiration? Where do you find inspiration to keep going?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I had a conversation with a friend of mine about this before just referencing that. You see so many different things, all of the time but it\u2019s more of a conversation about a character.  <\/p>\n<div class=\"pullquote\">\n&#8220;Sometimes it\u2019s good to just not be too planned and just let it go. That\u2019s the thing, It\u2019s hard to just like let go sometimes and let the creativity happen.&#8221;\n     <\/div>\n<p><strong>Like a script.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. Who is that? What are they going to do? Why are they doing it? Where would they go? Why are they wearing these clothes? What\u2019s going on? Rather than like, \u201cOh look at this painting, let\u2019s do something like that.\u201d I don\u2019t know&#8230; I think at the moment I\u2019m interested in getting influence in building a character and coming up with a story. <\/p>\n<p><strong>That\u2019s interesting because then I guess you don\u2019t fall into the issue of doing something that somebody else has already done. It\u2019s hard to find something you haven\u2019t seen in fashion and as you know, photographers use other photographers as reference.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I mean referencing is good but at certain points we have to be welcoming and inspired by not just visual things. Inspired by your experiences and your surroundings, rather than just an image of something. \u201cOh I have this feeling that something is happening right now in the world\u201d or \u201cthis is weird\u2026.how would that work as a story?\u201d You know? It\u2019s like a conversation. For example the shoot that Harley and I did with Adwoa, we didn\u2019t think about anything. There was no visual reference. It was just like we had a conversation with Adwoa about what she liked, what she was thinking, and then we took some ideas from that. Then sometimes it\u2019s good to just not be too planned and just let it go. That\u2019s the thing, it\u2019s hard to just let go sometimes and let the creativity happen. Rather than trying to force it into something like \u201cwe have to do this. This is what we\u2019re here to do today.\u201d I guess that\u2019s just how I work. Whether it\u2019s good or not. Sometimes I do like to use references but it really depends on the story and I never like to look at them. I\u2019ll look at it only in the beginning just to get an idea then I won\u2019t look at them again. I think it comes back to that thing where if you want to do something new you have to just trust who you\u2019re working with. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/339_Grace-Wales-Bonner-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-3-2000x2596.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2596\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50813\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/339_Grace-Wales-Bonner-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-3.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/339_Grace-Wales-Bonner-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-3-1280x1661.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/339_Grace-Wales-Bonner-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-3-154x200.jpg 154w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/339_Grace-Wales-Bonner-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-1-2000x2596.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2596\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/339_Grace-Wales-Bonner-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-1.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/339_Grace-Wales-Bonner-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-1-1280x1661.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/339_Grace-Wales-Bonner-ph-Harley-Weir-st-Julia-Sarr-Jamois-1-154x200.jpg 154w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">i-D Fall 2015 by Harley Weir<\/div>\n<div class=\"txtbox\">\n<strong>That they\u2019ll pick the right image? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No, that they\u2019ll bring an idea in the moment. I think Olly (Hadlee Pearch) is really like that. The same with Harley, she has that quality. It\u2019s just very organic rather than being &#8220;this is the image&#8221;. And that\u2019s why I like working with my friends. On some pictures it\u2019s about the clothes. Like with Adwoa\u2019s shoot, I wanted to do a power woman with big huge shoulders. That\u2019s where it started. <\/p>\n<p><strong>So, you being based in London and working with a British publication, you clearly have been privy to all of the developments that have been happening in the London scene. What is it about London and its celebration of new talent that makes it so unique compared to Paris or even New York. What makes it unique in its point of view in fashion?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>London is so big. The way it feels is quite suburban and everything is so far. It\u2019s very tolerant of other people, I think. No one says anything to you, no one cares if you\u2019re wearing some crazy outfit. Which I guess encourages people to express themselves more fully. <\/p>\n<div class=\"pullquote\">\nNo, it\u2019s never been about money. Creativity. It\u2019s never been about the money.\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>I mean I\u2019ve seen grandmothers with pink hair.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>Yes but also with designers and artists, there\u2019s always been a kind of quirky eccentricity. So I think a combination of those things. I think it\u2019s all of those things put together. You can do what you want. Growing up in London you don\u2019t ever feel like you\u2019re trying to achieve something you can\u2019t do. And it\u2019s not about money. It\u2019s a creative city and I think it always has been. <\/p>\n<p><strong>So you say it\u2019s not about the money?<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>No, it\u2019s never been about money. Creativity. It\u2019s never been about the money.   <\/p>\n<p><strong>So, can London sustain people? People come to New York because that\u2019s where the money is at. How does that work in terms of London being the youngest fashion week and how did the most prolific designers come from its streets? It always seem like everybody leaves.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You know I think that maybe you\u2019re right &#8211; you\u2019re never going to make enough money to stay here&#8230;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/332_Fashion-HarleyJulia-5-2000x2598.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2598\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50828\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/332_Fashion-HarleyJulia-5.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/332_Fashion-HarleyJulia-5-1280x1663.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/332_Fashion-HarleyJulia-5-154x200.jpg 154w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">i-D Fall 2014 by Harley Weir<\/p>\n<div class=\"subcredits\">Lindsey Wixson<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"txtbox\">\n<strong>But the pound is so strong! **laughs**<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes, the pound is strong **laughs**. At the same time I always think if you\u2019re doing it for the money, you\u2019re doing it for the wrong reason. The money will come, you just have to do what you want to do. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Designers like Craig Green, Faustine Steinmetz, and Grace Wales Bonner have emerged from London but I\u2019m always curious if there\u2019s an initiative to find the next talent to represent London?<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>I think for i-D and you know, even for me as well, I really like to support talented young models. And I think with i-D we can do that, it\u2019s what it\u2019s about. It\u2019s the same way we support young stylists, young photographers, young designers, writers. It\u2019s really about having a place where people can really be themselves. Also, where you know you can\u2019t tell a photographer- we want you to shoot this. It\u2019s very free! It\u2019s so open. If you come to us with an idea and it\u2019s great it\u2019s just a matter of actualizing it and it goes in the magazine. <\/p>\n<p>For like a bigger book like Vogue or whatever it\u2019s a completely different structure but it\u2019s understandable because it\u2019s a different type of magazine. And they don\u2019t necessarily work with teams and things like that. They have established people that they work with. That\u2019s why I like i-D because I feel like it\u2019s a mix between the two, you know? We had Inez &#038; Vinoodh shoot the cover, and then we had Letty (Schmiterlow) shoot the cover. No one else would take the risk and it paid off.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pullquote\">\n&#8220;That\u2019s the most important thing, it has to be believable. Even if she\u2019s wearing something crazy it has to be believable.&#8221;\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>This might be a hard question for you, but how would you kind of describe your aesthetic? What are you going for when it comes to the fashion, in the sense of the voice that you\u2019re trying to put out into this sphere?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I like to create optimistic images. I won\u2019t do something that feels to me like doing something crazy just for the sake of doing it &#8211; it has to feel right, it has to feel genuine. I think that is what I\u2019m trying to do, is to create a real character. I feel like the work I do needs to be real. It needs to come from a real place. And I like the element of fantasy but it needs to still feel like it could be a real goal, in this fantasy world. That\u2019s the most important thing, it has to be believable. Even if she\u2019s wearing something crazy it has to be believable.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>And it\u2019s so funny that you say that, because I find that whenever I see you wearing street style you\u2019re wearing amazingly bold outfits but they look totally believable, like \u201coh yeah, she can pull this off, she can pull this crazy green fur coat off\u201d. **laughs**<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Totally! When I was styling the Ashley Williams show, both of us said, \u201cwould you wear that jacket? Ok that\u2019s good, that can go in.\u201d And it\u2019s not even necessarily about what I would wear because I\u2019ve done so many shoots where I would never wear the clothes. I would never dress like that, I always wear jeans and color. All it is, is it needs to be a believable character. Even if there is something strange going on.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/342-COVER3-2000x2599.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2599\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/342-COVER3.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/342-COVER3-1280x1663.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/342-COVER3-154x200.jpg 154w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/342-COVER2-2000x2598.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2598\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50808\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/342-COVER2.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/342-COVER2-1280x1663.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/342-COVER2-154x200.jpg 154w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">i-D Spring 2016 Cover by Harley Weir<\/p>\n<div class=\"subcredits\">Lineisy Montero<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"txtbox\">\n<strong>How would you like to see fashion evolve to dealing with diversity?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the thing, I think that for models, I do think that there is so much more diversity now than there was when I first started. I really do believe that. Girls like Imaan Hamman represent a modern, more worldly look to them. There are hundreds of different countries and I think that\u2019s superb. To me embracing that is a more modern way of thinking about beauty. The one thing I would say is I feel as though behind the scenes in fashion the diversity is not mirrored. It\u2019s also an issue, because if you don\u2019t have diversity behind the scenes you can only go so far. <\/p>\n<p><strong>How do you support those faces, because some times you see great faces and then they don\u2019t do so well. Is it personality? <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Definitely. Some girls I work with would get so bored and it\u2019s like when will this end? Probably not the right mindset. But if you like some of them you just want to do more and more shoots with them. You think \u201cshe\u2019s so cool\u201d and I want to work with them more. <\/p>\n<p><strong>In your experience how easy was it to break into those higher up positions in fashion? Especially as a woman of color?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Well I think no matter what it\u2019s hard. Probably harder if you\u2019re a woman and not like, \u201cthis\u201d race. So, you can\u2019t use it as an excuse because no one gives a shit. Once you\u2019re in, just get the shit done and then you just go. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Do you have any muses? Is there anyone who you are always, constantly looking to for inspiration because of their spirit?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I love North West, she\u2019s so cute. **laughs** And she just kills me with those looks!! Kills me!! Her outfits are just like \u2026\u201dfuck! That\u2019s so good!\u201d\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/2-2000x2992.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2992\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50822\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/2.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/2-1270x1900.jpg 1270w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/2-134x200.jpg 134w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/3-2000x2653.jpg\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2653\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-50823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/3.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/3-1280x1698.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/3-151x200.jpg 151w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">Le Monde M by Oliver Hadlee Pearch<\/p>\n<div class=\"subcredits\">Shelby Hayes<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"txtbox\">\n<strong>Is there anything you want to champion in the fashion industry?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>i-D is a huge platform to talk about certain things. I think especially when I work with Harley, there\u2019s always a message there. I think we\u2019re always interesting with what\u2019s going on in the world. When we did the Senegal shoot, there was like some backlash on Instagram, this girl was like \u201coh you\u2019re exploiting these people, going there and taking pictures of them.\u201d Just because this picture was taken in Africa you assume everyone in Africa is poor. #1. they\u2019re not. #2. Do you think that this 16 year old model wearing this $20,000 couture dress can afford it? We paid everyone involved and asked them if they want to do it and they said yes! What\u2019s the problem?<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s the difference between going to the middle of nowhere in England and taking some pictures of who knows who? To me, it makes no difference. I guess that\u2019s the other thing. Educating people. I think you can do that through images but also I think sometimes with certain stories, it starts with the fashion in mind but then it\u2019s really not about the fashion. It\u2019s about the final images.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are you very selective in what you do, in that sense? Do you always find yourself trying to explore that personal element?<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>When I\u2019m doing a story it\u2019s very all-consuming. So I think about it a lot- all the time. Thinking about every exact thing I can do to make it feel real, you know? What\u2019s that little twist I can give it? <\/p>\n<p>But that\u2019s why I love someone like Tyrone\u2019s work so much because his work is incredibly personal. It\u2019s him, completely. It\u2019s hard because when you\u2019re constantly putting that much of yourself in something, it can be quite draining. <\/p>\n<p><strong>When it comes to new collaborators, what do you look for in order to feel out if they\u2019re the right one?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If I see someone\u2019s work I think what would I do with them that they haven\u2019t already done with someone else or hasn\u2019t been done before? That\u2019s the other thing, it\u2019s much easier to work with new people because they haven\u2019t done like a thousand things! **laughs** There are so many people that I love or I\u2019m like \u201cI like what you do with them, but maybe it wouldn\u2019t work, maybe you wouldn\u2019t have that same relationship.\u201d It has to align as well because even if you admire someone it might  not necessarily work.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Yes, definitely.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s so much about your relationship with the team. I think that everybody I work with has their own point of view and I don\u2019t want to work with anyone that has a similar aesthetic. I think my work is very different with different people. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/LeftHW.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"984\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-50869\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/LeftHW.jpg 800w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/LeftHW-163x200.jpg 163w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"small-12 medium-6 columns\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/458986-800w.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"984\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-50815\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/458986-800w.jpg 800w, https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/mdx\/i\/2017\/04\/458986-800w-163x200.jpg 163w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"credits\">i-D Winter 2015 by Harley Weir<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Models.com sits down with the London based editor and street style star to discuss the fashion  industry and the female gaze<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":50807,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[155,4259,2130,99,1538],"tags":[1961,706,2554,2878],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50804"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50804"}],"version-history":[{"count":54,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50804\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61345,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50804\/revisions\/61345"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/mdx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}