The Models Who Shaped Me

My personal relationship with fashion, more specifically with the idea of the model began on Tumblr and early Instagram, social media has had many effects on modelling some firmly positive and equitable, and some more ambiguous. Runways may now be dotted with individuals who were perhaps selected more for follower count than ferocity on the catwalk, muse-like aura, or even body type, but modelling did to an extent become more open in the 2010s.

I saw girls on runways who spoke to me personally, who I yearned to one day be like. Andreja Pejić and Cara Delevingne were all over these sites, Although Andreja was a true organic star first scouted at a McDonalds in Yugoslavia, a true Cinderella story, and Cara may have been a semi nepotistic creation of British borderline monarchy, they both shared the same glamorous but grungy androgyny that I aspired to. They showed me through their castings by the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier & Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent that it was possible to be beautiful without being exactly a boy or girl.

They both modelled for many of the same designers in the 2010s who often were drawing from something similar to the heroin chic of the 90s. The supermodel is largely said to have died after the 90s, but in that era, and before it Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista, and others were larger than life characters. They appeared everywhere, they were unavoidable and had universal appeal. Now models, even the largest in the industry, are more targeted, we are in the era of "mass cult", a thousand micro super models who each speak to different crowds.

This brings me next the muses of designers who did things differently, granting them an early version of this kind of cult like appeal. Annabelle Neilson's close "soulmate" like relationship to Alexander Lee McQueen, John Galliano's

controversial work that owed much to his obsession with Foxy Brown, Rick Owen's quasi romantic dynamic with Tyrone Dylan, Hedi Slimane's obsession with his idea of American Rock and roll. All of these designers seemed to build their own little worlds, almost subcultures onto themselves, none of these worlds could have been built without the models who served as muses.

This list could not feel complete to me without the inclusion of Tyra Banks, known perhaps more for her work hosting Television than as a model, but her impact is felt forever through the shaping of what many people think being a model involves, she added a distinct glamour to the public's perception of profession that can still be felt through her show America's Next Top Model.

Although I've dabbled in modelling previously, it was never something I fully pursued. This won't be the first runway I've walked, working at Mana Siyo on The Base Line still feels like a debut of sorts, particularly due to the collaborative nature of the design process. Regardless of if you work as a model, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments on the modelling industry. I'm curious what models have inspired and impacted you,

Sincerely, Emily at Mana Siyo

The Base Line