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Handelsblatt Magazin September 2019: Anna Ewers by Markus Jans
enzio-m.de, 100management.ch
Mrs. Ewers, what is beauty?
I think today everyone has to define for himself what he or she thinks is beautiful. Ultimately, it's less about outward appearances than about character. You would never call a person you don't like "beautiful," would you?
You work in an industry where beauty is a business. Who defines the standards there? Fashion brands? Influencers? Classic media?
The customers, the users themselves. At Instagram alone, you can find examples of any kind of beauty ideal today. In this respect, I only serve a niche with my work and my type. I think it's a good thing that there's such a wide range of facets in general. This is also an example of lived diversity. In case of doubt, a high recognition value is worth more than a somehow pleasing appearance.
There is hardly an Instagram icon left that hasn't already helped its appearance with cosmetic surgery. They, on the other hand, appear surprisingly natural.
I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you!
You're welcome. You're welcome. Is this authenticity part of the secret of your success?
It's hard for me to judge, but in fact I always want to stay myself.
Would you "let us do something for you"?
I haven't "done" anything yet, nor do I intend to change anything. Actually, I don't think much of it, because such interventions don't necessarily make people younger ... just somehow different.
When do you feel yourself beautiful?
After a jet lag like right now not so much. I'm more at peace with myself if I follow a certain triad: sleep a lot, drink a lot - of course no alcohol - and exercise regularly three to four times a week.
In your case, the modeling started in the Colombian Cali during a student exchange. How does a 16-year-old from Freiburg end up in the former South American drug metropolis of all places?
My two older sisters were each allowed to go abroad for one year during their school time. One went to the USA, the other to Japan. Through the same mediation organization we got an exchange student from Colombia, who introduced us to the advantages of her home country. I found that exciting. So I flew there. And because a friend there thought I was somehow beautiful, she took me to her first small model jobs. By local standards I was quite tall and blond and therefore perhaps exotic.
Cali, Colombia, model jobs ¬- her parents are teachers. They didn't hyperventilate?
We lived in Colombia in well protected middle class conditions. And I didn't believe in modeling for a long time.
When did it get serious?
When I was back in Freiburg, I applied to the only model agent there, Enzio Maggiore. Two weeks later he took me with him to Milan.
He saw more in you than you did?
That's probably how it was. But he, too, was certainly surprised by the reactions we experienced.
How did you learn to understand this fashion and model industry?
Oh, you get thrown into the water and try to swim. One of my first orders was for Prada. And because I get a bit of information about the brand and the photographer before every job, I was irritated that I suddenly had to stand in front of the big Steven Meisel...
...as a "Vogue" photographer, a kind of legend.
I thought: Why does this star have to photograph us catwalk models? Until I was told that I wasn't one of many, but would be the face of the whole campaign. You'll be happy then.
Dozens of covers, hundreds of catwalks, global advertising campaigns - your career grew very quickly.
I'm a little surprised too, especially that I've been in the business for seven years now. That's not necessarily self-evident.
Did you also watch "Germany's Next Topmodel" as a girl?
Sure. But I've always seen it more as entertainment. Fortunately, reality looks different.
In what way?
The strange "challenges" at Heidi Klum, but also the hysteria of the girls or the competition - there is no such thing as that. I get a job or not. There are no tears or moaning. You really shouldn't take it personally. It has nothing to do with yourself whether your own type suits a particular brand or not.
Again and again you were staged as a young Brigitte Bardot or Claudia Schiffer, whom you actually look like. Doesn't that annoy you?
Such comparisons help a lot in the beginning. At the same time, they are a great honour. Nevertheless, I can always be Anna Ewers.
Again and again you were staged as young Brigitte Bardot or Claudia Schiffer, whom you actually look like. Doesn't that annoy you?
Such comparisons help a lot in the beginning. At the same time, you are a great honour. Nevertheless, I can always be Anna Ewers.
For years you have been working with the New York designer Alexander Wang...
...who discovered me with you, yes. I remember meeting him for the first time and running up and down in front of him, which I totally stumbled over. I was totally embarrassed.
Wang has already staged you for Balenciaga in an extremely provocative way. Sometimes you lay naked with jeans pulled down in a leather armchair or with a bubble of chewing gum on your face on the floor of a toilet. Does a model have a say in this?
The campaign was mega. But of course it's a matter of trust. The team was professionally beyond all doubt and like Alexander Wang brought me a lot of great headlines. It was certainly one of the best campaigns I've ever been allowed to do - also because it was so provocative. But everything has to fit.
Do you sometimes wonder what image of women you stand for with your poses? Do you have any influence on that?
Of course, we are often portrayed as sexy and lascivious, at other times as cool and unapproachable. But that has always been the case, hasn't it? It is a game with emotions. What the fashion companies do is, in my opinion, no comparison at all with what thousands of girls and women post about themselves on Instagram today. That doesn't have much to do with modern images of women or even feminism.
Why shouldn't women who like sexy clothes fight for women's rights?
That's right. That's where the real problem starts: That one is still sexualized by the mere choice of outfit. That's not okay. In the end, I do a job like others. And the customer decides the aesthetic line. But I've never been in a situation where I thought something was completely out of the question.
Do you even have the opportunity to say "no"?
Of course. Always.
And... has that ever happened before?
No. Perhaps also because we take a close look at the clients beforehand.
How many offers do you reject?
Maybe 80 percent? But that's also because as a model you should be selective anyway. There are many examples of girls who have done too much too quickly. After all, you have to make sure that people don't get bored or have enough.
For a globally successful supermodel, you are surprisingly little active in social networks. Why is that?
Oh, I just want to keep my private life private and not let too much of me be revealed. And if you're active in Instagram today, you have to be active every day. I also think that having millions of followers is a huge responsibility.
Why?
Because I think you really should be a role model.
For your industry, Instagram has become the currency of public attention, hasn't it?
Absolutely. And it's also often stated in contracts exactly what you should post in the context of a contract.
Do you have to weigh yourself every day as Anna Ewers?
I know that I work better with a good figure and a lot of sport. But I don't need a scale for that. And I don't have to check my measurements every day.
What goes wrong when more and more teenagers suffer from eating disorders?
I could imagine that social media is putting much more pressure on girls these days. So I'm glad that I'm not really known as the thinnest model and I just hope that they won't give me any responsibility for these developments. I think many girls still have to learn how optimized most of the pictures are, how little these stagings have to do with the truth. When I was 16, I didn't have much self-confidence myself. Young girls in particular are very sensitive about it
Fashion today is no longer only presented by women like you, but also by actresses, musicians, influencers, it girls of all kinds. What does this mean for your business?
Of course a lot has changed. But I don't see it as competition. Range approach, talents and job description differ a lot. You don't book an actress for the same job as me.
You are 24 and a kind of "old model school"?
Haha, exactly!
What advice would you give to a young girl who wants to become a model?
That she is always aware of how much the business is dominated by luck and coincidence. You should never raise your expectations too high, otherwise you will only be disappointed. That helped me a lot. I just thought, "Okay, I like to travel and I don't mind the stress, so I'll give it a try.
How many languages do you speak?
German, English, Spanish... French and Italian I understand at least well. But sometimes that can also be irritating.
In what way?
Sometimes I work for clients who talk about me while I'm standing by because they think I don't understand them. This can open up new horizons.
How has the #MeToo debate changed the fashion and model business?
All of a sudden, many photographers who were just big disappeared completely from the scene. You can tell.
Do you know the background to these exits?
I only hear rumors, but I haven't experienced much myself. With some, which now seem to have disappeared from the picture surface, I have worked together great.
Has the abuse discussion made the business more suspicious? Or more transparent?
Many of the players have become friendlier. It's not always about sexual connotations. In the past, many stylists or photographers simply jumped over very rudely with their assistants. There has been a lot of improvement. And that's a good thing.
You seem very stress-resistant. What is the best way to recharge your batteries?
I love to hike. Nature calms me down. When I come to Freiburg with my family, I always notice how much I miss nature elsewhere. My parents once gave me a dog under the premise of going out with him for an hour every day. I kept strictly to it. These walks quickly became a lot of fun for me.
In our shooting with you we tried to combine the top fashion in which you work with the outdoor theme. A good idea?
I think it's great because the industry is also developing in this direction. High fashion is also becoming more sporty. And fashion certainly has to move more towards sustainability if it is to continue to be loved and taken seriously. But it's difficult. That starts with the fact that fashion people simply travel an incredible amount. On the other hand, I can't credibly claim to want to save the world. I just try to set accents in my own little environment.
For example?
I learned at home not to leave the light on unnecessarily, to use drinking water from the tap at home or to make sure to use as few plastic bags as possible. This awareness is not particularly pronounced in many countries, including the USA. If we continue as before, our world will no longer exist in the foreseeable future. That worries me already.
Many models then like to support any non-governmental organisations or foundations with their celebrities. You too?
I don't want to talk down such engagements. Many things certainly make sense. But I wouldn't want to advertise for a good cause with an Instagram post. In fact, I live in a completely different filter bubble.
What do you think of Greta Thunberg?
I think it's great. Precisely because she is credible in what she does.
Do you actually still perceive German politics?
Of course, I get this mirrored from my own - quite international - circle of acquaintances, where it is always said: Germany is so open, so liberal, environmentally conscious. On the other hand, I see how controversial the same policy is in Germany itself. There are obviously two perspectives: one internal and one external. You learn to appreciate a lot from afar - German health insurance, environmental awareness... all these things.
Do your friends consider you to be "the Germans"?
I'm not the most punctual, and punctuality is actually something very German, isn't it? I often find myself with a stern eye exhorting girlfriends to take care of their environment a little better. German about me is probably also that I am very frugal.
Supermodels like you make a lot of money. What do you do with it?
I bought an apartment in New York. The rest is invested. I have a business manager for that. But I already know a little about it.
How do you plan your future career?
I live from day to day. Things are going well at the moment. So there's no reason to change jobs.
What does modeling teach you?
Patience. And that every person is different. The fashion business is a melting pot of different cultures...
...and a bubble? Multicultural empathy has little to do with the nationalistic reality in many countries, right?
The nice thing is that fashion is an example of how the world can get a little better.
Mrs. Ewers, thank you very much for the interview.
