Joan Smalls

[zoom]

Miss Smalls just trumped all the other September covers and makes it look easy breezy :cool2:

 

[xoxoadore]

she's got the cover of Vogue México! about time if you ask me!

 

[valliaddict]

^Yes it is!!

I also saw some work she did for HB Australia! I'll try to upload it later in the day.

 

[Firefly216]

Finally! Love the dior outfit.

 

[modelista]

Vogue Mexico September 2015: Joan Smalls by Russell James

facebook.com/voguemexico

 

[rubydon]

Second Lui cover:



instagram/luigimurenu via melancholybaby

 

[orchidee]

Additional Vogue México covers!

instagram.com/voguemexico

 

[orchidee]

*Posting from the afterlife* Joan just straight up murdered all the other September covers (including Beyoncé's IMO). The second Lui cover is AMAZING. I'm really pleased with her work lately. Usually they mess up her face with photoshop, but her most recent work has been on point.

Now what are the odds that she'll get the VI September cover? I personally don't think the Lui cover is what she was talking about when she mentioned the "iconic" job.

 

[Prymasquous]

LUI MAGAZINE SEPT. 2015
Ph: Luigi & Iango




+ previews



instagram/luigiandiango, models.com​

 

[AyeBritt]

Yes yes yes!!

 

[xoxoadore]

all the LUI pictures are amazing and I would sacrifice my firstborn to have that edition

 

[zoom]

s.u.p.e.r.m.o.d.e.l. @ Lui Joan is turning into the face of our era.

 

[Prymasquous]

HARPERS BAZAAR AUSTRALIA AUG. 2015
'Sydney Blazing: Studio W & Joan Smalls'
Ph: Margaret Zhang
Stylist: Magaret Zhang
Hair: Michelle McQuillan
Makeup: Max May









+​

Joan Smalls is very beautiful. Granted, when you're talking about a supermodel, that's generally a given, but even after hours of trolling through her Instagram feed and obsessing over her runway appearances and countless campaigns, I was still somehow blown away upon meeting her face-to-face.

EVERY LOOK FROM THE VICTORIA'S SECRET FASHION SHOW

With cheekbones so sculptured you could cut your hand on them and an unnverving 5'11 stature, it's easy to understand why the Puerto Rican native nabbed a #8 spot on the Forbes top models list in 2013 and has been tentatively dubbed the "new Naomi Campbell".

In town for the launch of Studio W. at David Jones, we nailed Joan down for a chat about psychology, runway prep, and what it's like to be a Kanye West lyric.

You were relatively late to the modelling game, do you feel that was a benefit or a hindrance?

A bit of both. It made me much more focused, knowing I was up against 14, 15 year old girls. I was 19, so I was "old" by industry standards, so I went really, really hard. I never did the party scene at night with promoters, when I saw the models partying I would think “Oh my God don’t these girls have to work tomorrow? Why are you partying so much!” The benefit of being older and having finished a degree [in psychology] was that I understood the importance of always being professional, you need to treat this world like a business, not a lifestyle.

THE NEW GENERATION OF SUPERMODELS

What advice would you give to aspiring young models?

Make sure you stay in school. I know that makes me sound like an old person but a lot of people don’t care about education. If you finish school you're one-ahead when you start work, because you’ll know how to speak to people and how to write properly. Most girls start modelling at a young age and have to become adults very quickly. You have to travel by yourself to different countries, you need to get from Point A to Point B, and as a kid it can be a lot to take in at once.

You’ve walked for the biggest names in the industry and have been on countless covers, what was the biggest “pinch me” moment in your career?

Being in the Beyoncé music video [for the track Yonce, with Chanel Iman and Jourdan Dunn] and getting a shoutout by Kanye West. [In his song "Christian Dior Denim Flow"] there’s a lyric like “Make a phone call to Joan Smalls.” My Mum actually told me about it, which is so weird because she doesn’t even listen to rap. She was like “You’re in this new Kanye song” and I was like “No, no you must have heard it wrong.” And when I listened to it I was like “Oh, my, God!”

THE HIGHEST EARNING SUPERMODELS

Do you have some sort of routine to psych yourself up before hitting the runway?

It’s almost like a performance, you know? I can be backstage and fooling around with my friends but as soon as I put that first foot on the runway it’s game time, pure focus. You need to be in the zone, because it’s not just about walking without falling over, it's about radiating energy and making sure everybody is looking at you. You also need to make the garments look the best they possibly can, if it's a floaty dress you need to make it float, because the whole show is over in 10 minutes!

I’ve always found that so strange, how there’s this insane build-up to a show but it’s all over so quick.

Exactly. I feel like people need to see the hours and hours of prep that goes into a show to really appreciate how amazing it is. You can spend hours just waiting for the designer to pick which clothes will go on which girl, and then they fit you personally. The tailors are coming in at 3am to make alterations because these clothes are their babies and they take so much pride in every piece, it’s something I really look up to.

BACKSTAGE AT THE VICTORIA'S SECRET RUNWAY SHOW

You had already made it before the social media supermodel craze took off, what role does Instagram play for you?

It’s so interesting because when social media started it was just this fun way of letting your fans see you for who you are. Usually the only way people can connect with models is through interviews, and those interviews are always framed in a certain way, so Instagram was this great way of showing people the fun side of my personality. But now it’s obviously changed and you have girls becoming models purely from their Instagram accounts. It's almost like a business in itself, there’s been a real shift. But I don’t get too hung up on it, you just have to evolve with the times.

You’ve worked with the best make-up artists in the world, are there any tricks you’ve picked up over the years?

I always loved makeup, even as a little girl I would steal my sister’s eyeliner and try to draw cat-eye or I’d play with her eyeshadows. I’m very interested in the way you can completely change a person’s face in the way you apply makeup. My favourite makeup hacks are using lipstick as blush (take a small amount on your finger and smudge) and using lip liner as eye liner. I take a burgundy lip liner and smudge it under my eyes a little.

TRENDING NOW: THE BOMBER JACKET

What’s your relationship with exercise like, especially considering your work with Victoria's Secret?

I’ve always been athletic, I grew up in the countryside (in Puerto Rico), so I was always running around, playing basketball. Now I train with my personal trainer, I love boxing and I do reformer Pilates. Before the Victoria’s Secret shows you have to ramp things up a notch, but I’ve always been very active because I want to look as healthy as possible.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a model?

I would have continued getting my doctorate in psychology. It’s important to me to be empathetic and to help people without trying to gain something out of it. I also find trying to understand the human brain and why people act the way they do so interesting. Having that background is so good for me in my line of work because if I meet people with egos I can take a step back and be more understanding about why they're acting out. What is the underlying issue? What defence mechanisms are they using? It's definitely made me more patient.

all harpersbazaar.com.au​

 

[Prymasquous]

Joan's at it again. Favorite is #6. That shot alone is everything. She just oozes.


That Studio10 clip was endearing. Good chuckles.

Wonder if Joan does a brief scan of people she comes into contact or let alone her friends and models. It should be interesting what goes through her mind and how she assess peoples' behaviors.

 

[AyeBritt]

love the bazaar editorial and interview. she is such a phenomenal woman

 

[fashionlover2001]

All this New work gets me all excited, especially that Vogue Mexico/Latin America Cover. Felt like it took forever to come out.

 

[Valentine27]

She's on a crazy roll. Loving the Harper's Bazaar edit. Phenomenal Joan!

 

[ThatRascal]

Joan is really having a moment. It's like, every time you start wondering what the hell is going on with her, out she comes to put your crazy thoughts to rest. She is a perfect example of great management because her work changes in terms of HF and Commercial, as well as the times of the year.

For the past couple years, you'd always see more work from her in the Spring than in the fall and it was almost always more Fashion. It looks like she's branching out into more big commercial work with a stronger Fall presence.

Btw does anyone else find it interesting that she has a multiyear contract with Prabal Gurung but doesn't show up in consecutive campaigns? Do you guys think that was intentional and IMG's strategy to keep her showing up in HF campaigns for a few years but not have her image too closely tied to one brand? I think it's very clever. Also, Kudos to her for her contract with Woolworth/David Jones! That's THREE contracts for her, no?

 

[rubydon]

Show Card – New York S/S 16: IMG (Women)




models

 

[Prymasquous]

ALEXANDER WANG x DO SOMETHING F/W 2015
Ph: Steven Klein


fashiongonerogue.com

I join @AlexanderWangNY for a portrait series supporting the limited edition Alexander Wang x DoSomething.org capsule collection. 100% of net proceeds from the sale of these pieces support @DoSomething, the largest global organization for social change among young people.

instagram/joansmalls​