UNIQUELY LILY:
in town as the face of sff (singapore fashion festival) '06, lily cole talks to sasha gonzales about her rise to supermodeldom, and why, when it comes to shopping, she can never make up her mind.
as far as supermodels go, british reenager lily cole defies convention. she is not the brazen, in-your-face sex siren of the '80s, nor is she the sullen, brooding waif of the '90s. she is in a category all her own: with her super long limbs, flaming-red hair, creamy complexion, and small but perfectly proportioned bow lips. forget comparisons to porcelain dolls. innocent and mysterious, almost ethereal, infact, lily bears close resemblance to pre-raphaelite maiden, or an angel, minus the halo and the wings. it is this haunting beauty that attracted the attention of model scout benjamin hart when he spotted lily in london in 2002. convinced by hart that she had what it takes to make it in the cut-throat industry, she signed with storm models and, a year later, was proclaimed as the face to watch, after appearing in a magazine spread photographed by the legendary steven miesel.
her looks has been described as "unusual", but hasn't deterred the world's biggest fashion houses from featuring her in the advertising campaigns and using herfor their runway shows. prada, chanel, moschino, christian lacroix, hermes, cacharel, alexander mcqueen, jean paul gaultier, louis vuitton...she's modelled for them all. she is also a familiar face on the magazine covers the world over, from italy to japan.
what a life for someone who, jsut four years ago, was a complete unknown. with all that experience she is certainly already a veteran in the game, but lily is - in a legal context, anyway - still a child. she turns 18 this month and is preparing to take her a-levels examinations at the end of the year.
model life - growing up, lily was encouraged to try modelling, but she didn't believe she could cut it and so, never bothered to take her friends' suggestions further. "i always thought you had to really be pretty," she says. "at the time, i guess i didn't have alot of confidencei n myself." that's not to say lily never harboured fantasies of becoming a model, though. she played dress-up as a kid, and loved imagining that she was a glamorous celebrity. when hart approached her, she was surprised. "i was curious when i was stopped and asked if i'd ever considered modelling." lily recalls, laughing. "i just thought, 'oh, modelling. that's nice'." she'd had no experience whatsoever, so, before her first show season, lily learned the ropes from older models at her agency. she got tips on how to walk and pose like a pro, as well as how to work the catwalk.
in 2004, after having made headlines as one of the biggest new faces of the year (thanks to her shoot with miesel), lily was named model of the year atthe british fashion awards. she later shot to prominence as a favourite with designers, and is now considered part of that league of "doll-faced" models that includes australian gemma ward and canadian heather marks.
indeed, lily has an enviable life. she enjoys the star treatment whenever she goes, has famous feiends, and gets to travel extensively. "the most interesting place i've visited as a model in india. rajastan in particular," she says. "yagamata in japan in nice, too. i know i'm lucky because i get to experience things most 18-years-olds only dream about."
a beautiful mind - despite her success, lily remains amazingly practical and down-to-earth. she is also smart, and understands that, without a solid foundation, it is very easy for one to get caught up in the pressures and temptations of fame. she explains: "my family and friends know what i'm like. i may have all this success, but i haven't changed. i'm still me. it's good that i am constantly self-aware. my family and friends keep me grounded."
when she needs to relax, lily seeks solace in her family. she believes there is nothing better than coming home after a hectic assignment, and just being a regular teenager. "modelling is fun, and once in a while, i do let my hair down and party," she admits. "but the job takes a lot out of you emotionally, and the fashion industry, exciting though as it may be, can get crazy at times. so it's always refreshing to go home and be normal for a change. to wind down, rest my body, and be with the people i love."
her job as a megastar model aside, lily is nodifferent from any other 18-year-old. her studies are her top priority, and she has plans to go to university after completing her a-levels (she intends doing her degree in sociology, psychology or polotics). she also loves books, counting wuthering heights, the god of small things, joseph conrad's heart of darkness, and the latest collection by philip pullman as some of her favourites.
shopping style - like most teenage girls, lily also enjoys shopping when she gets the chance. she loves japan for their uniquely designed, well-cut clothes, and thailand, for their gorgeous summer dresses. in singapore for just three days, she managed to visit a few stores, and think our country is "an amazing place to shop". "i also like vintage clothes," she enthuses. "and the best part about shopping for vintage is, it all boils down to luck. that's what makes it fun!"
before she became famous, lily was obsessed with store sales ("i'd end up buying everything!"). these days however, she prefers shopping at high-end boutiques, which she finds is helpful at keeping her impulsiveness in check. "i love shopping for beautiful things, but if i don't enforce self-restraint, i can go overboard," she shares. "i'm also a very indecisive shopper, because i want everything i see. so, by shopping at the more expensive stores, i stop myself from overdoing it."
if there's one trend lily has kept in mind for her next shopping trip, it's feminine dress for the summer: "i like them colourful, comfortable, easy to wear, and made from a like fabric like chiffon. wearing them makes me feel so free!" another item she cannot wait to use is her jean paul gaultier umbrella, which she acquired during her trip here. "i can imagine walking through hyde park in london with it," she says excitedly. "it's unique so it stands out. it's gorgeous!"
much like you, lily.
-sasha gonzales, for female magazine singapore may '06. transcripted by me!
aww I love her frown 
