I started modeling in 1995 when I was 25, I was already at retirement age when I started. I was attending graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin, in the School of Architecture, at that point in time, and this crazy opportunity came up in Dallas, because that was the connection that I had. Four months in, I was doing Neiman Marcus’ “The Book,” and other work. I went to Paris and lived in Europe for a year, and it just took off from there. I did my first big showroom for Christian Dior, and it was the last season of [Gianfranco] Ferré. I had just landed in Paris, I think there were five of us doing it, and I was green and new. I had no idea who he [Ferré] was.
I was told I had to lie about my age when I started, especially when I went to Europe, so from 25 I turned 19. It was a Benjamin Button-type of rewind. At that point they said I had two good years, that I was already too old. But it just kept going. I grew into an industry where most women retired at around 25. It was very rare. If you went into an agency at that point in time, you didn’t see a lot of boards that had older models or anyone over 30 unless you were a supermodel. I just kind of rode this wave until all of a sudden people were like I don’t know, maybe we’re okay with women in their thirties. And now it’s turned into, I don’t know, I think we’re okay with… women.
I started working with Saint Laurent in 2021. Fall of 2021 is when I did my first show with them, and I have done four shows and three campaigns with them now. Anthony [Vaccarello] is such an amazing human being, and just so kind. He recently had Diana Ross in a campaign—even from the outside you can tell he embraces that image for the world, older women, younger women, it’s everybody, and I felt very fortunate to be a part of it.
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