Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
The worst thing to do when I'm feeling insecure or a bit vulnerable is to scroll through Instagram. You only show when life is good on social media. Everyone looks happy all the time.
I always believed that I had to pretend to be happy. But what I've learned is that it doesn't matter what race or class or demographic you come from. I truly believe that sadness is relative.
When you want someone to notice you, there's one fail-safe way of making sure that they do: by plastering pictures of yourself across social media. Your motive might seem obvious, but so what?
No one had ever educated me on mental health. I really didn't understand why I would be feeling high on life, and everything was brilliant, and then suddenly I would be crashing into a deep hole.
I went to a school where the girls that were found attractive were the complete opposite to me. I judged my worth on how many boyfriends everyone had, and I wanted to jump out of my skin every second of every day.
The most amazing thing for me is when I open up a magazine and I see someone I could be friends with and looks, maybe, slightly like me. And I think that's the same with young girls. Because there needs to be diversity.
I think losing out on jobs and, you know, being judged on your appearance... I definitely grew a second skin and got used to it, but more so now, I've realised it definitely contributed to a lot of things I feel about myself.
When you talk, you realize that the pains and worries you feel are universal; you no longer feel alone in your sadness. You relate and find comfort in the fact that there are other women going through the same things as you are.
Boarding school was a really pivotal moment. Before I went there, I was so happy. I'm not sure I was ready for it. I was only 13. My parents didn't send me away; it was my choice as well. But I definitely shouldn't have stayed for five years.
Marc Jacobs Beauty is really exciting for me; when I was at school, I would always struggle to find make-up that suited my skin tone, and I certainly wouldn't find anything from a luxury brand. I'm glad that girls don't have that problem anymore.
I was privileged in terms of where I grew up, and I come from a very loving, supportive household. But when I began to go off the rails at boarding school, my behaviour wasn't a result of an upbringing but more something that was going on within me.
Because I would be around so many people in the fashion industry, there's this kind of dialogue. People would always say, 'Oh your daughter is so beautiful. Is she a model?' And it was so strange for me to hear because I felt so not beautiful inside.
I knew that modeling could open doors, and I would be able to travel and forge my own path. Being able to support yourself is amazing, and I think that was one of the things that appealed to me, but I didn't want to be in front of the camera at first.
I never would have dreamt in a million years that I would have young girls coming up to me at Glastonbury or on the streets of L.A., New York, London, and telling me how much GurlsTalk or seeing my picture in a magazine means to them, as a woman of colour.
There are times when you're being judged on your appearance and you're not feeling your best self. It hurts, but as I always say, I try and be 100 percent myself all the time. So if I'm rejected, it just hurts that little bit less because at least I was myself.
Even when I first started modeling, my loyalty to those girls like Molly Goddard, Ashley Williams, and Dilara Findikoglu was important. I like to support them as much as I can. For me, it's as important to walk in their show or wearing their clothes as it is doing a Marc Jacobs show.
2014 was a terrible year for me. I got a lot of help from psychiatrists, doctors, and my family, but also from group therapy. I met people from so many different backgrounds, and we were all able to relate to each other. It felt like a real community, and I stole that concept for Gurls Talk.
I always think, what I would have thought of something like Gurls Talk would have come into my school? Or how would I have felt if I'd heard there was this one-day festival happening in London? I think I'd have definitely gone, I started Gurls Talk because it was everything that I needed at school.
One of my aunties inspires me beause of how easily she shows her emotions, and she isn't ever afraid to cry. My mum, for her work ethic - she might not show her emotions in public very much, but she's a total power woman. My grandma, who watched four of her children die before her, she's a powerhouse.
How can our industry better represent the reality of our larger community and provide our next generation a proper example of what they see around them every single day? This representation should also look beyond race and include those of all body types, religion, sexuality, and gender identification.
In the digital age, there are a million and one ways to find out what someone you fancy is doing - but remember, they can see when you're watching their Instagram stories. If you fall deep into a hole of snooping, resist flicking through the digital diaries of their exes, or at least learn to cover your tracks.
What I would say to anyone who wants to be a model is, have something else. This shouldn't be your be-all and end-all in life: there are so many other amazing things to be done in the world. I also think that the industry really celebrates a woman who does something else. So keep at it, but always have something else.