English supermodel and musician Karen Elson has spent more than two decades in the fashion limelight, walking the runway for Alexander McQueen, Valentino, Chanel and Gucci and appearing on the cover ofon her 18th birthday. The 43-year-old mother of two teenagers [she co-parents with ex-husband Jack White of the White Stripes] now lives in Nashville and is a fierce advocate for models’ rights. She’s recorded a new album,I was 15 when I started modelling.
There is no union or overseeing committee in the modelling world, except for the work of the Model Alliance in New York. Models have a right to feel safe and secure. I am very passionate about these things.. One by one, all of the models ended up in the hospital because we had chemical burns. I walked off set and took myself to emergency. Later that evening, my agent at the time called me to tell me that we had to send flowers and write a letter to apologise.
Definitely [former Lanvin creative director] Alber Elbaz. He was someone I cared about, a real friend. It affected me because I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.It’s very simple – whenever I have a struggle or go through difficult times, I always remind myself that this too shall pass. I am a big believer of putting one foot in front of the other and remembering that tomorrow is a new day.
When I look at TikTok videos of cute animals and my kids tell me to turn it down because I’m embarrassing them.Stevie Nicks or Cher. I got to meet Cher at the Met Gala. She commented on a crazy Dolce & Gabbana red and gold ornate dress I was wearing – she grabbed me to say, “I love your dress.” I felt like I had been anointed.I had released my memoir,in 2020 and I loved that an ideas festival like Semi Permanent had reached out to me and wanted me to share insights into my creative process.
Hair, Daren Borthwick using Oribe; Make-up, Linda Jefferyes using Charlotte Tilbury; Styling assistant, Emerson Conrad.
Northern girl done good 👍🏼
Is that Cumberbatch?