34 HELLOFASHION.COM
hfm COVERSTORY
She also vividly remembers receiving her first
pay cheque. “I bought three pairs of [Christian]
Louboutin shoes from Barneys department store
in New York. They were three different styles:
suede boots with platform stripper heels, a kitten
heel and a flat. I literally just went there as soon
as the money appeared in my bank account and
drained it all. That did teach me the value of
money and that you can only spend it once.”
Instagram made her, but does she still find it
enjoyable? “I think that overall it’s a good app,”
she says, and we laugh by her simply calling it an
‘app’. “Well, yeah, it’s a huge thing in fashion, it
completely changes the way this industry runs.
“It’s definitely fascinating and if you know how to
navigate it, it’s great and fun. I also like the content
you can find on it, but it’s just the validation you
search for, even subconsciously. Sometimes you
can’t help looking at the numbers [of comments
and likes] that are just in your face. That gets to me.
“So that’s why I like looking for the funny side of
it, like the comments, you know, the crazy weird
compliments – this is going to sound so weird. But
nowadays they are like ‘Run me over’
or ‘Step on my neck’, things like that.
It’s like saying, ‘She can run me over’.
They truly make me laugh,” she giggles,
putting her head into her hands.
She also enjoys irreverent feeds.
“I like any comedic release on
Instagram. I love @thefatjewish,
it’s crazy and just a really funny
meme account.
“But I also do like style accounts.
I get so much inspiration from them.
There is this one particular girl
I follow, @endlesslyloveclub, she is so good and
probably my number one style account. She’s pretty
much underground and is just cool. She knows
what’s up, this girl.”
Charlotte’s hobbies include writing. “When I have
a lot of free time, I go on Tumblr where I have a
blog and advice column.
“It’s actually been a really positive thing, to
interact with followers and do another side of
this social media aspect. I enjoy it.
“I mainly give advice on what I would do in a
certain situation. So, I answer questions, whether it
is about boys, or about jealousy, or sometimes sex.
Kind of everything, why not? There is nothing I
don’t really talk about. It’s freeing.
“With social media, people always have preconceived
notions of you. No-one gets out without any hate.
Tumblr is a way to get the real story because people
are so judgemental online.
“It’s been such a good space, here is my truth –
but it’s also something that people can follow, so
it’s really fun.”
Although Charlotte is currently staying in
London, she is usually based in midtown New
York where she lives with her dog, Agent Codywanted to go to college in the States. I’m very
grateful for where I am now, and all the blessings
I enjoy, but originally I had a really simple outlook,
of what I thought my life would be. My computer
password was ‘UCLA’ and it was my ambition to
go to a good Californian college, and that was it.”
However, LA opened other doors for Charlotte.
Within a year from being signed to a major
modelling agency she had started dating Presley
Gerber (son of Cindy Crawford), whom she met
through his sister, supermodel Kaia.
She is also friends with Kendall Jenner and Bella
Hadid, although is reluctant to name-drop when
they come up in conversation (we were talking
about whose look she’s loving at the moment).
“I actually really love Kendall’s style. She just hits
it every time. She doesn’t have a signature, but she
kills it, she really does.
“Same with Bella, but she is the sexy version. The
hot one. I love that. She has the same great style,
but gears towards the sexier, which is really cool.”
So does she hang out with them, we ask?
“I’m friends with Kendall more than I am
with Bella. But yes, they are both
super-sweet.”
She tells us the favourite part
of her job is the pictures. “Just
having them forever is very cool.
And showing them to your kids,
it’s something not everyone will
get to do, and I’ll forever have
that. My mum and my grandma
were both models, so I’d see their
photographs,” she says proudly.
“My mum is super-beautiful.
I remember as a kid idolising her
modelling shots. My grandma is from the Ukraine,
so she mostly appeared in Russian and Ukrainian
magazines. She had a Colgate smile.”
One of the reasons Charlotte was scared of
modelling was the catwalking element. “It’s still
so intimidating to me,” she admits. “I know my
agencies want me to do it, but I’m shorter [she’s
5’ 8”] than most models. Although, I do see the
industry changing and girls my height walking
at shows, which I think is a really cool thing.”
We mention that Kate Moss is an inch shorter
than her and she started right at the very same
agency. “Granted. But she’s Kate Moss,” she laughs.
“I have actually practised, so I don’t think I’m
a bad walker. As a kid I would walk the catwalk
in my bedroom. I think it’s still there, muscle
memory,” she chuckles.
When she began modelling it was not only the
runway she feared, but the camera. “My first ever job
was fun and an experience, but it wasn’t great, and
I wasn’t great on set,” she says turning up her nose.
“I was just so nervous. It’s funny to look back now.
I wish I could shake my younger self because, at the
time, I didn’t know what I was doing. But it’s a good
reference point and I think, I’ve come so far.” ‘I LOVE
KENDALL’S
STYLE. SHE
DOESN’T HAVE
A SIGNATURE,
BUT SHE
KILLS IT’34 HELLOFASHION.COMhfmCOVERSTORY
Shealsovividlyremembersreceivingherfirst
paycheque.“Iboughtthreepairsof[Christian]
LouboutinshoesfromBarneysdepartmentstore
inNewYork.Theywerethreedifferentstyles:
suedebootswithplatformstripperheels,a kitten
heelanda flat.I literallyjustwentthereassoon
asthemoneyappearedinmybankaccountand
drainedit all.Thatdidteachmethevalueof
moneyandthatyoucanonlyspendit once.”
Instagrammadeher,butdoesshestillfindit
enjoyable?“Ithinkthatoverallit’sa goodapp,”
shesays,andwelaughbyhersimplycallingit an
‘app’.“Well,yeah,it’sa hugethinginfashion,it
completelychangesthewaythisindustryruns.
“It’sdefinitelyfascinatingandif youknowhowto
navigateit,it’sgreatandfun.I alsolikethecontent
youcanfindonit,butit’sjustthevalidationyou
searchfor,evensubconsciously.Sometimesyou
can’thelplookingatthenumbers[ofcomments
andlikes]thatarejustinyourface.Thatgetstome.
“Sothat’swhyI likelookingforthefunnysideof
it,likethecomments,youknow,thecrazyweird
compliments– thisis goingtosoundsoweird.But
nowadaystheyarelike‘Runmeover’
or‘Steponmyneck’,thingslikethat.
It’slikesaying,‘Shecanrunmeover’.
Theytrulymakemelaugh,”shegiggles,
puttingherheadintoherhands.
Shealsoenjoysirreverentfeeds.
“Ilikeanycomedicreleaseon
Instagram.I love@thefatjewish,
it’scrazyandjusta really funny
memeaccount.
“ButI alsodolikestyleaccounts.
I getsomuchinspirationfromthem.
Thereis thisoneparticulargirl
I follow,@endlesslyloveclub,sheis sogoodand
probablymynumberonestyleaccount.She’spretty
muchundergroundand is just cool. She knows
what’sup,thisgirl.”
Charlotte’shobbiesincludewriting.“WhenI have
a lotoffreetime,I goonTumblr where I have a
blogandadvicecolumn.
“It’sactuallybeena reallypositivething,to
interactwithfollowersanddoanother side of
thissocialmediaaspect.I enjoyit.
“ImainlygiveadviceonwhatI woulddoina
certainsituation.So,I answerquestions,whetherit
is aboutboys,oraboutjealousy,orsometimessex.
Kindofeverything,whynot?Thereis nothing I
don’treallytalkabout.It’sfreeing.
“Withsocialmedia,peoplealwayshavepreconceived
notionsofyou.No-onegetsoutwithoutanyhate.
Tumblris a waytogetthereal story because people
aresojudgementalonline.
“It’sbeensucha goodspace,hereis mytruth–
butit’salsosomething that people can follow, so
it’sreallyfun.”
AlthoughCharlotteis currentlystayingin
London,sheis usuallybasedinmidtownNew
York where she lives with her dog, Agent CodywantedtogotocollegeintheStates.I’mvery
gratefulforwhereI amnow,andalltheblessings
I enjoy,butoriginallyI hada reallysimpleoutlook,
ofwhatI thoughtmylifewouldbe.Mycomputer
passwordwas‘UCLA’andit wasmyambitionto
gotoa goodCaliforniancollege,andthatwasit.”
However,LAopenedotherdoorsforCharlotte.
Withina yearfrombeingsignedtoa major
modellingagencyshehadstarteddatingPresley
Gerber(sonofCindyCrawford),whom she met
throughhissister,supermodelKaia.
Sheis alsofriendswithKendallJennerandBella
Hadid,althoughis reluctanttoname-dropwhen
theycomeupinconversation(weweretalking
aboutwhoselookshe’slovingatthemoment).
“I actuallyreallyloveKendall’sstyle.Shejusthits
it everytime.Shedoesn’thave a signature, but she
killsit,shereallydoes.
“SamewithBella,butsheis thesexyversion.The
hotone.I lovethat.Shehasthesamegreatstyle,
butgearstowardsthesexier,whichis reallycool.”
Sodoesshehangoutwiththem,weask?
“I’mfriendswithKendallmorethan I am
withBella.Butyes, they are both
super-sweet.”
Shetellsusthefavouritepart
ofherjobis thepictures.“Just
havingthemforeveris verycool.
Andshowingthemtoyourkids,
it’ssomethingnoteveryonewill
gettodo,andI’llforeverhave
that.Mymumandmygrandma
werebothmodels,soI’dseetheir
photographs,”shesaysproudly.
“Mymumis super-beautiful.
I rememberasa kididolisingher
modellingshots.Mygrandmais fromtheUkraine,
soshemostlyappearedinRussianandUkrainian
magazines.Shehada Colgatesmile.”
OneofthereasonsCharlottewasscaredof
modellingwasthecatwalkingelement.“It’sstill
sointimidatingtome,”sheadmits.“Iknowmy
agencieswantmetodoit,butI’mshorter[she’s
5’8”]thanmostmodels.Although,I doseethe
industrychangingandgirlsmyheightwalking
atshows,whichI thinkis a reallycoolthing.”
WementionthatKateMossis aninchshorter
thanherandshestartedrightattheverysame
agency.“Granted.Butshe’sKateMoss,”shelaughs.
“Ihaveactuallypractised,soI don’tthinkI’m
a badwalker.Asa kidI wouldwalkthecatwalk
inmybedroom.I thinkit’s still there, muscle
memory,”shechuckles.
Whenshebeganmodellingit wasnotonlythe
runwayshefeared,butthecamera.“Myfirsteverjob
wasfunandanexperience,butit wasn’tgreat,and
I wasn’tgreatonset,”shesaysturninguphernose.
“I wasjustsonervous.It’sfunnytolookbacknow.
I wishI couldshakemyyoungerselfbecause,at the
time,I didn’tknowwhatI wasdoing.Butit’sa good
reference point and I think, I’ve come so far.” ‘I LOVE
KENDALL’S
STYLE. SHE
DOESN’THAVE
A SIGNATURE,
BUTSHE
KILLS IT’