Model Joan Smalls attends the Joan Smalls True Religion
Collection Celebration at Gramercy Park Hotel Rooftop on March 18, 2015
in New York City.
Image by: Michael Stewart / WireImage
She may be on course for world domination, but supermodel Joan Smalls’ tale is one of triumph through determination. Meet the very real woman behind the planet’s most perfect face
For someone whose face adorns countless magazine covers, who walks for fashion’s great and glorious and ranks in the top 10 on Forbes’ highest-paid models list, you’d expect Joan Smalls to be, well, big ... as in towering, intimidatingly monumental. In real life, though, the only things exaggerated about the 27-year-old Puerto Rican beauty are her mesmerising mahogany-hued doe eyes. In fact, she’s so impossibly down-to-earth we’re forced to remind ourselves that this very same woman is credited with having single-handedly resurrected the supermodel golden era of the ’80s. Jocelyn Warrington sat down with her when she was in Cape Town recently as the face of the Woolworths 2015 Studio.W campaign (pictured below).
JW: It’s not your first visit to SA, is it?
JS: Nope, I’ve been here three times now, twice to front the Woolworths campaign. The team is one of the attractions – they’re just so easy to work with. But what I really love is the malva pudding ... it’s like an on-set requirement. I guess I just feel at home here. Maybe it’s because there are a lot of cultural similarities between Puerto Rico, where I grew up, and South Africa.
JW: Perhaps it’s this connection that’s made Candice Swanepoel such a long-standing friend?
JS: Absolutely! Candice (below) is so sweet. I love her accent. We were recently in Puerto Rico together shooting for Victoria’s Secret.
JW: That must have been something ... returning home to work?
JS: It sure was. Our schedule was tight, but I enjoyed showing off my hometown. And, of course, it was amazing to see my family.
JW: You’re a tight-knit bunch, aren’t you? How do you think your upbringing contributed to the woman you are?
JS: My parents have always been my safety net. No matter what happens, I know I have a place to go home to.
JW: That must’ve been a huge comfort when you moved to New York at 19?
JS: It was. Because I already have their unconditional support, my journey has always been more about proving myself to me than to anyone else.
JW: You graduated magna cum laude from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Does this mean you’re equally gifted with beauty and brains?
JS: My parents are staunch believers in the importance of education. They insisted my sisters and I get our “sheepskins” – that’s Caribbean for a college education – before doing anything else. I was taught that your education is the one thing no one can ever take away from you.
JW: So you get your “sheepskin” and you head to the Big Apple to pursue your dream of walking the runway. What’s the first thing you do when you start making money?
JS: I give my dad his credit card back! Then I buy and furnish my first apartment. I’m a homebody at heart. When I’m not travelling I like to nest: cook, clean, watch TV. Give me domestic routine any day.
JW: Amid all the glitz and glamour, you’re cited as saying you count your greatest achievement as having helped change perceptions of beauty in fashion and modelling. How do you define beauty?
JS: I guess that growing up in Puerto Rico, where there is such a mix of cultures, races, colours, shapes and sizes, I was exposed to a very broad concept of beauty. I’ve never bought into the idea that there’s a one-size-fits-all definition. I believe that we’re at our most beautiful when we’re being our most authentic.
JW: You became the first Latina model to represent Estée Lauder and you are the first Puerto Rican model chosen by big brands, from Gucci to Chanel (below), to front major advertising campaigns. How does it feel to be such a pioneer?
JS: It feels awesome! Lauder was a big achievement for me. It’s an iconic brand and their decision to break the mould represents real progress in an industry that can be pretty stuck in its ways.
JW: Is the fashion industry finally waking up to its long neglect of diversity? Have you had to deal with discrimination?
JS: Of course I have! There’s been a lot of convincing along the way, plenty of tears and frustration. My mother always used to tell me: “A person can only say ‘no’ so many times.” Sure, it’s getting better but, really, it’s an ongoing conversation and it’s crucial that we keep talking.
JW: So what’s the next big thing for Joan Smalls? You’ve done the runways, the shoots, the TV ads. What about a fragrance campaign? Or more music videos? You’ve starred in a few, including, famously, Beyoncé’s ‘Yoncé’ (preview below), alongside fellow models Chanel Iman and Jourdan Dunn. What was that like?
JS: So, so cool! I was like, “Look at me, girl, I got grills.” And working with Beyoncé was a real “I made it!” moment. She was just so inspiring and she took such good care of us. I don’t think there’s enough of that these days, women celebrating other women. And yes, I’d love a fragrance campaign! But we’ll see where the road takes me ...
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