Fashion is perhaps one of the most challenging industries to work in. It levies upon the people associated with it the ongoing burden of social standards that are difficult to maintain. From the way your body should look to the constant fear of making a fashion faux pas, professionals are already faced with a lot. Add to that the personal struggles of an individual, and it could be the very thing that breaks you—it really exemplifies the phrase, “all that glitters is not gold.” To better understand everything working in fashion entails, we spoke to Naomi Lievens, a model, mental health advocate, and animal rights activist.
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Q: What do you love about your work?
Naomi: I love the freedom. The fact that it is never the same nor with the same people; it is creative, and I can do it all over the world. It gives me independence and time to do many things.
Q: Tell us about your achievements as a model.
Naomi: I see my achievements as a model mostly in my personal life. I learned how to speak for myself and be strong and independent. I was such a shy person, let everyone walk over me, and thanks to moving around a lot I could keep reinventing myself on my own time. I got to know myself and the person I wanted to become, and step by step there was nothing stopping me anymore.
Q: What inspired you to become a social media influencer Model and Mental Health Advocate?
Naomi: Although a bit late, I noticed that you could create a lot of awareness for the right causes when you have a bigger audience to communicate with. I know from experience that I could help people in a different way than others because I have a deeper understanding of pain and loss. Psychologists do a great job, but they never really helped me. They study out of a book while I believe every individual has their own way of healing, understanding their pain, and processing things, so how can one way be the solution to all these different problems?
Q: How hard is it for you to be a model?
Naomi: It is not as easy as people make it seem—or glamorous. Of course, you have lots of sides to it that make life more comfortable, but besides that, at a young age, I became very insecure and aware of something that shouldn’t be the first priority in life: my looks.
It is a pretty superficial job that makes you forget the more important things in life, especially at an age where you are still developing your character and getting to know yourself. But don’t get me wrong! I wouldn’t complain about it too much, either.
Q: So, is it all work and no play?
Naomi: Like everything modelling has 2 sides. The job is fun and has a lot of perks too. You have long hours if you work, but every day you work with new people, you make great money, and it stays interesting. You can play many roles, and you meet a lot of creative and interesting people. Besides that, you travel around the world, and you have lots of time for other hobbies and interests when you have weeks with less work.
Q: Have you faced any kind of hurdles due to your gender? Tell us about your experience.
Naomi: Sadly enough, I have. I have been in the business for a couple of years now, and a lot of women are coming forward about unpleasant experiences and I think it is about time that they do.
Years ago, when you spoke out about these things, no one would listen. People would just turn the other way. When I was younger, and I started modelling around the age of 16, the owner of my first agency told me to remove my bra so he could take measurements. It was quite uncomfortable to have a 60-plus-year-old man touch your breasts, especially when you are still so young and naive. These things kept happening, with many photographers telling me I should be fully naked to work with them. Trying to meet in some hidden places to shoot and telling me they feel a special attraction towards me. Telling me they could help my career if I showed up at their hotel later at night, etc.
Luckily enough, I learned pretty fast these were just sad cases of a man abusing power, and I never got tricked into doing anything I didn’t want to do—besides letting the owner of the agency measure my naked breasts.
With time I got comfortable getting more nude in front of the camera. In the beginning, it was very uncomfortable, but now I actually enjoy it and find that if you shoot with the right person, you can make the most beautiful images, especially if they know how to make you feel comfortable. It just has to feel right. My all-time favourite photos are usually those because they show an individual’s pureness and unique and simple beauty. But again, this is my personal opinion, and I would never push anyone to do it against their will.
Q: What is your mantra of success?
Naomi: There is this great mantra I have heard a couple of times: if you want greatness, stop asking for permission. I wish I had lived by this at a younger age. I lacked self-confidence growing up and always had the biggest dreams, but I didn’t want to pursue them because I needed to hear from someone I could do it instead of believing in myself and being my own advocate for this.
I have seen kids with the greatest talents growing up, and they hold themselves back from where they could go with this talent just because the parents and generally the people around them tell them to focus on the safety net and nothing besides that. I totally agree with this, but it is all about the balance in a healthy lifestyle. Not just talking about having a comfortable life but about having the one thing you can lose yourself in. The one thing that gets you in your own world. The one thing that develops your character and makes you unique and different.
The secret of life is balance. It is the key to everything. What we do, think, say, eat, and feel… all require awareness; through this awareness, we can grow.
Q: Any tips you would like to share with up-and-coming models and passionate kids?
Naomi: Never adjust yourself to fit in. The more comfortable you get being yourself, the further you will go in the fashion business. The biggest names that made it in this world are always the people that stayed true to themselves.
