My Style: Industry veteran Kirsten Owen talks Joe Fresh, art and her proudest modelling moments
Kirsten Owen‘s turn on the Fall 2010 Joe Fresh Style catwalk was one of our favourite moments of LG Fashion Week. We sat down with the poster girl of ’90s grunge models (think Helmut Lang and CK One) to talk favourite cities, model heros and moving back to Canada:
At 40, you’ve walked runways for over 20 years and been in campaigns for Helmut Lang, Givenchy and Marc Jacobs. Which job are you most proud of?
“I loved Helmut Lang, and the Emanuel Ungaro shoot with the dog—it’s one of my favourites. That was with Mario Sorrenti.”
You also did a campaign for Lida Baday.
“Yeah, I loved that work. Chris Nicholls doing that was amazing because they embraced my ‘real-ness,’ and they didn’t want me to look like a model or be like anything that would be expected, you know.”
Were you ever pressured to change your distinctive loping walk?
“No, I did my thing and I went to Paris; I walked the way I walk. I was working all the time for Comme des Garçons and Yohji [Yamamoto], and they accepted me for who I was.”
Which models did you look up to when you were starting out?
“Jenny Howarth, Cecilia Chancellor, Marie-Sophie Wilson.”
How were you approached to do the Joe Fresh Style fall show?
“I had just come back to Toronto, so I wasn’t familiar with the clothes. My agent told me that he [Joe Mimran] did something with Club Monaco, and I knew right away that I trusted him. And then I went to my sister’s and she was wearing Joe Fresh pants, so I started to learn about his clothes.”
You recently moved back to Canada from Vermont. What were you doing there?
“I was studying acting, but I was mostly running around with my kids, being a mom, and [modelling] every now and again.”
What are your favourite films?
“I really enjoyed watching Life is Beautiful with my kids. We laughed a lot and were really touched.”
What are you reading right now?
“I’m reading Brick Lane [by Monica Ali]. I love the way she describes the characters; you can really feel them.”
What else inspires you?
“I’m inspired by a lot of art. I want to study art history and learn more about it. My favourite is Van Gogh and his The Potato Eaters.”
What’s your favourite city to visit?
“I walked all over Paris for years and really loved exploring it. When I go back now, I feel like I’m going back to a place that’s part of me. I like to get up really early in the morning before the city lights have come on, and ride my bike to flea markets in
the south of Paris.”
Any must-haves when travelling?
“I’m a terrible packer. After all these years, you’d think I’d be good at it, but I usually put it off to the last minute and throw everything into a bag. I always feel like I’ve got the wrong stuff, the wrong clothes. Books always work out, but other than that, it’s always a mess.”
What have you discovered since moving to Toronto?
“I love The Sweet Potato, the local health food store, and The Beet café, which has this amazing rice wrap with vegetables, cheese from Quebec and black beans.”
EARLIER: Our 11 favourite moments from Toronto Fashion Week (and beyond)
Crystal Renn and Kirsten Owen lead the charge at Joe Fresh
This article originally appeared in the August issue of FASHION. Read more from our Model Issue
The post My Style: Industry veteran Kirsten Owen talks Joe Fresh, art and her proudest modelling moments appeared first on FASHION Magazine.