Stephanie Peterson – Inner Beauty
Written By: Michael D. McClellan | Stephanie Peterson has arrived, and in more ways than one. The model, represented by the prestigious Wilhelmina modeling agency, has splashed down in Miami for Swim Week 2019, the annual 6-day event that showcases the latest in swim and resort wear. Jam-packed with runway shows, trade shows, pop-up shops, and pageants at select venues throughout Miami, Swim Week is the Super Bowl of aquatic fashion, drawing designers and models from around the globe, creating a swimwear tour de force unmatched in the industry. Peterson, from Brainerd, Minnesota, brings a unique blend of radiance, mystery and allure to both the runway and her photo shoots, turning designer swimwear into pieces of art that draw the eye and tug at the heart as if inspired by the brush of French master Henri Matisse. There’s also a hint of danger involved when soaking in Stephanie Peterson at work: Stare too long and risk getting lost in some Inception-like dreamscape where time seems to stand still; dare look away and risk a case of whiplash, the gravitational pull of her beauty impossible to escape.
Spend any time at all with Peterson and you realize that, as beautiful as she is, her real super power lies within. Friendly and funny, she places great value in relationships – her family, her friends, associates in the modeling community – and she is quick to give credit where credit is due, from those at Wilhelmina who protect her image and lovingly guide her career, to the photographers who transform Peterson from Upper Midwest beauty to Instagram goddess. Peterson also eschews the superficial in favor of good, old-fashioned substance, drawing strength on the positive energy of others and then paying it back with interest.
“I enjoy the company of genuine, kind people,” she says without the slightest hesitation. “It’s important to surround yourself with people who focus on the positive, even when faced with trying times or difficult circumstances. Optimism is the only way to go.”
Swim Week is the premier event in the world for the swimwear industry, and the resulting images an important part of any model’s book. Peterson thrives on the energy as easily as she soaks up the South Beach sun.
“There’s not another event like it,” she says. “It truly is the epicenter of swimwear-related fashion. It’s a great opportunity network, reconnect, and grow your brand as a model. It’s a whirlwind week.”
While modeling keeps Peterson on the go, she balances a hectic business schedule with an uncomplicated approach to her personal life. She’s just as apt to lounge in comfy clothes like the rest of us, throwing on her favorite sweatpants and sweatshirt and curling up with a good book. Her approach to diet and exercise is also refreshingly straightforward, as is her hair and makeup routines. And while she emotes a smoldering, high-fashion vibe in front of the camera, she is equally quick with a smile away from it.
“I’m a pretty chill person,” Peterson says. “Modeling keeps me busy, so I like to keep things as simple as possible, whenever possible. It’s all about being balanced.”
Let’s talk about Miami Swim Week 2019!
Swim Week starts on Monday with the castings, and then I believe the shows start on Thursday. It’s a jam-packed experience. You have castings, fittings, and fit-to-confirms that run through much of the week, and even on Saturday for some shows. The clients can also request certain models directly. There’s never a dull moment!
It sounds like a lot of work, but in a good way.
Very much so! We are basically running all over South Beach in Miami all week, so you really don’t have a reason to complain. It’s like a big reunion, honestly, if you’ve worked in the Miami market. Girls fly in from Los Angeles and New York, while some are flying in from Europe and Australia. You get to see a lot of familiar faces and renew friendships with people you haven’t seen in a while. It’s very busy, and it’s also stressful at times, but it’s super fun, too. Everyone just wants to have a good time. Swim Week is a great experience.
Are you ready?
I’m doing a lot of castings, and I have a few fit-to-confirms scheduled. I’m also walking in a few shows, so there is a lot of preparation involved. There’s also a lot of networking that goes on during the week as well, which is almost equally important in terms of building your career. This is my second Swim Week – last year was my first – so I know what to expect a little bit better now. I’m very excited and ready for the week to start!
Please take me back to the beginning – how did you get your start in modeling?
I grew up in Brainerd, Minnesota. A lot of people back home encouraged me to get into modeling, but I wasn’t convinced that I wanted a modeling career at that time. I went to college with aspirations to be a doctor instead, but, after completing my first year of school, I realized that chemistry really wasn’t my thing. That’s when I took some time to reassess my goals and decided that I would look into the modeling thing.
How long before you realized you were on the right career path?
That summer, actually. Too Faced Cosmetics and Wilhelmina were conducting a model search as part of the Too Faced 20th-Anniversary Celebration Campaign. I knew that Too Faced was a super big player in the cosmetics market, and my friends were encouraging me to apply, so that’s how it all came together. I entered the competition not really expecting anything from it, but I made the Top 10 and ended up getting flown out to Los Angeles with nine other girls. I didn’t win the competition, but Wilhelmina signed me apart from the competitions being conducted in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. That was a magical feeling, because all I ever wanted to do was to get a modeling contract.
Wilhelmina Models is one of the premiere modeling and talent agencies in the world What’s it like to be part of the Wilhelmina family?
Being in the modeling business is pretty intense, but my agents are amazing people who’ve made the process very smooth for me. They are like my family, honestly. I’ve only worked in the Miami and L.A. markets, so I haven’t met the agents in New York yet, but I’m super-stoked to get up there and meet them soon.
For me, Wilhelmina is the perfect fit because everyone has been so sweet and they are genuinely good people. It’s unique in that respect. I feel like, in this industry, it is very hard to find agents that care about you as a person, and the agents at Wilhelmina really mother you in a big way. They develop you, they care about you, and they want the best for you, so I feel very fortunate to be with Wilhelmina. They have been absolutely amazing.
I’ve heard that not all agencies subscribe to that same culture.
When I was in high school I dabbled in modeling a little bit, and was briefly engaged with an agency based in New York. It was primarily a men’s agency at the time, but they were trying to get their women’s ward up and going. I remember meeting with them…they were talking about all of these wonderful clients that they had, which was true because they did have good clients, and their girls were working. It looked very promising, but, before I went to New York, they said they weren’t going to market me to clients until I lost ten pounds. I was already pretty slim at the time, so it was an eye-opener for me in terms of the modeling industry. I learned very quickly that there are agencies that don’t really care about your well-being, that don’t want you to be healthy, that don’t really want the best for you. At that point I decided that I wasn’t going to sacrifice my own health for this industry. And with Wilhelmina, I’ve never had problems when it comes to stuff like that. I feel very fortunate to be a part of the Wilhelmina family.
Let’s talk healthy lifestyle. Please tell me a little about your diet.
I really love food, and I try to be health conscious about it, so my diet secret is that I basically do everything in moderation. My mom taught me that growing up. She stressed that you can’t be too restrictive in your diet, otherwise it just leads to unhealthier habits elsewhere, so from an early age I’ve eaten what I’ve wanted, as long as I do so in moderation. I don’t really consume a lot of dairy products, and I don’t consume a lot of meat products, just because it’s not the best for me.
What about your exercise regimen?
As far as working out, I like a little bit of everything. I like to switch it up, otherwise I get bored. I do a lot of Pilates and weightlifting, and that’s what I’ve really found that transforms my body. And I also like to walk everywhere, just to get some miles in.
How important is water to your beauty regimen? And what about sleep?
Water is super important, although I must admit that I’m not the best at drinking a lot of it. But for skin and over all energy levels, and just flushing out toxins, staying hydrated is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle, and not just as it relates to beauty. I sleep all of the time, so I don’t have a shortage on that [laughs].
Are you a wine drinker?
Yes, I love a good rosé wine. I’m not big on red wine, because it ends up giving me a headache.
What is your definition of beauty?
I think that beauty is the love that comes from within a person. To me, it’s all about the positive energy that they have, and how magnifying they are because of it, so it doesn’t really matter what someone looks like. I don’t judge people on external beauty when it comes to making friends. I’m able to admire external beauty, but internal beauty is 100% way more important to me. It’s all about how someone makes you feel. Are they a good friend? Do they give you something that makes you want to keep coming back? Can they change the mood in a good way, just by walking into the room? I think that’s what makes someone truly beautiful.
I recently interviewed Pharrell Williams, who has his own unique fashion sense. How has your style evolved over the years, and what are you wearing in 2019?
My style in 2019 is pretty much comfort-based. I’m not super into designer labels or anything like that. My style actually leans more to the boho side, but I like to switch it up for sure, it just depends on my mood that day and how I like to look. I’m like a lot of other models you might see but not recognize on the street, because I’m not wearing designer labels when I walk past you – I’m wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt [laughs].
Your hair is always beautiful, and is shot in so many different and interesting styles. What’s your secret to great hair care, and what’s your go-to style when you hit the town?
For hair care, I’m pretty simple. I use Herbal Essence because I think it smells the best and it works really well with my hair. I always use a hair oil after I shower, so I use Kérastase or anything by IGK. I always wear my hair curled if I’m going out. I discovered a really cool way that the makeup artists and hairstylists do my hair, and I’ve tried to copy them.
Makeup is a big part of any female model’s utility belt. What are your makeup dos and don’ts, and do you have any makeup advice for other aspiring models?
My makeup don’t is non-negotiable: Don’t underline the eyes in black eyeliner. I absolutely avoid that at all costs. To me it’s not a good look. When makeup artists do that to me, I’m like, “Oh my gosh, you just made me so ugly [laughs].”
To me, a do is to always have fresh, glowing skin. I think the skin 100% makes or breaks the look. And so, for aspiring models, I think that figuring out what is best for your skin and your facial type is so important. And to me, less is more. When you go in to see an agency, they don’t want to see you caked up with makeup. They want to see you and what they can do with you.
Your Instagram feed is amazing. How hard is it to get the right shot, and how much of it depends on the photographer that you’re working with?
Honestly, the photographer is everything. It’s important to note that they can really make or break the shoot. They know the best angles, how to work with the background, how to leverage the lighting, things like that. Post-editing is critical. If they are not good at that, it can definitely ruin the images. I’ve seen some images, and I was like, “Oh my God, I’m the ugliest human alive.” And others make me feel like a goddess. There’s a crazy range out there, and the quality varies from photographer to photographer. You quickly learn the ones you can trust on a shoot, and you try to work with them every chance you get.
Have you ever felt self-conscious in front of a camera?
Absolutely. Especially if my skin isn’t doing the best, or if I had maybe too much risotto that week then yeah, I do get self-conscious.
Do you ever get nervous when you walk the runway?
I do get butterflies. It’s a little bit nerve-racking right before you go out, but everyone is feeling the same energy. You are mostly stoked and you’re thinking, “Don’t trip out there, just work it.” The runways are usually pretty short, so you get in, you get out, and when it’s over you realize that that it wasn’t so bad. The rush you feel is incredible, because when you first walk out there because everyone is looking at you. If you let your eyes drift to the audience you’ll see some people smiling, or some sitting straight-faced, or whatever the case may be, but all eyes are on you in that moment. It’s a really cool feeling. It’s hard for me not to smile when I’m going down the runway.
Which are your favorite brands of swimwear, and why?
Luli Fama. I’d worked with them a few times, and although I had never purchased their swimwear, whenever I was shooting it I’d fall in love with the brand. You get to try on something like twenty pieces of swimwear for a shoot, so you really get the feel for how they fit, as well as the styles and the colors. Luli Fama just fits so well with my body. The quality is amazing, the prints are beautiful. I love Luli Fama.
You’re part of the first generation of models for whom social media is a key part of the job. Could you ever imagine a career in fashion without social media?
I really can’t imagine having a career without social media. When I starting modeling, everyone was providing the same advice – work on building my Instagram presence. At the time I had about 4,000 followers, and I didn’t really know what to do. There was a lot pressure to grow my base, but I’ve been able to do that and it’s created a lot of opportunities for me as well.
In what ways can social help or hurt a modeling career?
I’d say you definitely have to be really careful about what you say on social media, because, even if you mean it to be completely innocent, it can be misconstrued and turned into something that can be really harmful to your career. Because people interpret things a lot of different ways, I’m always really very careful about what I say. I always try to send out a positive, uplifting message, and I don’t really get into anything that could be too opinionated, just because I don’t think my opinions are part of my career at this point. I don’t really have the platform to truly speak out yet.
Does Wilhelmina help you navigate the social media world?
Yes, Wilhelmina guides me a lot in terms of my social media. I might post a caption that may be too personal, and if it’s work-related they might advise me to take it down. I’m cautious not to go too deep into my own personal life, but it’s hard to find the balance between wanting to show people that I’m a real person and just showing them my book. Wilhelmina provides me with a lot of guidance in this arena. I respect them and I trust them.
Modeling seems to foster both close bonds and intense competition among those in the profession. Is this an accurate assessment?
Yeah, I would say that’s pretty accurate, I’ve only really bonded with some of the best girls, and you can definitely pick up on the energy of other models. I think that the only reason you would feel super competitive against someone is if it comes from within, and you feel that there’s something missing. That’s not how I approach it. For me, I’ve developed a mindset that there are plenty of jobs out there, and that there is a job for every single girl. That thought of abundance helps keep me grounded and keeps me from becoming insecure. That’s why I really don’t feel like that the other girls are my competition. I see them as my friends. We’ve gone through the same things, and they understand my life better than anybody ever could. So you really develop a special bond with them. With that said, the industry as a whole is definitely competitive. I just try to tune that out.
Every model is different in their ability to project certain feelings or emotions. How would you compare and contrast yourself with someone like Australian model Natalie Roser?
I’ve met Natalie in person, and she projects super good vibes. She’s smiling all of the time, and she’s always super happy, and I think that comes across a lot in her images. By contrast, I’m someone who is very laid back, very chill. I know how to have a good time, but I wouldn’t say that I’m stoked all of the time. I’d rather do more high-fashion shots where I’m not really smiling, and that comes across a lot easier for me in the images that I shoot. Emotion is hard to get on camera. If you have the right photographer, the right team, and you are in the right heads pace, then you can really capture the mood.
What do you like to do for fun?
I’m into reading and writing, but I’m super outdoorsy since I grew up in Minnesota. I love the ocean, and just being out on the water – boating, swimming, and snorkeling.
What are your secrets to healthy skin?
That’s hard. It took me a while to figure out what works for me, and I think that that’s what everyone deals with. I’ve found that the Jan Marini skin care system works the best for me, but it’s hard being a girl because your hormones are always changing, and I’m dealing with hormonal breakouts right now. So I think drinking a lot of water, having a balanced diet, and taking care of your skin the way you feel best about it is so important.
What’s the one quality that matters most to Stephanie Peterson?
Kindness. It’s all about the energy that someone has – how kind they are, how they treat people, how they respond to situations of stress or negativity. I really admire that quality and I look for it in my friends and my relationships. It helps determine who I want in my life.
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