Claudia Schiffer thinks influencers have brought diversity to the fashion industry.
Claudia Schiffer praises influencers' impact
The 51-year-old supermodel believes the style world is "fundamentally the same" as it was when she began her own catwalk career but she loves the way individuality and personal expression are "being championed" in a way they never have before.
She told Black Book magazine: "I think the industry is fundamentally the same, but it has grown beyond my wildest imagination. There are more collections, brands, the pace is faster and social media has had a huge impact.
"Since the birth of social media, fashion has witnessed a sea change. What’s interesting is to see is the rise and rise of the influencer. There’s so much talent today that is diverse in race, age and increasingly, size. Individuality and personal style and expression are being championed like never before. Non-professional models have become a vital source of inspiration for their peer groups as well as for designers."
And Claudia believes models have more options open to them than ever before, which she credits to her own generation of catwalk stars.
She added: "And models now have a voice – they are true polymaths, entering fields such as activism, sustainability, fashion design, technology, wellbeing, acting…and they can enjoy multi-track careers. I think the Supermodels provided the template."
The blonde beauty advised aspiring models to always trust their instincts and to be professional.
Asked the advise she'd give, she said: "I’ve always been tenacious, I trust my instincts and I think that’s been important to my success. Your intuition is always right and the older you get the harder it is to listen to it. In a way, wisdom and experience can get louder.
"I’d also say to someone starting out, take pride in being professional – working hard, being punctual, polite and disciplined. Do have a good lawyer right from the beginning.
"Know what you want and where you want to be. Make a long-term plan and never give up!
"Treat everyone as you would like to be treated and don’t be scared to make mistakes; as long as you learn from them, you will be okay."
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