MORGAN VANDERMAAS

New York City: Morgan Vandermaas

Interviewer: Jerome Miller

What motivates you? I'm motivated by a constant need to experience something new. I push myself to grow as much as possible, every single day; to experience, to see and hear and smell and taste and breathe fresh life. I'm motivated by living truthfully. 

Favorite part about what you do? My favorite part of what I do is meeting like minded people. 

What's it like balancing modeling & everyday life? Modeling is my everyday life for the most part, so not too difficult. It can definitely be tedious and exhausting, but I try and take care of my physical as thoroughly as I can. I'm internally motivated and that gives me the energy to push through. My goals, my aspirations, they keep me going when I need it most. 

How far do you see yourself taking your modeling career? I hope to go all the way; it's a serious part of my life. Since I was a child, I've always seen my career being in the industry—although I never admitted it until I actually joined the game. It's such an important part of my life.

Where do you draw inspiration for your work? Suki Waterhouse and Alexa Chung are such fashion cool girls—I pull from them for sure. 

Any advice for people your age trying to do the same? BE yourself. It's so easy to get swept into what other people want YOU to look like, how they want you to act, what they want you to do, etc. Being an independent model, I've found that I have most of the control over my image, as well as the work I do. Choose who you are, because you are the only one being directly impacted by that. I think that it's so important not to lose yourself in the sea of sameness.