Friday, 8 January 2016

Iskra Lawrence Interview

For me, the best part of blogging or any area of the media industry is the interviewing side. There's nothing I rather than getting the opportunity to chat to new, interesting people and there's sometimes I literally have to pinch myself for having the opportunity to interview people I genuinely look up too and my first interview of 2016 is with a young woman I idolise and that's UK model Iskra Lawrence.
 A couple of months ago as I scrolled through instagram I came across a picture of a girl I had never seen before lifting some pretty heavy weights and thought to myself 'Wow, what a woman' so I went onto her page and learned she was a UK model living in New York called Iskra Lawrence and she's a pretty big deal with a huge instagram following of 791k people.  I couldn't get over how amazing she was sharing her workout videos, inspiring posts and teaching girls about being comfortable in their own skin and what Iskra prides herself on is not retouching her photographs embracing her curves and even her cellulite she's also known as the next Kim K with her extraordinary booty, I hope you enjoy my interview with the lovely Iskra Lawrence.
Little Piece Of Lynda: You began modelling at the age of 13, but was it always your dream to become a model?
Iskra Lawrence: My mother actually entered me into Elle girl search for a supermodel as she knew I loved fashion but at that point I actually dreamt of being a ‘brain surgeon’. But as soon as I got taste for modelling I loved working with creative teams, getting my hair and makeup done and getting ‘dressed up’ and styled.

LPL: Was it always modelling or was there ever any other career options?
Iskra: I have wanted to be numerous ‘things’ from dancer to owning a car garage to becoming an architect. I wish growing up more children were told not what do you want to do when you’re older in singular terms but let them know they can try hundreds of different career paths throughout life. I haven’t been to college or university because I wanted to model and it was my sole focus. Maybe I’ll go back to university however right now I’m very fulfilled and love what I do and I try very hard to be humble ask for help and learn off everyone I meet.
LPL: You recently took the plunge to move from your home in the UK to NYC what made you decide to pack up and begin your new adventure?

Iskra: I have dreamt of living in NY since i was 15 and went on a school trip. I love a challenge and to create situations that put me out of my comfort zone and force me to grow. So as soon as the agency I had read so much about and was desperate to be signed by asked to represent me I had no doubt in my mind I was going. I wasn’t worried about leaving because I knew I could always come back and there are no failures in life only lessons.

LPL: You landed your first big break by landing the untouched campaign with Aerie but how did that come about for you? Has it changed your life much?
Iskra: There was a couple of casting rounds, one of which was a filmed question about your favourite body part. Not only did the Aerie campaign change my career forever it made me believe that anything was possible and increased my confidence ten fold because I wasn’t retouched and they booked me for being me not my measurements.

LPL: You're now run one of my favourite websites 'Runway Riot'  but for people who have never heard of the website how would you describe it?
Iskra: RunwayRiot is the fashion, style, and beauty site for women of all sizes. We are dedicated to serving an underrepresented and often overlooked community ​of curvier women ​who deserve to have just as many stylish choices as everyone else. Every editorial fashion spread you see will be 100% unretouched. And we hope to encourage healthy body image in the fashion industry and positively impact those women who may have felt excluded before, because we celebrate that everybody is beautiful.

 LPL: Iskra how different is it living in the USA compared to the UK?
Iskra: NYC is extremely fast paced compared to the UK. It’s such a small island so it’s intense but I love it because it drives me to work hard and play hard.

LPL: How did you go about getting your body into the shape it is in now?
Iskra: I didn’t change or alter my body shape I focused on health and fitness and becoming the best version of me.

LPL: The Booty Iskra, it's one of the biggest talking points surrounding you but were you born with the curves or were they born in the gym?
Iskra: I have always had an hourglass shape and I learnt to embrace it and find ways to workout that worked for my body and over time I became curvier through exercise and eating more

 LPL: What advice would you give people hoping to tone up or loose weight?
Iskra: I would encourage people to stop looking to ‘lose weight’ I don’t believe in diets I believe that the focus should be your body’s and mind's health. When you begin to research nutrition and try workouts that your body responds well to if you have the goal to be the fittest strongest version of yourself you will naturally shed fat.

 LPL: What is a typical day like for Iskra Lawrence?
Iskra: In NYC I wake up make a juice either go to a photo shoot or if I’m not shooting I’ll catch up on emails and social media, do some interviews go to about 3 meetings, film for RR or write my self-care piece. I usually eat out with my girls a couple of times a week and go to the cinema or the club once or twice a week.

LPL: What's your gym playlist like?
Iskra: I love hip-hop, rap and some house music.
LPL: Can you tell us something about yourself that no one else knows?
Iskra: I have a balloon phobia it’s terribly embarrassing lol

LPL: Was there ever a time in a career that you felt like giving up, what made you keep going?
Iskra: Yes from 14-18 I just thought I would get by modelling doing small jobs but never ‘make it’. I was doing my A-levels and just seeing where it went. But the more rejections I received and body scrutiny I realised that there was no one representing girls my size and it motivated to be that change.

LPL: What are your top tips for looking and feeling good?
Iskra: You decide your worth not the mirror, a man or the media. So wake up and love that you’re you, one of a kind and give your gift to the world no one else can - you!

LPL: Is there anything else left in this world that you'd still like to achieve?
Iskra: Sooooooo much I haven’t even scraped the surface I have a huge announcement coming soon. I also want to have a TED talk, make compulsory self-care classes in schools and have my own nutritional baking show. There’s a lot more but I’m taking it one step at a time there is no rush.

LPL: And finally Iskra with you being half Irish (I know lads, we can claim her as our own) do you like Ireland and do you come back often?
Iskra: HAHA yes my mom and her whole family is from Ballymena in NI I try and visit once a year - love it! :)


And there you have it, my exclusive interview with model Iskra Lawrence, I'm literally still in shock I got to interview Iskra with it being a real dream come true for me. Huge thanks to Iskra for answering these questions and Gary for setting the interview up.
Of course you can keep up to date with everything Iskra in the following ways: 


I hope you enjoyed this little piece of Iskra :)
at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1 comment:

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)