#MySkyeBody Conversations - Nathalie Darcas
Take a peek into the mind of our newest Skye model, Nathalie Darcas, and you’ll quickly realize that she’s not just another pretty face. Once aspiring to be an archeologist, this blonde beauty shares a few words she’d like every woman to know. Read on to find out what she’s learnt about herself as a model, the fashion industry as a whole and what she does to keep her confidence level up in an industry that can be so critical.
SKYE: Did you always aspire to be a model?
Nathalie: When I was younger, I actually really wanted to be an archeologist. Very strange I know. It wasn’t until my mum and I looked into some schools and realized it would be a pretty lonely university experience (studying in the middle of nowhere America) in order to learn such a trade, ha! Modelling for me fell into my lap completely out of the blue!
SKYE: Was there ever a period in your life when you didn’t like or feel comfortable in your own skin, and if yes, how did you overcome that?
Nathalie: Absolutely! Looking back, I definitely felt my most uncomfortable around the age of 13, when my boobs started to grow…! I remember being one of the first girls to develop boobs and I was utterly embarrassed. While all my girlfriends would run around with little crop tops or just nothing underneath their t-shirts during netball practice, I remember layering singlet after singlet underneath my sports tops in order to appear more flat. They always say adolescence is hard but wow, I remember feeling extremely self-conscious and awkward for a while there!
SKYE: Do you ever get camera shy?
Nathalie: Funnily enough, I only get camera shy socially! I find I’ll always pull some weird face and ruin the photo haha, or just not know what to do! When I am on set however, it’s like this different person comes out, completely confident and sure of herself.
SKYE: What’s the biggest or hardest lesson you’ve learnt about:
- The modelling and fashion industry and;
Nathalie: Oh my, the list goes on. I guess at the end of the day, if you can no longer deliver due to your looks changing, whether it be transitioning out of the body type of a teenager (think extremely fast metabolism) into that of a curvier woman, or just aging as all women do with time (which is a beautiful, natural process yet another thing the fashion industry does not embrace enough whether they would like to admit it or not) you will eventually have an “expiration date” with clients and even your agents. It also often seems to be the case that the fact of the matter will never actually be discussed with the model in real and honest terms. Just like if you were to be fired at your job, a conversation would have to take place in order for you to leave, but with models, sadly, you are more often than not, left in the dark with such matters and to figure it out for yourself.
- Yourself while being a professional model?
Nathalie: You can work as hard as you can, take amazing care of your health and be as professional as you possibly could be, but ultimately a lot of it is going to come down to relationships, word of mouth, timing, luck to a certain extent etc. The list of factors is complex and a lot of them are just completely out of our control as a model. On a positive note however, I am seeing a lot of brands coming out with a much more real perspective and acknowledgement of the woman behind the photo (cough cough, Skye!!) and getting you on board because your set of values and morals align with the brand. This is a beautiful thing as it takes away a lot of the superficial element of modelling which is so refreshing!
SKYE: What do you do to keep your happiness and by extension, confidence levels up?
Nathalie: I keep up my happiness by first and foremost, hanging out and connecting with the people I love! I have also come to realize, and what may seem so simple but much easier said than done, is that happiness and confidence is truly a choice. We all can choose to slip into a negative head space, but a positive headspace requires serious work and discipline. Sometimes I might find myself in an inconvenient situation, or just be having a mundane day in general, and I have this moment where I remind myself that ok, you can choose to have fun here, be present, and not stress so much, it’s totally up to you how you choose to react to your environment. I also keep a positive headspace by being active, this is very important as I totally notice a shift in my mood once I start to get a little sweat happening!
SKYE: What’s the best advice you have ever received as it relates to self-acceptance?
Nathalie: There is only one you. Comparison will get you nowhere!
SKYE: Finish this sentence: “I feel my truest when I...”
Nathalie: ...am hanging out with the friends I grew up with, my parents, and when I am surrounded by nature!
SKYE: In one line, create your own affirmation that you would want all women to use and relate to.
Nathalie: There is only one you, and to connect with each other rather than compare and compete.
You can follow Nathalie’s journey on Instagram
