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A billowy sleeved drawstring crop has become synonymous with Emily Ratajkowski’s renegade style. It stands next to her penchant for a ruched mini, a string bikini and those Princess Diana-inspired bike shorts – the ones the New Yorker wears with a pair of plimsolls to run errands on Bleeker. Today, GRAZIA can exclusively announce the 27-year-old model is the apt new face of clothing apparel giant Nasty Gal, her collaboration meaning every crop, blazer and shirt dress is now available to the consumer here. We spent five minutes with the model.
SHOP EMILY RATAJKOWSKI’S NASTY GAL COLLAB HERE
GRAZIA: You are walking and talking proof that women can enjoy their sexual allure and also be complex, politically-minded humans who shouldn’t have to “put some clothes on” before they can take their rightful seat at the table. Can you talk a little bit about the correlation between New Wave Feminism and how fashion can act as a powerful took in supporting the movement’s ideals?
EMILY RATAJKOWSKI: I think that 2019 should be about women doing whatever the f**k they want. If that means you don’t want to be sexy at all, that’s totally fine. If you want to be sexy in a masc way, if you want to be sexy in a femme way––that’s all up to you and that’s a personal decision. That doesn’t say anything about whether or not you can talk about politics. I don’t even understand why that’s a question, but somehow it is in our culture.
I think that this is a really amazing time for women. There is still so much work to be done and I hope we don’t lose site of that, despite the progress we’ve made in the last couple of years and even in the last 30 years. Clearly, when we look at what is going on in the U.S. right now with abortion bans and also just culturally, I think there is so much more work to do. It’s not just about being aware of sexism, it’s also about changing the system that encourages it.
We really enjoyed your point on class and race in reference to the abortion ban in Alabama. How can women in Australia support American women in states where abortion is prohibited?
ER: It’s really hard to say what people can do because even though we do live in a democracy in the United States, there are certain people who are in power. The system is rigged against a lot of people and I think that it’s important to remember that. I think that being as outspoken as you can be, especially if you are not in the United States, is hugely important. But also, working locally and finding out what’s going on in your own community. We’re seeing this particular moment that’s going on in the U.S., but it’s across the globe. It’s really important that people become aware of the situations around them.
GRAZIA: Speaking of Nasty Gal as a concept, the word “nasty” typically has a negative connotation, but in the political space, this word has become trailblazing and empowering. What does it mean to be a nasty woman/gal in 2019?
ER: I think it’s awesome that so many words that were used to be deprecating toward women are now being reclaimed. I think that “nasty” is definitely one of them. I think a nasty woman is whatever you want it to be. It’s a woman who stands up for herself and what she believes in, she loves herself and takes no shit.
