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In January and the first time in two years, Australia opened its borders to international arrivals. One of our first exports to return to the country’s sunny shores was former Victoria’s Secret angel and international supermodel, Shanina Shaik. After what she describes as a “quick work trip” last month, the star embarked on another long haul flight this week to walk for David Jones‘ Gala runway at the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival.
Held at the Queen Victoria Markets in the heart of the city, the local department store unveiled its offerings for Autumn/Winter across menswear and womenswear. In the lead up to the bi-annual affair we spoke with Shaik on her favourite upcoming trends, beauty brands and pre-flight ritual (now that we can all finally travel).
GRAZIA: Welcome back to Australia! How long has it been since you returned?
Shanina Shaik: “Before a quick trip last month, it has been two-and-a-half years since I’ve been back in Australia. It was really overdue…”
What are you most excited about doing now that you’re in your home country?
SS: “Obviously working with my favourite clients. I just love coming home and working amongst all my favourite Australians. It’s good just to hear an Aussie accent. [I’m excited] to eat amazing food, go shopping. I always come home with an empty suitcase with me so I can bring a bunch of clothes back to the US. We have very authentic Asian cuisine here and I don’t get to experience that in the US so probably every meal, I’ll be diving into some Asian-fusion meals. I love my noodles and soups.”
What does your pre-flight routine look like in a pandemic? Are talking Naomi Campbell-style precautions?
SS: “I definitely bring hygiene wipes with me and I wipe down all my area before I sit down. From a beauty routine perspective, I always stay hydrated so I drink lots of water and I’m consistently moisturising my face. Deep, rich moisturisers are my favourite to bring with me – think Liberty Belle and Augustinus Bader – and eye cream too because our eyes seem to get super dehydrated. Lip balm and hand lotion is really important. It just ensures you feel better when you step off the flight as well.”
How do you ensure your health is in tip-top condition when travelling and working nowadays?
SS: “It’s really important for me to remember to eat because I when get super busy I don’t want to forget to eat. I ensure I have snacks with me and have a good breakfast. Water – I always have water with me – and vitamins that I take every day for energy.”
In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge of modelling in this current day and age?
SS: “Obviously travel is still difficult at the moment but I’m seeing a lot of change throughout the world. Things are slowly opening up and people are able to go see family and friends across the globe. I’m planning to visit London soon and I’m really excited about that. Just having the ability to come back home is a huge deal for me. It was terribly hard for me emotionally to be away.”
Shop the David Jones runway, here.
It might not be getting cold here in Australia just yet, but the States are certainly seeing glimpses of more Spring weather. What is your go-to trans-seasonal look to tackle the unpredictable weather?
SS: “I live in Los Angeles so the weather is somewhat warm during the day but at night it gets quite cold. A trend I’m loving right now and trend we’ll see for Autumn/Winter is trench coats. Business casual is also my favourite trend. It’s my everyday uniform and having my job, having meetings and being comfortable and switching it from day-to-night [makes it easy]. Blazers, utility jackets and playing with textures and tones as well as layering…”
Which designers are you most excited about in David Jones’s new AW/22 offering?
SS: “I’m really excited for the new designers. There is 25 new brand designers that we will see on the runway which is really, really exciting. Khaite is a really great one and Sandro has been a favourite of mine for many years as well. Coming from the international perspective, Banana Republic [Menswear] as well as Agent Provocateur which is really sexy, so it’s nice to see in there as well.”
Shop the David Jones runway, here.
David Jones’ new campaign is dubbed “Wonderworld”. What pieces or trends come to mind with this theme?
SS: “We’re seeing a lot of colour for the new season. We have a [preconceived] idea that Autumn/Winter is a bit dull and we wear more greys and blacks because of the season that we’re surrounded with. What I love about the upcoming trends is that we’re seeing bright colour. When we put on a nice bright fuchsia, the colour brightens your day and makes you feel good. Coming out of COVID-19 that is really fun to see because people want to experiment with colour. We’re excited to dress up!”
It’s not the first time you’ve walked for the department store. How have you evolved personally and professionally throughout these past years?
SS: “I’ve learned a lot about myself with age. I’m knowing what I want. Personally I think the pandemic had a huge shift on my whole life. I bought my first house this year – I just wanted to have that feeling of stability everywhere I go. Over the year you learn a lot about yourself and what you want and that comes with your career. I’m in the thirties club now and I’ve seen a huge difference. My twenties was all about learning and having fun and now I feel like now I know more about myself. I think I’m a pretty series person but I’m taking myself a little bit about myself now.”
What is the most important beauty and fashion lesson you’ve learned in the past five years?
SS: “I think it’s about what you like about yourself and what works for you and remaining as your unique self. If you like a trend, you can put your own tweak on it so you feel good. [I’ve learned to] experiment with trends. On the beauty side, everyone’s skin is different end everyone’s health is different so it is all about what works for you and focussing on what makes you happy. My favourite brands also include Rationale and Emma Lewisham.”
