Hailey Clauson has been part of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit family since 2015, but she took a break for two years. This year, the model appeared in the new issue, which came out in May, after taking a hiatus. “I’ve grown up with the magazine, which has been really cool. I feel like I’ve grown into myself,” the 28-year-old exclusively tells GRAZIA USA of her Dominican Republic shoot for the glossy magazine. “Every year, I have a new mindset that I am going in with the woman that I am. I feel extra confident and comfortable in my skin, and it’s less about being in a swimsuit and more about how I feel on the inside.”
“You never know if you’re going to come back, and it’s always cool to see your friends and have a little reunion,” she gushes of her pals Brooks Nader, Camille Kostek and Christen Harper.
One of the many reasons the blonde babe is feeling herself is that she is now the co-owner and creative director of Margaux the Agency, a boutique agency in Los Angeles, Calif. “I became part of Margaux about a year ago, and we officially announced it in early April. They brought this opportunity to me, and it sounded really interesting because I’ve had so many good and bad experiences with modeling agencies. I started when I was 13 years old, so I’ve seen it all. I’ve been modeling for 15 years, so I thought it would be great to see another perspective in the industry.”
Part of her role includes mentoring the models, as she wants to “bring some new and fresh” into the modeling world. “I want to make change, and I think by implementing myself into this job, that is how change will happen,” she notes. “Sometimes as a model, you feel like that’s all you can be and you have a limited amount of time. You’re just pretty — but there’s so much more. It’s a huge platform and stepping stone for other opportunity. I like to teach everybody that we work with that you should use social media to your advantage and start thinking of other things you want to do in your lifetime.”
“10 years ago, models didn’t have that type of power,” she shares. “A lot of the power was with the agency, and you were hoping you’d book another job. It’s now interesting to see how the agents work and how the models work and I get to bring in my perspective — but also get their perspective as well.”
Clauson notes the industry has “changed drastically” since she broke out. “In the last five years, consumers have demanded more diversity. If you’re shopping, you need to see somebody who looks like you — that’s really important as a woman if you’re buying something online. Our agency has always been diverse, and it’s about finding people we find cool and interesting. We don’t have measurements on our website, and we don’t go by traditional standards. We hope that by us doing these things that other agencies will follow that path,” she notes.
In terms of what the cover star is looking for, she insists they have to have an interesting personality. “I think it’s about having that little something extra,” she says. “People are more open-minded to all different types of people, which is a nice feeling. It’s more about the person and what they bring to the table. Clients are more interested in who the person and what they are doing — they want somebody that is relatable.”
Clauson is “very involved” with everything, so she and the small team all make decisions together. “We all have to feel passionate about the person because we don’t want to waste anyone’s time if it’s not a right fit. Communication is so important, and we want our talent to tell us ideas they have or if they didn’t like something. We also do a modeling workshop, where we’ll direct them and give them tips and walking lessons and just overall guide them,” she says.
The team looks for their talent via Instagram, and if someone piques their interest, then they may ask them to send in a video tape to get a feel for their personality. From there, the next step is having a Zoom meeting or having them come into the office to see if there is a connection.
“I’ve always wanted people to be proud of who they are and own every part of themselves,” she notes. “It’s cool to change the traditional beauty standards and make people realize how amazing they are and how much potential they have. We have a lot of people say they never thought they would be a model and now we’ve changed their lives. It’s cool to be a small part of the process.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the California native began to reflect on her life, going on to search for different hobbies and interests. It was then she realized that she wasn’t totally fulfilled. “I had time to reflect on myself, and I was always traveling and on the go and never really got to know myself on a deeper level,” she recalls. “I started going to therapy and exploring me and figuring out my own voice. That’s how I found this newfound confidence. For me, it’s knowing you can do more. I want to set that example for the next generation,” she declares.
Clauson and her boyfriend both started to get into photography at that time, which is when she learned she can do other things besides modeling. “I kept pushing myself and exploring myself and that was really cool,” she says. “I think I always wanted to break out, but it was hard. My whole life revolved around modeling and waiting on other jobs, and now I’m more creative. The timing was right.”
In the next five to 10 years, Clauson hopes Margaux is the “top agency in Los Angeles.”
“I want to continue to be a safe space for our talent,” she says. “We keep our agency really boutique so we know every single person that is on board, and we want to continue with that type of management. We want to keep bringing on exceptional talent.”
“I didn’t think I would be on the agent side of things, but it’s cool because I understand what it’s like to be in that position as a model,” she adds. “It’s empowering to make the change that I want to see in the industry. There were so many bad experiences I had, and now I am able to take my power back and create space that I always wanted for myself — and that’s really exciting. I want to be a strong businesswoman, which I’ve always envisioned. Now that it’s slowly starting to happen, I want to take over the world with all my businesses!”
