After being spotted at a McDonalds on her lunch break, Georgia’s life took a detour that landed her on the runways of Paris and in campaigns for Coach and Sephora. With a sociology degree in tow, Georgia has used her voice and platform to address mental health issues and to challenge the idea of what diversity really means in the fashion industry.
You were scouted while working at a radio station in London. Was modeling a career path you had considered before?
It was something that had vaguely crossed my mind. I’d been scouted when I was younger, but it hadn’t amounted to anything. So I decided to go to university and study media and sociology, putting the idea of modeling behind me. I knew I wanted to work in fashion in some capacity but I wasn’t sure of how it would turn out.
What have been some of the highlights of your career so far?
Walking in two Jean Paul Gaultier couture shows was definitely a highlight.
On an episode of your podcast series Talking Tough you address diversity in fashion masked as tokenism. What does diversity look like to you, and what actionable steps do you think the fashion industry needs to take to address this?
Diversity looks like a genuine representation of society in the fashion industry. It can be hard to gauge the authenticity of diversity in fashion as it’s all about commodification, but caring just as much about representation as selling should be the goal. To help with authentic diversification of the fashion industry I think there needs to be more accountability and transparency. Numbers and stats need to be regularly published and discussed.
Talk to us about your involvement with the nonprofit Women in Fashion.
Women in Fashion was a nonprofit organisation which discussed equality in the fashion industry. I started working with them a year ago, and it just closed at the beginning of the lockdown. Daisy Walker, the founder, felt the message had been conveyed and wanted to let a new generation continue the discussion.
What types of resources did Women in Fashion provide to help men and women in fashion navigate the industry?
We would do small intimate events and meetings, with each event having a different discussion point/theme e.g. money, Fashion Week etc. It was a safe space for all genders to come and discuss their experiences. We also had a radio show and social media pages that hosted these discussions.
Talk to us about why advocating for destigmatizing issues around mental health is important to you.
It’s important because there is still such a stigma! Holding space for conversations surrounding mental health is so important. It’s something we all have and mental health issues affect 1 in 4 of us in the U.K. It’s so common but yet it still has a cloud of uncertainty and stereotypes surrounding it. Struggling with your mental health is not a failure. Dealing with mental illness can be difficult enough, let alone when you add societal pressure on top of it.
What have you discovered about yourself through modeling?
I have discovered that I’m resilient, independent, and I also enjoy getting my makeup done.
What are your goals for the future?
I want to branch more into presenting and journalism within fashion. I would also love to expand my charity work and help out in my community.
What upcoming projects are you working on that you can share?
Things are starting to come up now that the lockdown has eased. There’s not a lot of things I can share but there might be another podcast popping up soon.
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