Modeling 

Runway 

Marc Jacobs, Maison Martin Margiella, Jill Stuart, Jeremy Scott, Giles Deacon, Fausto Puglisii, Moschino, Dolce and Gabbana, Fendi, Gucci, Bottega Venetta, Carven, Nina Ricci, Vionnet, Chanel, louis Vuitton, and Saint Laurent.

Editorial 

From i-D to Love, to Garage to American Vogue, from the Cod to Tim Walker, to Mario Testino to David Sims, to Karl Lagerfeld. 

Advertising 

Campaigns from  Marc Jacobs to Dolce and Gabbana.

Interviews and Articles

WWD

With long, teal fingerless gloves, a miniature feathered top hat and big, blue eyes poking out from beneath a pair of oversize sunglasses, Esmeralda Seay-Reynolds made quite the entrance into WWD’s Bryant Park offices. “Today I was feeling kooky and Tim Burton-esque,” explained the Next-repped model of her style. “But tomorrow I might be feeling Diana-Rigg-Sixties-Mod. It kind of bounces all over the place. I like extremes. Anything with a strong aesthetic; as long as it’s powerful. It makes [fashion] more fun.”



With less than two years on the modeling circuit, Seay-Reynolds has already walked all the top runways — Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Saint Laurent, to name a few — and graced the pages of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, i-D and W. Scoring such high-profile gigs would be a thrill for any new girl, but Seay-Reynolds seems to get more excited about what’s happening behind the scenes. She may have been raised in rural Pennsylvania, but the 17-year-old model is no typical small-town girl. Having grown up in a creative, fashion-loving family, Seay-Reynolds took fashion classes at Parsons The New School for Design while in middle school and has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the industry. “It’s nice because I can come home and tell my mom, ‘I just met Karl Lagerfeld’s cat,’ and my mom will scream because she knows all about that stuff,” she said. “What I’m interested in is creativity and though I like a lot of other models, most of them don’t really appreciate fashion. But that’s my whole thing.”

WWD: How did you start modeling?

Esmeralda Seay-Reynolds: I grew up loving fashion and art. When I was younger, I wanted to be a designer. I used to design clothes for my Barbies and dolls. My mom would teach me how to sew and give me little projects. And then I started taking classes at Parsons in middle school. When I came up to New York [for the classes], everyone would be like, “Are you a model? You’re so tall. Oh my God, you need to model.” I had never considered it, partly because I was SO not the pretty girl in school. It just never occurred to me, even though I loved fashion.

WWD: And then you decided to pursue it?

E.S.R.: Yeah. It occurred to me, “Why don’t I try this? I could potentially meet all these amazing people that I love… like Tim Walker, Steven Meisel.” I have a gigantic fashion library; stacks and stacks of books. I was very much aware of all those things. Grace Coddington was, like, my icon. So I started sending my photos online to different agencies, but it took me a year and a half to get signed. Everyone was like, “Oh, you have big eyes…You’re not the right thing. We’re looking for more androgynous girls.” That was when I turned 15.

WWD: But eventually someone saw something in you.

E.S.R.: Right after I turned 16, I went to an open call at Next Management and they offered me a contract that day. So I always try to be really grateful towards my bookers…because I really had to work for it. I appreciate that they believed in me and gave me that shot.

WWD: Tell me more about growing up.

E.S.R.: I’m from Pennsylvania, but I went to school in Princeton. My parents are extremely liberal. My dad works in New York…He is this gigantic Viking with long blonde hair. That’s where I get my height from, and I have naturally golden-blonde hair with Shirley Temple curls. My mom worked in fashion; she wanted to be a designer. We were always raised with fashion and art. The Met exhibit was the best part of the summer, and Bergdorf Goodman’s Christmas windows were the best part of the holidays. We were fashion babies.

WWD: So your parents must be pretty proud of your achievements thus far.

E.S.R.: They hoard photos of me. When you go into my house, there are photos of me everywhere. I feel like I died in a car crash and they’re not moving on.

WWD: You closed the Marc Jacobs show in your first season. What was that like?

E.S.R.: I had no idea that I was even doing the Marc Jacobs show until hours before showtime. I got called into the fitting at 2 a.m., and was confirmed an hour before the show. I was actually in FIT’s art museum when I got the phone call from my booker. I went running outside and I actually got hit by a bicycle. All I could think was, “Do my legs work?” Luckily, I was fine. I had a bruise for like, a week. But from then on, things really took off.

WWD: Was it hard to balance runway season with high school at first?

E.S.R.: I had no idea I was going to go to Europe my first season, and I disappeared from school for a month. When I got back, everyone was like, “Were you in rehab?” I’m home-schooled now. Last year, because this came out of nowhere, my school and I worked together, and I would cram with my teachers individually and do four hours of tutoring at once. I had really great teachers.

WWD: Were your friends at home supportive?

E.S.R.: There were definitely people at school who did not get what I was doing. I think there’s a cliché about the model who was the ugly girl in school. I wasn’t exactly the girl from “Never Been Kissed”-levels of awkward, but I was not the pretty girl in high school, so people were definitely surprised. My really good friends were all supportive and happy for me. There were some people — the majority of them girls — who were mean. But girls will be girls. It didn’t really bother me. It’s very obvious. Anytime anyone says, “Oh, you’re too ugly to be a model,” they might as well just say they’re jealous.

WWD: So this is a new hair color for you, right?

E.S.R.: This season, I walked into Marc Jacobs and Katie Grand was like, “How do you feel about going black?” It seemed like, sure, why not? As you know, in fashion everyone likes extremes. That’s what photographs well; girls with really light hair or really dark hair. I like it. The black hair really opened me up to a lot of new clients. My eyes are kind of my thing because they’re so huge and this color makes them pop. Plus, I’ve always wanted to look like Arwen from “Lord of the Rings.” I always wanted to have black hair as a child.

WWD: Any highlights from the past runway season?

E.S.R.: I loved walking Saint Laurent in Paris. I absolutely loved the collection. I love the idea of a leather tailcoat; I wore it with this little leather bra and a choker. It was so cool. And it was such a production. The music was pumping and the clothes were rocking. You got to really strut. Hedi Slimane — he’s another designer who will actually talk to the models. My fitting took five hours but we talked the whole time. He always remembers that I’m from Pennsylvania. That was nice.

WWD: How about your all-time favorite fashion moment?

E.S.R.: My favorite moment ever would probably be my first season, when Marc Jacobs introduced me to Anna Wintour. She said that I inspired her. I almost peed myself at that moment. I could not believe it. And I remember, as I shook her hand, that I had been sketching and I had graphite on my hand. All I could think was: “Please, God, please don’t get graphite on Anna Wintour’s hand.” I also worked with Grace Coddington and Tim Walker. I have all of Tim’s books, so I almost cried. It was very embarrassing and he had to put his hand on me; I was having trouble speaking. I’d worked with him three times before and then I finally got the courage to go up and tell him.

WWD: Do you have a lot of model friends?

E.S.R.: It’s difficult. It’s kind of like that scene in “Mean Girls” in the lunch room where there are all the different cliques. It can be broken down by country: the Polish girls will just speak Polish; the Russian girls will just speak Russian. I’m good friends with Anna Cleveland. She’s really into fashion and she’s very theatrical and she always dresses out of a film noir. We get along really well; we can go on and on together. I really like her a lot.

WWD: What are your long-term goals?

E.S.R.: I’m interested in fashion and art…I’ve done some creative projects with people. I really like acting. I’d love to be in a movie. I love Tim Burton and everybody says I look like one of his characters. I’m working on it. As a model, one thing on my bucket list would be to work with Steven Meisel. I know that’s the corniest thing I could say. But he could work with me and throw away the pictures afterwards and I’d be fine with it. His work is so intelligent and uses fashion as a medium. It shows that fashion isn’t just about looking pretty; fashion is about conveying ideas. It’s an art form that can show what you stand for. He’s brilliant in the way that he’s able to connect those things.

Vogue.com

Talking about her well-dressed childhood while wearing a full-on Victorian-meets-Madonna ensemble, Esmeralda Seay-Reynolds is evidently one of the most peculiar and charming models in the industry. Even while growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Seay-Reynolds always had a feeling she’d somehow end up in the fashion world. Now, wise beyond her years, the doll-faced beauty has gone on to walk (and close) Marc Jacobs, and this season, she’s appeared on every catwalk from Fendi to Jeremy Scott, while also topping our model tribes list.

Here, Seay-Reynolds talks about how the sartorially quirky outfits of her youth helped her transform into a face to watch on the runway.

Instagram: @Esmeraldangel

I take New Jersey Transit to New York. When I’m on the train, my style is very amusing to the ticket collectors. They’ll be walking through and just stop and stare, like, What’s the story there?

Although I live in Pennsylvania, I went to school in Princeton, New Jersey. If you know anything about Princeton, it’s a very preppy Brooks Brothers type of town—very plaid with stripes. I had gone there since kindergarten, but my sister and I were the two odd ones out as far as fashion goes. We got detention several times for being distracting with our clothing. A couple of the teachers would not have it—they were like, “You cannot wear feathers in your hair!” or “You are wearing too much glitter today!” But I didn’t mind—wearing whatever I wanted put me in a good mood.

My mom styled me in shoots as a kid. Even when she makes family photos, it always takes 20 minutes because she’s adjusting all the clothes and will say, “Dothis pose!” That’s how it was growing up—she made all the dresses for my sister and me and came up with all the set designs, she’d do all the makeup, and sometimes we had a photographer. When you’re younger, you don’t have anything to compare it to, and you think that’s just what mothers do. But I appreciate it more than I can say—in a way it really prepared me for modeling, because a lot of models get overwhelmed in the beginning by the hair, the makeup, the posing, and having to stay on set for hours. But my mother was so particular—sometimes she’s more particular than the actual stylists!

My mom also used to make the costumes for the Renaissance Fair we’d go to every September. It was a lot like doing looks for a designer. You have to stand there while they sew the clothes on you, and that is what she’d would do. She’d sew the pearls on and take new measurements—another way of preparing me for modeling without me knowing it. We were just very into fashion and dressing up. One time, I went on a school field trip to Philadelphia—everyone wore jeans and a T-shirt and I was like, “No! I’ll go in theme!” So I wore full colonial garb.

I did go through a brief phrase of rebelliousness where I was like, I’m going to be a tomboy! but the closest to that I got was wearing sweatpants—and that didn’t work out for me too well.

i-D

Esmeralda Seay-Reynolds is a dream within a dream. The 16 year old model, signed to NEXT, is casting a spell over the fashion world with her big eyes, white blonde hair and penchant for all things dark and fairytale.

"Whether this young girl was a human being, a fairy, or an angel, is what Gringoire, sceptical philosopher and ironical poet that he was, could not decide at the first moment, so fascinated was he by this dazzling vision." Although Esmeralda Seay-Reynolds is not the black-haired beauty we all know from The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, this excerpt from Victor Hugo's novel could just as easily apply to the wide-eyed, white-haired girl who's got the fashion world at her finger tips. Esmeralda Tatiana Athena Sahar Seay-Reynolds ("hey, you asked for it!") is the 16 year old model ("but we all know I'm a vampire, so who knows?") making decadent, gothic moodboards for her prom dress, posting smudged pencil drawings of doll-like girls on her Instagram and appearring doll-like herself in dreamy Tim Walker shoots and on dark beaches in the Marc Jacobs campaign alongside Miley Cyrus and Natalie Westling. The straight-A student has an obsession with Tim Burton and Alice in Wonderland. Human being, fairy or angel? You decide...

Where are you from?
My parents say Pennsylvania, most other people say Transylvania, but I say where I really came from is Tim Burton's sketchbook.

How were you discovered?
I was approached about modelling for the first time at a funeral, believe it or not, but I was never "discovered by an agency." I knew that I wanted this, and so I went banging on doors and emailing photos for almost a year non-stop until I found the one that would take me, I was a girl on a mission!

Describe yourself in five words…
Intelligent, creative, passionate, poetic and loyal.

What was it like on set with all the other models, Dan and Al for the i-D New York Nowshoot?
It was incredible! I've been a huge fan of i-D for years, it's concept of individuality and embracing peoples oddities gripped me instantly and when I was forcing my way into agencies' open calls many months ago, the idea of working for i-D was one of my motivations, so to be there was very special and surreal for me, especially since the team was so talented and lovely!

I've always been "blonde" just more of a Shirley Temple kind than Targaryen.
What was it like working with Miley Cyrus on the Marc Jacobs campaign?
In one word: wow! I actually had no idea prior to the shoot that Miley would be there, nor did I know as much about her as most others to be honest, since I never had cable growing up. Most of what I knew was what I heard people say on the radio, like "she did something at something called the VMA's and she sings well," was my basic idea of her. But then, as I was in the studio, doing my math homework - bam! - Miley Cyrus walks up, somehow making aChanel shirt work as a crop top with a pair of overalls, and was just like, "Hey, what's up, I'm Miley," and I was just like, "say what?" She turned out to be one of the nicest and also most intelligent people I've worked with and I now absolutely "ado-o-o-ore" her music!

And Natalie Westling?
My American homegirl! We've done a lot of work together - with Marc Jacobs, Katie Grand and anything looking for "doll-like girls," so we got along and it was really nice to have a familiar face to hang around with.  

Who are your best model friends?
It can be fairly difficult to get close with other models, since there's so little free time (especially with my school work) and since most of us live far apart, but as I mentioned, Natalie Westling is a super cool girl, and I also like Hollie May Saker a lot, this new model Zuzu Tadeushuk, who I bonded with over Frida Kahlo, Caroline Scott and also Lily McMenemy. I like unique people who break convention, really anyone that's close to my level of weirdness!

When/why did you go blonde?
Well, I've always been "blonde" just more of a Shirley Temple kind than Targaryen, however I've wanted white hair for years because I adore extremes and anything ethereal, so I've always dreamed of having either Galadriel or Arwin hair, but I didn't actually take action until modeling - I wanted a bang!

How do you fit modeling around schoolwork?
My entire life I've wanted to work in fashion to meet Marc Jacobs, Grace Coddington, Tim Walker, Linda Fargo etc. so when I realised that I actually could, and could do so NOW, there was no way I was willing to give it up. However, I was also very adamant about the need for a good education, since I highly value intellect and knowledge, and also feel it is such a privilege to have the opportunity to be educated, since so many women cannot. With this in mind, I arranged a system of tutoring by my teachers from my school based around my modeling schedule. I am very grateful to my teachers for being so flexible and supportive!

What are your favourite subjects?
Art, English, and History! I am definitely a right half of the brain type girl. I do work hard to try and get A's in all of my subjects, though my heart will always belong to the humanities and Arts!

What do your friends think of your modeling?
Mostly they're very supportive, but some of them... well, girls will be girls, however in those instances, if anyone acts uppity I try not to mind. I don't need anyone who doesn't need me!

What are you wearing to prom?
If I told you, I'd have to kill you, but I will say the inspiration is from the old Ever After movie with Drew Barrymore… think sparkly, think ethereal and think magical!

Who would you love to design your prom dress?
MARC JACOBS! I have been a huge fan of his for years! He's exceptionally talented, his show last season stole my heart, I actually bought two of the jackets from it (the tailcoat and the navy crop) and in addition to his incredible aesthetic, as a person as well he is wonderfully lovely, and especially so to me. Mr. Jacobs has been so incredibly supportive of me in my career from the very beginning, giving me the closing slot in his show for my debut and my first campaign. I honestly owe and respect him so much!

I think the most random things when I'm walking the runway to try and distract myself, like "what colour would I paint a cow if I could? Maybe pink or possibly rainbow?" If I actually thought about the fact that my childhood idols are five feet away, I'd start to cry and my make-up would run and we can't have that, so rainbow cows it is!
What goes through your mind as you're walking down the catwalk?
I think the most random things when I'm walking the runway in order to try and distract myself, like "what colour would I paint a cow if I could?... hmmm… maybe pink or possibly rainbow?" If I actually thought about where I was and the fact that my childhood idols are sitting five feet away watching me, I think I'd start to cry and then my make-up would run and we can't have that, so rainbow cows it is!

What was your first ever show? Were you nervous?
My first show was Marc Jacobs last season and I can't even begin to describe my feelings beforehand. When I found out, I was exiting the FIT Art Museum and I was so excited I actually jumped and ended up getting run over by a bicyclist (yes, that actually happened). I remember, as people rushed over to see if I was ok, all I was doing was checking my feet, screaming  "please walk, please walk," - that excited! Eventually, all that excitement did turn to nervousness and for a moment I saw my life flash before my eyes, but as soon as I got on the runway (as cheesy as its going to sound) it all disappeared. It was a moment for me that will always live in my mind as one of the best in my life, because for years I'd been watching that show, and then suddenly, I was in the show. It was magic.

Who are your favourite models?
I love the Supers because of what they stood for - elegance, health, strength, confidence and persona, but, one can also never forget, "The Cod" (Grace Coddington) and Rachel Feinstein (the now amazing artist). If I had to chose one however, my heart is forever lost to Lily Cole.

Are you in love?
Only with my job. 

How can we win your heart?
Normally I would say poetry and midnight picnics but in this case, i-D already has my heart. 

In a movie of your life, who would play you, who would play your love interest and what would the soundtrack be?
Hmmmm… Well firstly, Tim Burton would have to direct - no question there. My love interest would either be Daniel Radcliffe or some version of Patrick Swayze. As for the soundtrack,Suddenly I See would have to be in there somewhere and, as this is now sounding far too tempting to resist, I would definitely have to play me.

What was the last good film you watched?
Captain Blood with Errol Flynn.

What TV programs do you watch?
American Horror Story, Game of Thrones, True Blood, Sherlock, Downton Abbey and tons of oldies - Dark Shadows, The Monkeys, The Avengers and my secret addiction and guilty pleasure... Buffy the Vampire Slayer - I LOVE YOU SARAH MICHELLE GELLER!

What songs get you on the dancefloor?
One word: MADONNA!

Do you believe in ghosts?
Only when I'm home alone in a thunderstorm... wait scratch that, as I typed it the lights in my house flickered (not a joke). Yes, I believe!

If you were invisible for a day what would you do?
Sneak my name onto the guestlist for the Met Ball and then wander around in Lulu Guinness's closet.

What slang or made up word/phrase do you use the most?
"Meow!"

What are you doing this weekend?
Not a clue, but hopefully going out to brunch with my booker. We've been meaning to go out for celebratory post fashion week pancakes, but never seem to find the time.

What would you be doing if you weren't doing what you're doing?
Optimistically, I'd like to say I'd be attending a masked ball but realistically probably reading a book about attending a masked ball. Sigh...

What's the best advice you've ever been given?
Alice Kingsley: Do you think I've gone 'round the bend?
Charles Kingsleigh: I'm afraid so... you're mad. Bonkers. Off your head... but I'll tell you a secret... all of the best people are.
- Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Hopefully running from a fabulous photo shoot to a Tim Burton movie set (hint hint, anyone know how to contact him?)

What happened in your last dream?
This is my dream. 

@esmeraldangel

Models.com

The adorable Esmerelda Seay Reynolds is a wide-eyed, platinum blonde beauty who has transfixed fashion’s inner circle. With Katie Grand, Marc Jacobs and Hedi Slimane in her corner Esmerelda has quietly achieved must-have status amongst top tier stylists, designers and influencers. This season the gamine beauty kicked things off with an appearance alongside Miley Cyrus in the new Marc Jacobs campaign and followed that up with struts for Anna Sui, Giles, Fendi, Moschino, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent. Editorially she’s already begun to make her presence felt – you can spy the dazzling Ms. Seay Reynolds in the new issues of Garage, i-D, Fat and LOVE.