6 minute read
model citizen
THIRROUL LOCAL AYLAH PETERSON TRADED THE COAST FOR THE CATWALK
As a 15-year-old girl, Aylah Peterson could never have dreamed that entering the iconic Dolly Model Contest would shoot her to international stardom, landing her on the Parisian runway, as the exclusive model of French fashion house, Saint Laurent. This brand exclusivity happens to less than one per cent of models every season, and yet the homegrown beauty, with her signature bangs and bob, achieved such high fashion prowess at just 21.
While her international career was certainly affected by the pandemic, Aylah saw the bright side of being grounded in her beloved hometown, making the most of her days spent back on the coast and away from the big city lights, which have become her playground in the last year.
As intelligent and ambitious as she is beautiful, Aylah’s success has not come without lots of hard work, but the magnitude of how her life has changed and the speed at which it's shifted is certainly not lost on this humble local talent. “I still can’t believe this girl from Thirroul is the face of YSL,” she says.
Was modelling a career path you'd always dreamed of? Since I was young, I’ve always loved performing. I grew up acting, singing and dancing, and taking piano and guitar lessons. I have been in plays and musicals from as young as I can remember and have always adored dressing up, being on stage and embracing new characters. I have always looked up to Hollywood beauties. My favourite film being Grease. I remember seeing Olivia Newton-John performing live and meeting her backstage when I was only five years old. From that moment, I remember wanting to do what she does. When I was 15, I entered the Dolly Model Competition.
I was in the middle of my school musical rehearsals when I was called by a modelling agent who wanted to meet me. It all happened from there. I guess modelling and acting, performing in general has always been something I’ve been enthusiastic about.
What was your big break? After entering the Dolly Model Competition, I modelled a small amount over four years, which was useful for my industry experience, but as I was still in school and very focused on my academic application, I couldn’t be solely focused on modelling. After leaving my first agency, and finishing school with two scholarships into university, I thought I’d pursue further studies, and leave modelling behind for a while. But I was approached on Instagram by a well-known Australian stylist, who convinced me to meet with a new agency, Kult Models, in Sydney, and to cut all of my hair off, into my now well-known bob. I was relaunched into the Australian fashion market with a newfound confidence and determination, and was soon walking for every brand at Sydney Fashion Week, and shooting campaigns for amazing Australian brands.
You were named as one of Vogue Australia’s future faces in the October 2019 issue, which must have been a huge honour. How did you feel when you found out? By August, I’d already left for Europe ready to take on Fashion Week. I had shot with the Vogue team a few times before, but I was really excited to be interviewed and recognised as one of Australia’s Future Faces. It was a really defining moment for me in my career to be recognised nationally for all of the years of hard work I have put into my job. I actually saw the article the day before my first ever fashion week runway show for Saint Laurent in Paris. That day I was really reminded of how far I had come. It felt like time was very still. I was really anxious because I knew that after the show, everything in my life would be completely different.
Working with Saint Laurent is an amazing achievement! Tell us all about that experience? An hour before walking under the Eiffel Tower for my first ever fashion week show, I was called by my agent, who told me I’d been chosen as the new exclusive model for Saint Laurent. I shot a film forYSL on top ofthe Eiffel Tower at 2am in the morning. It was the most freezing but magical night. I was then contracted to live in Paris for the season and work every day as the in-house fitting model for the brand. I worked alongside Saint Laurent’s Creative Director, Anthony Vaccarello. They designed the collection on me over countless hours. I travelled to Arizona and shot their campaign in the desert. It was the most exciting trip of my life. A few of my friends who were in LA, sent me a photo of a huge billboard over the Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. It was my campaign picture. A single image of me, in a sexy Saint Laurent dress, sitting on a boat in the middle of a lake in the Arizona Desert, looking out over Hollywood. Every time I look back at those photos, I still feel such intense awe and happiness. I’ve experienced so much in such little time working with Saint Laurent.
Did you have international jobs that have been affected by the current travel restrictions? I’m still an exclusive model for Saint Laurent so all of the campaigns and shoots with them have stopped and been dramatically affected. I’m just grateful to be in Australia during this time. Truthfully, it’s been a real treat to have had this time off work, which would usually be impossible for me to take off. I’ve really enjoyed the beaches and seeing my family after such a long time away.
Are there any designers/photographers/ brands you'd love to work with? Some photographers I’d be honoured to work with would be Steven Meisel, David Sims, and Tim Walker. I would have loved the opportunity to work with the late Peter Lindbergh and Karl Lagerfeld. Also, if I was born in the ’60s it would have been a dream to be an Andy Warhol girl. My favourite film directors that I’d love to work with would be Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Tim Burton, Jane Campion, Brian de Palma and Jean-Luc Goddard!
What do you love most about living in the Illawarra? I love spending days down at the beach and looking up at the escarpment. There’s really no place like home. It’s so beautiful here, and there’s such a wonderful sense of community, something I really miss and crave when I’m stuck in the big cities for too long.
fast faves
Favourite coffee shop… I think I’d be in trouble if I didn’t say Finbox, after working there for five years!
Favourite restaurant… I love both Pizzeria 50 and Lupa in Wollongong. Pizzeria 50 for their melt-in-your-mouth four-cheese gnocchi, and Lupa for their pizza and complementary limoncello.
Favourite beach… Austinmer for swimming laps in the pool, Sharkies for relaxing.
Favourite way to spend down-time when you're home… Swimming, cooking, playing card games, coffees with friends!
