The Muse of Munity Sasha Lane

Sasha Lane has taken the world by storm. The American actress made her film debut in 2016 with the critically acclaimed and award-winning American Honey, opposite Shia LaBeouf, after being spotted on spring break by director Andrea Arnold. Since then, she has won the hearts of Hollywood and beyond, most recently becoming one of the faces of Maison Margiela’s latest fragrance, Mutiny.

Alongside Willow Smith, Hanne Gaby Odiele, Princess Nokia, Teddy Quinlivan, and Molly Bair, Sasha Lane stars in the campaign, embodying Galliano’s vision of the Margiela woman. Mutiny is a movement, engaging women to reveal who they really are. With traditionally feminine notes of tuberose met with a leathery core and hints of jasmine and orange, the combination makes for a memorable fragrance – one that matches the star power of its campaign models.

DTK sat down with Sasha Lane to find out more about her experience on set and her launch into the creative world.

Where were you when you found out you got the Maison Margiela Mutiny campaign? What does it mean to you?

I have no idea where I was physically, but, mentally, I feel like I was in a place where I felt like I was strong about who I was but still very new to all of this and was struggling with how confident I really felt about myself and how I chose to embrace myself. I feel so strong now, so to see the final product, to have it come out a year later when I feel strong, it’s so cool.

You have mentioned that it’s really important to remain authentic to yourself. Have you ever had difficulty or backlash with that? How do you remain true to yourself despite the backlash?

I’ve definitely had backlash about being authentic because everyone has their own guidelines and their own rules they think should be followed – how to be in the industry or be a woman in general. Me being authentic — like not wearing shoes to things or showing up in sweatpants or cracking a joke with people who I’m working with and not being a fucking bitch – it’s crazy, and some people don’t agree. They think I’m sending a bad message by embracing myself or that I am moving away from what fashion is or whatever, but that is why I'm doing this. That's why I'm doing this campaign: I don't care.

What was your experience like for being a part of this campaign?

It was the first time I met everyone else, and they are so special. They are such strong women. Everything about this campaign was really cool because it was catered to us individually. We had own music, our own styles of dancing, our own versions of the clothing, everything. So, while we were a group of women doing this, it was still very personal and intimate for each of us.

Is there anything in particular that you love about the fragrance?

I like that they stripped back and got back to the basics of the scent. There’s leather, and gender doesn’t matter anymore. They weren’t thinking about that — they were thinking how important it is and what that means. It smells great.

What drew you to a career in acting?

How did it all start for you? The universe drew me to it. I heard a voice that told me something was going to happen with my life, and it was going to allow me to fulfill my purpose and be happy with what I was doing. A week later, I met [the director] for American Honey, and I did my first film. That hole that I felt, just felt filled.

What was your life like growing up in Texas, and how does it differ from where you are right now?

Texas has so much structure and so many rules and steps you have to take. All the girls look the same, and all the guys act the same. I was really weird there; I didn’t fit in. My life now is like I never know what’s going to happen. It’s more creative now, and I feel better about the life that I’m living.

Now, on the heels of your latest film, the Miseducation of Cameron Post, you’ve become a role model for a lot of LGBTQ+ youth. How important was telling that story for you and what has that response been like?

It was super important for me, especially being from a place like Texas which is more conservative. I’ve seen my gay brother and my many gay friends and how that put a pressure on them and how they couldn’t truly express themselves. I don’t want to put anything out that isn’t how I feel about myself or the world or what I want and what I’m trying to manifest. To be a part of something that is awakening people to something like gay conversion therapy, that no one really knows what it is, it’s cool to be a part of opening people’s eyes. These young women and men need to see a movie that they feel connected to [where] they feel seen, and that is a true representation.

Do you have any passions outside of acting and fashion?

Poetry.

What do you write poems about?

I write a lot about the voices in my head and love (and love is many different things to me), and just random life stuff like ants I see on the ground that I realize are playing chicken with each other.