When Did Nikki Taylor Start Modeling Again

Niki Taylor for Nexcare Give and the American Reddish Cross. Photo: courtesy

There's no occasion quite like the 4th of July to celebrate all things American (and our long-running series, "How I'thousand Making It"). Here at Fashionista, we'll be spending the week examining the fashion industry in our own backyard, from the state of U.Due south. clothes manufacturing to American-born models on the rise. You can follow all of our coverage here.

"I got a lot of 'no's. I'1000 'too young.' 'They're looking for more of a European look.' I'm 'too commercial,'" says iconic American supermodel Niki Taylor, from her domicile base in Nashville, when reflecting on starting out in the manufacture about a few decades ago. "You lot always have to go through your 'no's to detect that one 'yes.'"

At this point, the story of how the now-42-year-old model and American Blood-red Cross and the Nexcare Requite campaign spokesperson began her career at 13 is almost the stuff of legend. Her photographer mom, who besides dabbled in modeling as a teen, took her daughter's first photos. They sent out her comp cards to agencies in South Florida — hence, the initial nos — simply Taylor quickly signed with Miami Beach agency Irene Marie, which touts its biggest client e'er at the top of its homepage today.

"They first turned me away, but the second time, there was a scout in that location that said, 'oh, you need to sign her,' and that's how I start started," Taylor says. From there, she went to New York with Marie and won a Fresh Faces modeling contest and a $500,000 contract. "I started working for Seventeen, Mademoiselle — and the balance is history."

She shot her showtime encompass forSeventeen at age xiv and her beginning Vogue (above) at historic period 15, the second youngest model (after Brooke Shields) to exercise so. That yr, Taylor not merely became president of her own company, Niki, Inc., but she as well walked her first runway for the ultra-avant garde and theatrical Thierry Mugler — alongside the biggest supermodels of all time: Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Eva Herzigova (plus, a only-divorced Ivana Trump).

"I was 15 and they were all there and we just all became these beautiful characters.[Hairstylist] Danilo did this incredible '50s hairdo on me," she says. "That was probably the well-nigh memorable: doing the shows with all the top girls. Thierry Mugler, as well, [was the almost memorable] out of all the shows [I've walked]."

And Taylor's participation in that show sits in our consciousness in the 2010s. The 2008 "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy"-themed Costume Institute exhibition featured the mirrored motorcycle bustier worn by Taylor from that show — which inspired Met Gala invitee and American national treasure, Beyoncé, to hire the designer to create costumes for her "I Am... Earth Tour."

A millionaire past age 16, Taylor went on to go beginning spokesmodel under 18 to sign a contract with CoverGirl (lots of "firsts" for the model) and more prestige covers ensued: Attraction, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar, Sports Illustrated and additionalSeventeens and Voguedue south. Of course, the '90s was the heyday of glossy magazines with actual models on their covers, rather than the legions of actors and celebrities nosotros see now. In a 2011 interview with FutureClaw magazine, Taylor was quoted every bit maxim, "Put models back on covers of magazines and in campaigns and let the movie stars do movies," which went viral. Merely she'd like to clarify what she really meant.

"That was totally taken out of context. I said, 'I missed seeing models on the cover' and I meant that for only the models. I miss seeing Christy [Turlington]. I miss seeing my girls, you know?," Taylor explains. "That's how information technology was meant to come out. Not 'I don't want to see anybody else on covers.' It was totally taken that way. And that'southward non what I hateful. Because I dear seeing Lady Gaga on the cover. I love seeing different girls on a cover. I meant that I miss seeing my girls on the covers. That was it."

As part of the high profile supermodel clique of that era, Taylor has also faced grief and arduousness in the very public middle. Her younger sis, Krissy, who was as well a model, tragically passed away in 1995, and in 2001, Taylor was critically injured in a near-fatal car crash. She was in a coma for six weeks and underwent 56 operations to repair her spine.

Later her feel, Taylor holds the American Blood-red Cross nigh and dearest for saving her life and has dedicated her time to support the organization — and urges others to do the same. "1 [claret] donation can save up to three people, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all those people who rolled up their sleeves and gave me a second take a chance at life," she says.

"I took a lot of time off because it took a good three years to heal and to get my trunk dorsum to — not normal — just I'm but glad I'm here," says the at present-mother of four. "I got to fall in beloved again and accept two more babies. Then I got really, really healthy and I got to go back to work and I have an incredible manager and an incredible amanuensis."

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After her recovery, Taylor jumped back into furthering her career — diversifying her portfolio with a fragrance, Begin, and opening (and closing) a boutique, Abbie and Jessie'south, in Cool Springs, Tennessee. "We were losing more coin than nosotros were making and so the crash happened," she says about the retail experience. "Merely yous gotta try everything."

Following in the footsteps of fellow supe and erstwhile "House of Style" host Crawford, Taylor also ventured into telly gigs. She hosted MTV's "Fashionably Loud" (the above interview with Justin Timberlake and 'Northward Sync is an specially delightful throwback), served as a judge aslope Tyson Beckford on Bravo's 2008 "America's Next Top Model" competitor, "Brand Me a Supermodel" and, in 2011, competed on a show that somehow at present sits in the register of American history, "Glory Apprentice."

"I think I didn't bring enough drama," Taylor says, about beingness the third competitor "fired" by the eventual 45th POTUS.

"Reality shows aren't really reality shows," she adds. "Some are off the gage and some are written, but I don't do well at judging people. I liked hosting a show. That was fun, but I prefer modeling. I'm actually good at that. I'm really good at selling a production."

Social media, of course, helps with that endeavor — and at edifice and maintaining Taylor's own brand. While she says she was "late to the game" joining social media platforms, Taylor does boast a respectable 89K-plus Twitter followers and almost 57K followers on Instagram, which she understands is essential for her chore. "A lot of times now, that's what clients are looking at. They're looking at your social media and seeing what y'all post. So, for me, it's more work-related," she says. "I attempt to post a lot of stuff nearly work and what I'm up to and, then, 20 percent of it is family."

Taylor'due south Instagram feed is filled with throwbacks to her most iconic mag images, touching moments with her tardily sister Krissy and current projects, including her work with Nexcare Give and posing for the Swimsuits for All entrada with Ashley Graham and Teyana Taylor (above). Only, ironically, equally a person who has made a pretty good living off of images of herself and her face, she hates selfies.

"I prefer posting more than pictures with people in it with me," she says. "Information technology was National Selfie Mean solar day yesterday, so every now and again I take to do those, but I am not comfy with those. It just seems weird to me." (Note: it'due south flawless.) But it is comforting to know that a supermodel has the aforementioned Insta-feet that a lot of us civilians do. "Where's the lighting? What filters do I use? What practice I say? I'll never exist comfortable with it."

Taylor as well credits her team and supportive parents — who accompanied her on gigs even into her early on 20s — for helping her grow and maintain her career longevity. "Information technology's kind of unheard of, a 42-year-one-time model yet in the business,"she says. "Simply I'm notwithstanding working, and so I'm merely very blessed and very thankful for it." And, similar swain supermodel Crawford'due south Cool Teens™ progeny, Kaia and Presley Gerber, Taylor's kids are making waves in the fashion world, too. (Granted, her twin sons Hunter and Jake Martinez fabricated their manufacture debut as babies on the Patrick Demarchelier-shot Feb 1996 comprehend of Harper'southward Bazaar — held, i in each arm, past proud mom.)

Hunter has walked the men'south runways, including Hermès and Cedric Charlier and posed in fashion editorials, including a mother-son feature for an upcoming Marie Claire Italy upshot (in a higher place). Taylor'due south 7-twelvemonth-one-time daughter Ciel is already gunning to follow in her female parent's footsteps; the 2 accept already posed together for aAllure Russia feature. Despite being in the industry for the majority of her life, Taylor isn't fanatical about sharing her opinions about modeling to her children, though.

"My twin boys [Hunter and Jake] take e'er been independent, and so if they ask me for communication I'd give it. But for the well-nigh part, every bit long as they're happy, I'm happy for them, and I never want to overstep," she says. "They are 22. My daughter Ciel — it's so funny, even now when we just take pictures — I'll run into a mitt in the pocket. There will be a tilt in the caput. It's already in her, yous know?"

Although, Taylor would follow in her own parents' footsteps to guide her daughter'southward career, if that twenty-four hour period comes. "If she models, she'southward with me."

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Homepage photo: Courtesy of Nexcare Give

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Source: https://fashionista.com/2017/07/niki-taylor-model-interview

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