Cara Delevingne was a world famous model. She was a muse for Chanel, walked the runways at Paris, Milan and London Fashion week. She dominated the modeling industry in every sense. And then she left it.
It was a shock to everyone when Cara announced she was quitting modeling. Why would someone who was at the height of her career, and so young, quit? The general assumption was that she wanted to move into acting... And that was certainly part of her decision. Delevingne has since been the lead in Paper Towns and has the huge superhero movie, Suicide Squad, coming up.
But in a letter to Time, Cara has revealed that there was much more to her decision to give up modeling. She spoke about when she started to model and the pressure it put on her.
"I felt like I needed validation from everyone. As a result, I lost sight of myself and what it meant to be happy, what it meant to be successful. I think it all stemmed from a deep-down feeling of wanting people to like me and love me."
Advertisement
This was obviously very unhealthy for a young woman, or well, anyone. So Cara made a huge choice; something far beyond her mere 20 years at the time. She chose to quit.
"I was nearly 20 and had been modeling for several years. My vantage point had changed…and I had changed. I knew I had to reevaluate my life and my goals for my future. I didn’t want to resent fashion or my success. The process didn’t happen overnight, but it was imperative for me to preserve my integrity."
It's easy to forget that fashion is a harsh business when we stare at pictures of Kendall and Gigi strutting down the runway. But it is a bitch of an industry and places a premium on people's looks, something that isn't healthy for anyone.
Advertisement
Cara's ultimate message was one of inspiration. "After all, no matter how many people like you and your work, it doesn’t matter if you don’t like yourself."
We couldn't agree more Cara! Preach girl.
Video: Cara Delevingne: Screen Test
Advertisement
Credit: W Magazine.
