MOI: What endeavors are you currently involved in?
A: I always wanted to be more than a model who just walks down runways and gets her photo
made, so it is really important for me to stay involved in a wide variety of projects. In addition to
the upcoming runway shows/competition, I am producing throughout the remainder of the year
(which will feature core models from my roster of over 1,500 people), and I will also be modeling
in editorials for some of the key designers I’ll be walking for at NY Fashion Week this September,
including the Paris based, KATE Brand, owned by a former senior Macy’s trend analyst. Speaking
of NY Fashion Week, I am also currently prepping for the launch of my line, “The Victoria Hen-
ley Collection” in September and am also in the process of completing a book based on all my
ANTM experiences.
Q: What is your favorite project you have worked in?
A: That question is nearly impossible for me to answer as I have been involved in so many incred-
ible projects with some dynamic visionaries and created memories that will last throughout my
career. I will say that modeling Mara Hoffman’s brand new collection at the legendary performer
Alicia Keys’ Girl on Fire Fashion Show in Los Angeles was most definitely a landmark moment
in my career. Mara Hoffman actually designed the gown that graced the cover of the first-ever
Vogue Magazine I got in the mail when I was a small child, and I subsequently wrote out a bucket
list of things I wanted to accomplish in my career. When I dug up the list later, I saw that “model
for Mara Hoffman” was number three on the list. Having Mara sit down beside me when I was
getting my hair and makeup done and telling me how she loved the way I embodied her clothing
was, for lack of better words, a “pinch me” moment. Walking in the Rose Clara Bridal Couture
Show at Miami International Fashion Week and having some of my live runway shots being fea-
tured in Vogue Italy was also an incredible feeling. Another milestone moment is when I saw the
first runway show I produced come together seamlessly, and, afterward, many of the hundreds of
models who had been booked approached me to ask when my next shows would take place since
they enjoyed their experienced so much.
MOI: What is most enjoyable about modeling?
A: Most people assume that modeling is all about about “glitz and glam”, but the truth is, it is
highly competitive, stressful, and sometimes grueling (especially when you work on the pro-
duction side of the industry). All stresses aside my career has proved to be very rewarding, and
I would have to say the most enjoyable aspect of my job is watching all my hard work come to
fruition – whether it is a magazine editorial in which I’m modeling, a fashion show, a TV episode
or a portfolio shoot I’m producing.
MOI: What advice would you give to aspiring models?
A: It sounds very cliché, but you absolutely must have a strong sense of self before entering into
the industry. As I mentioned, there are so many wonderful and rewarding aspects of the industry,
but it can also, unfortunately, be cutthroat, cruel and ultimately destructive to someone with an
unclear sense of who they are. Of course, preparation and skill are important, but I honestly be-
lieve that the main keys to success are ambition and passion paired with relentless hard work, not
to mention, as Eleanor Roosevelt eloquently put it, “Skin as thick as a rhinoceros.”
MOI: Do you see yourself as a role model for teenagers?
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