Having last interviewed Hailey Baldwin a year ago, there is something different about the twenty-one-year-old today and it isn’t just the addition of the jaw-dropping engagement ring to her wedding finger. But seriously, I am blinded.
As we sit curled up on a sofa backstage at London Fashion Week, before she unveils her debut collection as Adidas and JD’s first-ever ‘Style Creator,’ Hailey is exuding a palpable inner warmth. A warmth as tactile as her oversized black sweater, worn over Adidas track pants, naturally.
“My mom says the same thing,” Hailey laughs as she showcases a set of pearly whites that almost eclipse her dazzling aura, “I go home, and my Mom says, ‘you are just so peaceful, I don’t think I have ever seen you this peaceful. ’”
What is the secret behind the level of glow that could be picked up from outer space, I wonder? *WINK WINK* Throwing her arms open she exclaims, “it’s from the inside out – I am in love! That’s what happens. It’s pouring out of my soul – life is awesome! ” Good god, she is too adorable.
“I should just bottle it. Like sprinkle it like a fairy – I wish I had dust – The Hailey Dust! It would be a highlighter product, let’s be honest,” the glowing star continues. But where was this new brand of Hailey Dust manufactured? Well actually, contrary to tabloid tales, it turns out returning home and seeking out the company of her infamous family has allowed Hailey to start this new chapter as a grounded twenty-one-year-old.
But whilst the stories of her relationship with Justin Bieber swirl around her, the fearless female sat before me is so much more than just, that…
This season of my life has been the best thing ever, but it’s been really scary…
I feel supported by everybody and I have been leaning on my family. I feel like my soul needed to return home. There’s a deeper comfort and support you need when you are going through this.
You need your family, otherwise you lose yourself…
I have spent so much more time with my family, I feel like when you hit a certain time in your life where you either move out, go to school or get a career and you think you just don’t need your family. I think that’s the thing that makes you lose yourself. They are the people who know the truest form of you because they have raised you. When you pull yourself away from them, you have no reminders of that so that’s something I have been doing a lot of, is seeing my family, I have my core values back.
I have learnt in the last four years, in an industry which is all about looks and being something you not, that being yourself is so important…
There is only one you for a reason, every single person was made to have their own personality. I think individuality is really beautiful and that is something I want to stress to young girls. We live in an age of social media where it’s all about being someone else or looking a certain way. But we all have our things we put out there and filter to shape how you want people to see you.
I have even got sucked into ‘show your best, hide the rest’…
In the last year, I have been going through a really big identity shift where I don’t want people to just go on my Instagram and see my face, my face, my face. Even though that’s part of my job I want other people to see what else I am about. I don’t think there’s anything to hide, I think everyone should be able to express what makes them, them. That’s something I am still learning right now.
In the last four months, I have re-centred myself…
There has been a lot of evolution in last six months. I have experienced the most change in my whole life, especially in the last four months, even. I have re-centred myself and I am the most myself in the last four months as I have been in the last four years. It’s so crazy, God works in mysterious ways and sometimes our timing is not his timing. I just think a lot has happened for me in the last four or five months that I feel the most centred and myself.
When I feel down I never do the mopey thing…
For me, I am stronger when I remind myself that there are people who are going through way worse than I am. I am insanely blessed with a crazy blessed life. When I am mopey, I try not to do the ‘moping thing. ’ We live in a world of just hurting people and there is so much positivity to share.
My whole vibe is sports luxe…
When it comes to styling tracksuits, I think it’s about doing something simple. (Mocking herself she continues…) Like what I am doing! I will wear trackies with a really cool coat, a leather jacket or a cool sweater. What we are doing with a lot of it in the show is putting those cool diamond earrings with everything, or cool sunglasses. Putting on a cool pair of sunglasses can change everything – you can be in an actual gym outfit and you can walk through life not looking like a mess.
I own over 150 pairs of trainers…
Honestly, I have too many clothes. Adidas spoil me, they send me boxes and boxes of doubles and triples of the same thing. I mean – love them to death – but I have a fitting room at my house and there’s sneakers all over the floor.
I go through cycles of donating stuff every six months because it’s so much. The sneaker collection is next level. I have like 150 pairs. As I have gotten a little older, I have gotten tidier for sure, I at least know how to find everything now. Everything has a place – even if it’s not co-ordinated.
I want everyone to look at my Adidas JD Sports show and see themselves reflected back…
When people see the show, I want everyone to know they can wear it. I want them to look at it and say, ‘that’s obtainable, I can look like that, I have a similar body shape to this girl, I am a similar height to this girl. ’ I really am behind diversity and I really want to show that. Winnie (Harlow) is in the show and she’s such a voice for diversity in the modelling industry right now. She’s so beautiful and so cool – I am so happy she is doing the show. That’s what I want to represent.
I feel the most confident without makeup…
I feel more confident with less makeup than I do more. I don’t wear a lot of makeup when I am not working but if I want to do anything I use the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate palette; it’s everything.
