I HAVE A LOT OF HEALING TO DO AROUND MODELLING
Model and activist Arizona Muse opens up to KATIE WRIGHT about mental health, family and farming
She has starred in campaigns for the likes of Chloé, Fendi and Isabel Marant and walked the runway for Dior, Chanel and Burberry but now Arizona Muse has a new passion.
The British-American model – who was named after the US state where she was born – is focusing her efforts on activism and sustainability and has just launched her biodynamic farming charity, Dirt.
The 32-year-old lives in London with her osteopath husband Boniface Verney-Carron and children Nikko (12) and Cy (two), but the family is about to embark on a big move. She tells us more...
How did you transition from modelling to sustainability?
I have been a model for about 12 years now and it was something that never really was fulfilling at all. Then I found my passion, which is environmentalism and social justice and activism.
I realised I didn’t know what these clothes were made of, and who made them, and I went on this learning journey.
My activism has brought me to go and volunteer on farms and get to know farmers, and realise that I’m really passionate about farming.
Why did you decide to launch your charity, Dirt?
I asked myself, “What would I do if I were to start a charity?” and it became really clear to me through my farming journey that I would start a charity to support biodynamic agriculture, to regenerate soil.
The slogan of the charity is ‘Foundation for the Regeneration of Earth’, because that is what we need to do work on rewilding and regeneration – and biodynamic farming offers the most incredible and effective way of doing this.
Did you spend lockdown in London?
“My husband and I and our two children managed to find a cottage to rent on a farm for the first lockdown, so we spent seven weeks on a farm in Devon. It was the most amazing experience.
I understand lockdown wasn’t like that for most people and I do feel extraordinarily grateful to have had that experience. And we are now moving to Ibiza, because we realised we no longer wish to live in the city.
Do you think the move will have a positive effect on your mental health?
I think so. I have a lot of healing to do around modelling and the fashion industry.
Models are sold a dream that really doesn’t happen for most people – very, very few of the thousands of young women who try to model ever make any money.
Aside from money, it’s not good for mental health. I’ve definitely struggled with my eating habits for a long time.
I’ve spoken to so many models who stopped modelling, and then never finished with that aspect of modelling.
It just haunts them forever, and haunts me forever.
I am still modelling, but I have much more strict boundaries. I would never accept modelling work on the weekends, those weekends are for my children and that’s really important for us as a family.”
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to make their own lifestyle more sustainable?
At home is the best place to start, with your own life, your own wardrobe, your own bathrooms, your own kitchen. For example, swapping out liquid soap in a plastic pump bottle for a bar of soap on a tray. I’m the global advocate for sustainability for Aveda and their products are incredibly effective.
They don’t have any boxes or plastic wraps around their bottles and their bottles are made from 100%, postconsumer recycled plastic or bio plastics.