One scroll through Hailey Baldwin's Instagram feed, and it's hard not to picture her as one of your friends. Sure, she's a model blessed with great genes, a famous last name, and a killer sense of style [1], but she's pretty down to earth, too. Hailey's that girl who breaks her foot at the Met Gala [2], has a (healthy) obsession with babies, and is close with her fam. She's also the one on a mission to make UGG boots super cool again: one look at her starring in the brand's Fall '16 campaign, and you'll quickly want a pair for yourself.
Yet there's still so much about the model we don't know, so naturally, we came with armed with questions when chatting with her about her new gig. Read on to find out how she'll be styling her boots this season, why she won't call herself a supermodel, and who she thinks is the next It girl on the rise (aside from herself, of course).
Expect to Spot Her Rocking Plenty of UGGs This Year
She may be the Fall campaign star, but Hailey's a fan of UGG's new Classic Street collection regardless. "I just think that this collection is going to surprise people, only because it’s so easy to pair with your day-to-day street style, which is exactly why it’s a street collection," she told us. As for how she'd style the boots? "With a pair of shorts, a cute jacket, or a pair of jeans. They're really comfortable, but they're still chic."
She’s Really Into Social Media, Just Like the Rest of Us
Hailey's constantly 'gramming, snapping, and tweeting, but she's definitely got an excuse. "I think it’s a big part of my career," she says. "It helps me stay connected to people who support me and communicate with fans. I think that with it being 2016, [social media] has really opened a new door for people in the industry. It’s a great tool."
Even When She's Modeling, Her Faith Comes First
If you follow Hailey on any of the aforementioned platforms, you know she's vocal about her faith. So we had to ask: has religion had any affect on her career? "I would say that there are morals I stick to because of religion, because of how I was raised," she admits. "Certain people maybe won’t agree with it, but other people think it’s cool that I stick to myself and stay true to that. But it hasn’t, like, affected anything. There hasn’t been anything that’s come to me that I was like, alright, I won’t do this because of [my religion]. But if those things did come along, there are absolutely certain things I wouldn’t be OK with because of faith."
She Has a Dream Modeling Gig (and It Probably Won't Surprise You)
The bikini queen admits she'd love to rock a pair of wings down the runway. "I think everybody, at least once in their career, would love to do the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which I would obviously love to do."
Her Favorite Gig Was Pretty Impressive
"Everything I’ve done is so different," Hailey explained, reflecting on her career thus far. "Runway is so much its own thing, shooting for UGG is its own thing. But I got to shoot a campaign with Karl Lagerfeld, which I thought was really awesome. That was really dope."
She Still Feels Like She's on the Rise
In the past, Hailey has said she wouldn't call herself a supermodel. "I think there are definitely things in my career that I’ve said, 'OK, I’m on my way to where I want to be.'" she said. "But with the supermodel argument — you are, you aren't — I just don’t categorize myself there, yet, because I’m doing so much. Aside from the modeling, I’m doing collections with people, designing, and creating. If I feel I've gotten there and I’ve reached it, then I would happily say that. I think [my career] is going at its own pace and it’s going at a good pace. But I don’t think that it's there."
Her Tips For Nailing the Perfect Pic Are Pretty Simple
"I think it’s so funny when people ask me for advice on photos," Hailey laughed when we pressed for her best posing tips. "I’m like, 'I don’t know, I just post what I like!' What I think looks good might not be good for someone else, but I think lighting is a big factor."
She’s Already Thinking About Her Halloween Costume
Hailey wasn't allowed to celebrate Halloween [6] growing up, so she had to wait until she moved out to rock a costume. "I celebrated last year," she said. "I did a punk band with my friends. It was so last minute and I was like OK, whatever, and wore a wig and a lip ring. That was really funny."
As for her plans this year? "I really want to dress as Harley Quinn [from Suicide Squad] this year, but I feel like everyone’s going to do that. So the decision will have to come when we get closer."
She’s a Big Kaia Gerber Fan
When asked who the next big model on the rise is, Hailey answered immediately. "Oh, Kaia Gerber, for sure! When she turns 18, it’s over for everybody else. Thankfully, she’s a couple of years younger than us, because when she hits our age, it’s done. She’s already just so cool, so pretty."
"It’s like annoying," she continued sarcastically. "She’s so sweet, though."
She Aspires to Become an Icon
As for the models Hailey looks up to, she's got great answers. "I really look up to Christy Turlington," she said. "And then you look at the career of Kate Moss [7]. ‘The greats,’ I would say."
