Gaia Orgeas
Nothing about model Gaïa Orgeas is surface-level. She’s the kind of girl at a go-see that everyone wants to hear and see. She’s also a mega-babe.
Born in Montaigu, France to an Italian-French father and a Korean mother. She admits her upbringing was loving her tumultuous. After moving to Bordeaux for her studies she moved onto Paris to begin a career modeling. After only two years, Gaïa has worked alongside some of the best in the fashion industry—with photographers like Willy Vanderperre and stylists such as Katy England. We spoke with the model about walking at Balenciaga, childhood, and the work of models.
Do you feel modeling is glamorous work?
When you dig a bit deeper than [what] fashion looks like, it's not really glamorous. On a picture, on a show, on a video, you can be whoever the team wants you to be. At the end, modeling is not glamorous work. Everything is made in order to look alike; fashion wants to sell, fashion wants to look expensive and attractive, it needs to look like a dream. There is a lot going on and a ton of work from everyone; beauty team, production, photographer, stylist, sound designer, set designer when it needs to be, agents and most of all family. Without them, there is not glamor at all.
I have mixed feelings regarding it because it's harder than everyone thinks, but it's insane and mental at the same time.
Tell me about your cultural upbringing. Where are you from?
I am a country girl and I come from west part of France, Montaigu. It's a small city with a lot of green and nature around, I left it when I was 18 to study science and communications in Bordeaux an amazing place which opened my mind thanks to my people.
Regarding my childhood, I was raised in love and daily fights in order to be the person I am today. It wasn't always beautiful and dreamy, it was an endless emotional rollercoaster but I will never exchange my place for another. I worked so hard to be where I am now and my past life made me stronger. My family and experiences taught me how to be tough, how to respect and be loyal, how work is important. They taught me to never give up and stand for my rights as a woman and a human being.
Do you have a beauty icon?
First of all beauty is not only what you see, it is mostly about what you feel and procures you. It is the reason my beauty icons are mostly people who are close to me. My mother, my best friend, women who fought and people who gave everything to succeed in their life. Devon Aoki and Angelina Jolie are unconditionally beautiful species. When you look at them it's like a brain explosion because they are more than beautiful women. I love beauty from the streets, natural ones and innocent ones. People they don't even know how pure and different they are; strong looks, strong faces, strong attitude.
What has been your favorite part of fashion “month?”
I love the intensity of fashion week, walking around the cities, being lost in the middle of the crowd, meeting new people, or when you call your beloved people, when you confirm an unexpected job, I mean there’s so many many things happening during this month. It also give you tears, pain, fever, nostalgia, anxiety, stress. Fashion week needs a lot of energy and concentration.
To be honest I think THE moment was Balenciaga SS19. The set design and the music were crazy, mental, and sick. The team was respectful and they've worked so hard for it, everyone from the casting was interesting, nice, and cool. Plus the collection was literally perfect.
I finished this month with Balenciaga and I will never forget. It was the first time since I started working in this industry that I felt so stressed to make a mistake. I was shaking, I had shivers, I wasn't sure I could make it because it was a long long long way to be here, to walk for this brand, and yes, I fucking did it. We did it.
Where do you see yourself in the next several years?
In the several years I still see myself working in fashion. There is so much to do and change! But I secretly wish to be a mum, living near the ocean with a lot of nature around, working at a non governmental organization trying to save the world, trying to be useful for the people and animals in needs.
You know, by being a model I am not feeling useful. I love my job, it helps me to grow up and evolve, but I miss the human part in all of it. It's about fakeness and hypocrisy [a lot] of the time. However, I know I need this intensity and this daily stress to keep me alive for the moment. Fashion feels like a slap in your face, it wakes you up and sometimes it hurts you a lot. It is the reason I could imagine myself in two or five years working in this industry again. I am young and I have a lot to give. We all know fashion isn't easy and it's the reason why we are doing it, we love the pain and experience from it. It's a non stop activity and it's freaking fun!
courtesy GAIA ORGEAS
interview ALEX ASSIL
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