TORONTO- As promised, Global News brings you an in-depth second interview with Stacey McKenzie, after the supermodel walked down the catwalk at Bustle’s show on Wednesday evening for World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto.
The audience cheered, clapped and whistled as Stacey opened the show with a dramatic walk down the rodeo-inspired runway, dressed like Daisy Duke. She kept the crowd alive as she gave away cowboy hats to a few men sitting in the front row, followed by a smooch on their foreheads.
The fashion and model icon herself met with Global Fashion’s Christina Cheng for a post-show interview where she spoke about her experience with Bustle, her upcoming work and her motto to life.
Global Fashion: How did it feel to be walking down that runway? It seems like you had an amazing time!
Stacey McKenzie: I always have fun on the runway. I love being on the runway, I had a great time and, of course, Bustle’s show was fun and great to do. They always have such a crazy theme and this one was absolute madness!
They called me up and said they want to book me for the show and they wanted me to play a ‘white girl’ and I was like, ‘seriously? I’m down!’ So it was pretty cool to embrace my whiteness. I’m part white so it works.
GF: How did BUSTLE approach you to take part in this fashion show?
SM: Well, I usually work with Bustle and book their shows. They approached me and said, ‘Stacey, I’d love to have you on our show again. We want you to open and close the show again. Because you’re absolutely amazing, again!’
GF: How did you feel about the whole cowgirl, cowboy, country theme?
SM: I thought it was pretty cool. It is apart of being Canadian; the Calgary stampede and the big anniversary so I think it’s really really cool that they were able to incorporate that and make it about Canadian talent and about Canada and to show that we’re fun, nice and crazy.
GF: Speaking of crazy, you were crazy on the runway. Giving guys kisses on their foreheads, while giving out cowboy hats. You were fun, spunky and flirty all at the same time. Was that part of the whole show, did the designers know you were going to do that?
SM: They know I’m going to do craziness. When I walk down the runway, I’m not bored, I have fun when I’m on the runway and what I love about these guys is they allow me to be myself. I’m not saying that being a model you have to always be straightforward, simple, and walk straight, or have any energy or attitude or atmosphere. These guys they switched it up; they allowed you to have fun and allowed me to be myself and they know I’m pretty wild because I’m more of an actress when it comes to the runway. They were definitely aware of my actions on the runway—that’s why they wanted me on the show.
GF: Do you have any future plans of walking the runway again in the near future?
SM: For this season, this is the only show that I’m doing but I definitely want to be apart of more shows, hopefully in Paris next time.
GF: Do you have anything lined up as yet there?
SM: Maybe, maybe… I had this lined up and nobody knew about it so you have to wait and see!
GF: You have your online video blog and workshops. Can you explain?
SM: Yes, ‘Rule Your Runway.’ I do stories on up and coming designers and models and this gives aspiring models to showcase their talent and be seen because I feel a lot of up and coming talent in Canada, especially in the fashion industry, doesn’t really get that outlet. They aren’t really able to show their talent and be seen and I feel I was given this opportunity to be in this business and make a name for myself within this industry and to also give back. It’s really like ruling your own destiny and taking it and going with it and having fun with it.
I also have a workshop called ‘Walk This Way.’ I created a couple of workshops: one geared toward aspiring models because a lot of models don’t have the opportunity or have someone to help them and guide them along their journey. Models are always doing it on their own so I created a workshop geared toward them, to help them prepare for the industry in all aspects, not just runway and photo posing.
I help them make a name for themselves and help them in the industry, especially one that’s not going to use and abuse them or take advantage of them.
The second workshop is geared towards self-esteem, so what I do is I basically help channel your own supermodel. This is for an “everyday person.” This has been great and very rewarding; I’ve been doing it for almost eight years now. I don’t do it as often as I would like to, but my goal is to open my own schools for modeling.
GF: During these workshops, did you have any of these aspiring models go further afterwards?
SM: Oh yeah, I have a few that went further for sure and not just in high fashion. I teach them about all aspects of all different types of modeling so I have a lot of students that have made it doing commercials. One of my students used to be a model but left the business because she had a family but came back into the business. Now she’s more of an actress and she is doing amazing! Her daughter is also my student, she’s five-years-old and she’s my youngest student. She had a cover on Parent Magazine and just landed a Sears commercial, Sears campaign, Target… it’s crazy!
GF: So you’re really giving back to these models…
SM: Yes and it’s really on them as well because basically what I give back to them is the real deal to help them and give them expert advice to go about the right way. I give them the real deal stuff, I don’t sugarcoat anything, I’m not here to take advantage of them so I just give that to them and they basically take that and do whatever they want to do with it. I hopefully try to motivate them and have them pursue it.
GF: We had talked the other day about your undergarment line. When can we see that and what else can we expect from you?
SM: Soon. I can’t talk too much about it yet but soon. I’m definitely looking forward to it! I’m really looking forward to doing a lingerie line and other lines as well; eventually a clothing line. I mean, I have mad style so I gotta do this!
GF: What’s you motto?
SM: You know what? My thing is, don’t limit yourself; if you have more than one talent, do not limit yourself… Try, try, try everything you want to pursue because you never know where it might take you.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited and condensed.
Missed Christina’s first interview with Stacey? Catch up and read it here.
Comments