Okay, this quote from a LENNY newsletter I received a couple of days ago may sound a bit shallow when you read it for the first time, especially if you don’t know who Grace Coddington is, but let me tell you, it’s not.
Grace started her fashion career back in the 60s as a successful model and then got hired by American Vogue, slowly climbing the professional ladder until she became Creative Director – a work shift triggered by a car accident that left her partially disfigured (you can barely see it today). Like most people, her life has been a mix of successes, her spectacularly staged photoshoots to the release of her autobiography, and tragedies, her miscarriage caused by an altercation with football fanatics in the streets of London.
A few months ago, the fashion world was shaken up when she announced her departure from Vogue, after nearly 30 years of service, to be represented by Great Bowery, a talent agency, as a creative consultant. Grace is 74 years old. Diving in the unknown (okay, she has a pretty amazing list of contacts, but still!) at an age when most people have been retired for 10 years… I don’t know, my 26 year-old self thinks it’s pretty inspiring.
And that’s exactly why this quote is not as superficial as it may sound.
Her hair is her trademark – like Anna’s bob – but in reality, it’s only a physical representation of her desire to differentiate herself from the rest of the crowd and do as she pleases, regardless of what’s expected of her. She just launched a perfume in collaboration with Comme des Garçons – you have to realize that, although adored from the fashion crowd, she’s not an icon like Beyonce or Lady Gaga are – and she dreams of doing an animated film with her famous cats’ drawings. They’re not random professional choices; they’re just Grace. She does what she feels like doing.
When she says that she makes her hair bigger for a boost of confidence (whether if she’s joking or not), what she really means is that she takes what makes her unique and she makes it shine bright and loud. The things that set her apart – her creative vision, her age, her looks, her life experiences – become her driving force.
I don’t know what your plans are this weekend, but perhaps you could book a date with your inner Grace and see what happens ;) #LetYourInnerGraceOut
I love Grace! 💛