ISABELLA RODIO TALKS MODELING

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

When did your brown eyes first set their sight on the lens and on living life as a model?

My first modeling experience was actually completely by accident. I went along with a friend to one of her first photoshoots and the organiser ended up telling me to jump in. It was for a clubbing event, and so I worked with him for a while until I built up enough of a following to attract other photographers and have gone from there!

I’ve heard a few different thoughts on whether modeling actually gives a confidence boost or not, one would think it would, but some models say that there is a lot of comparison that gets to them. Did you ever feel affected by that, or have you always been self-assured enough to avoid it?

As someone who has suffered a lot with self confidence throughout my whole teen to adult–life, I would say it is a little bit of both. At first, it was super cool, to get to tell people I am a model and show them the pictures and I felt very good about myself. But as I’ve gone on in the industry, I’ve worked with bigger photographers and find myself comparing my photos to others they have taken, and sometimes I do become upset with the way I look compared to these other girls, but for the most part modeling has made me feel more confident in myself.

If your career so far had its own showroom, what would be highlights that you would like to show in there?

I have worked with so many great people and brands, but the highlights for me would definitely be my first paid brand shoot with AC Club, formerly ‘Before the Dawn’, as it’s one of the only shoots I can look back on and say I one-hundred-percent love the way I look in every single photo. Also a photography workshop I modeled for with The Australian Creative Collective where I got to take photos with a Ferrari and a motorbike, and had photos taken by so many different people! But the one stand out for me would be for my first magazine–cover with French magazine Moevir, with photos taken inside one of Versace's apartments he had in Sydney.

Have you gotten used to seeing yourself on covers, in campaign and the likes?

I think most of the time I’m used to it, I see myself while scrolling through Instagram and don’t think much of it, but it does hit me when other people say something about it to me, such as congratulating me or remarking on how cool it is. Those are the moments I'll look back and am quite proud of myself for going from nothing to this, it’s quite cool.

Are you as interested in fashion in your own time and life. What do you wear when you just completely feel like being yourself?

Honestly, I do find it a little hard to style myself, sometimes. Putting together outfits that aren’t boring is super tricky for me to do alone so I tend to scroll Pinterest a lot and find inspiration from there whether that be how to layer certain pieces or what accessories go well with what. I would be hopeless without seeing what other people are doing. As far as what I wear just day to day, I’d pick comfort over anything, most days out I’m either in some baggy jeans or a pair of track pants and a form-fitting top. I think if I asked those closest to me, they’d say I am very much a knitter jumper and cardigan type of person. They are just so comfy, I definitely have way too many and don't have any plants to stop.

Based in Australia but seemingly often finding yourself posing in front of the horizon, is there anywhere else in the world you would love to get to work at?

I'd absolutely love to get the opportunity to work anywhere in Europe and Asia. Countries like Greece, Italy, Bali, Thailand, Japan and so on have always been so dreamy in my eyes, and even if I don’t get work there I would still definitely love to visit!