Elite: Hello Crystal! We can’t get enough of seeing all the amazing editorials you do and we couldn't help but notice that all your work is very challenging to the industry… why is that?
Crystal: Well, that’s interesting you say that; one, I hate ‘boring’ and I want to see exciting images that excite the viewer - I have pretty intense views and I like to challenge them through my work. Stills through images have always appealed to me because through that one moment you can capture the entire world, and let’s say, the message I'm projecting is in twelve pages, so I have to think about what it is I want to say. Every time I go to a shot, about 95% of the time I choose a character for that day, like, who would wear these clothes? - maybe it’s me, but often I have to transform myself into someone completely different.
E: When did your fascination with fashion first begin?
C: I love fashion, always have; ever since the first time I saw Vogue magazine at the age of fourteen - my life changed. I was just like, this is a standard of beauty that you can appreciate! And this IS art. And I have always, every single day, whether it be catalogue or high-end editorial work I’ve done - have thought of it as art.
E: Tell us more about how & when did your incredible (to say the least!) career begin?
C: I was fourteen years old, living in Mississippi and feeling somewhat lost; I felt like an outsider in my town - nothing against Mississippi, but you know when you just don’t belong in a place? And I remember feeling desperate for something big to happen - a drastic change. So I’m thinking all these things, maybe someday I’ll go to Yale and become a lawyer… But nothing was sticking and I was dissatisfied with life. And then I met a scout. The story is that my mum felt that I was floundering and she thought I needed to get out there because I started to withdraw. So she put me in an etiquette school, which to my horror I later found out that it was in fact a beauty school! But the good thing that came out of it was that there was a scout there who basically said to me - you are going to be a supermodel. At that time I did not know what a supermodel was - sure, I read magazines; but I READ magazines, and did not notice the pictures! My standard of beauty was going to the mall and see what thosegirls were wearing. So now, this scout is showing me Vogue and I have never seen women like this - Gisele, Carmen Kass, Karolina Kurkova gracing the pages and my eyes are wide open and now that I knowthis exists - and he thinks I can do this??! This is what a model is? And from that moment I knew I wanted to be a model.
E: Out of all the moments in your career, which one has been the most memorable?
C: That’s hard to say, because there has been many and each moment lead to the next big moment. Even If I look back to ten years ago when I first started, that cheesy catalogue that I did as my first job - that job was the foundation, the first layer of my modelling career. I had never been in front of the camera before and here I am on this job getting paid for something I want to do. And I remember this sense of freedom, I felt like dancing on the set! That was one of my first memories, and then we have something that will burn in my memory forever - setting my first step on a Steven Meisel shoot for American Vogue as a plus-size model. I was in a really great place - I had overcome so much to be in that room! There are moments like that, and than there are completely different ones, for instance, when I did Sports Illustrated - it appeals to a completely different audience to, let’s say, a high-fashion editorial! But in this one week, Sports Illustrated came out at the same time as the “Strict Institution” with Steven Klein, where I was playing a mental patient! I was loving it! All I remember is that at that point I found myself thinking, this is exactly the sort of career I want! It was great, one minute I was having a 'sexy' moment, and then the next, I was playing a mental patient!
E: That is awesome! How easy is it to make that transformation and evolve as a model?
C: I don't like to be bored, so I like to change my face and practice different things. You know, I remember when I first started out modelling, I used to do this thing with my lips, and then I didn't like those lips anymore so I started working with the muscles… and maybe I liked my eyebrows curved, and then maybe I would do just one eyebrow... and then overtime what you’ll find is that the face changes. It's funny because I LOVE models, and I would always look at their features, and I'd ask myself - how can I get that with my mouth? That actually helped me, a lot! And also, I think that over the years learning different tricks with make up, understanding my hair and different angles is the key – it takes obsession to get anywhere. And to get where you want, you have to be slightly obsessed!
E: In your opinion, what is the key to nailing the 'perfect shot'?
C: When I'm on a shoot and they say “it’s a wrap”, I always ask for ten more shots because now I know that the end is coming - and often, it's amazing what happens in those final shots, because you get something very unexpected. You know already that you have the shot, so you've got nothing to lose - it's there. This is the thing, to be a successful model, and I am not saying that everybody should do this as this sometimes comes back to haunt me, but you can't be afraid to look ugly! There's this thing I do with my lip - and can it look a bit like a snarl? - Totally! And maybe that picture will never go to print, yes, but then sometimes you get that right angle just in that perfect moment and it's an expression that you maybe wait an hour for - you maybe wait forever for... It's a moment that they capture because you play with your face. You give chances, you risk looking like a fool, but in a way, to get anywhere, you have to trust people around you and realise that your success is theirs. And theirs is yours.
E: You went blonde recently - that must have been quite a big change for you!
C: I did, yes, and it was amazing! It wasn't for long enough and the timing was not quite right because I was so busy and people kept requesting me as a brunette. It was all about me having this moment where I wanted to express myself as this new character!
I loved it and I lived on it for a little while, but the truth of the matter is - I did not stay blonde because of the damage it does to your hair! My roots grew back in 24 hours and every other day I was having my hair bleached so I just made the decision to go forward with black hair.
E: Do you find that your career has empowered you as a person?
C: My career has definitelyempowered me! At times it has torn me down, but I think that to be empowered and to realise where you are, you have to be torn a little bit to see just what you are capable of. This job has given me the confidence that I did not have; as a kid I was actually very quiet and I didn't necessarily like being around people that much - I liked keeping to myself and I was a bit of a loner! It also gave me the ability to make decisions that will affect my future in minutes - whether it will be a career-suicide or going forward! And in so many ways it helped me become a business woman and take control of my life.
E: So where do you see yourself in 10 years time?...
C: It's funny you say that, I want do so many things and some of them make sense and some of them don't... I know that my interests lie in astrology, I have a weird knack for it; I am also very interested in designing a [clothing] line - after this many years in fashion I would love to get behind the scene and have more of a say in what women are wearing - I really think I have something to offer to the “plus-size” community. I loved working with Evans, they’re amazing. And when it comes to fashion, they do get it - they know their customer. I know where I can offer my opinion, and offer something to these women who are just as fashionable, just as cool… Just because you have a bigger dress size does not mean you are lacking fashion sense - after all, an average size for a woman is a plus-size!
E: What's your opinion on the whole 'plus-size'?
C: That term… I resent it. Because, plus-what? These are normal women we are dealing with – real women and very normal sizes, and to categorize them as something so extreme – think about it – basically to be classed as plus size, you have to be what is considered as the ‘norm’ and then plus that. But the norm actually isthe “plus-size”, so why do we even have to attach such term?! And that always frustrated me; it frustrated me many times as a model and for the women who had that title above their head when there was no need. Diversity is the most beautiful thing in this world, and it is not acknowledged enough.
E: Tell us a little bit about what you do outside of work, for instance, what’s is your hottest hang-out?
C: I really like The Darby - it plays live music and it is really interesting. It used to be an old jazz club, but it is actually very modern. I am a real foodie, so if I am in New York City I just love discovering new places and great food!
E: Do you cook a lot?
C: Recently, yes - because I am staying with a partner and we are enjoying cooking together. Do I cook when I'm by myself? Not so much, I am usually someone who’s on the go quite a lot of the time!
E: We imagine you to be quite experimental with your cooking. Is that the case?
C: I am actually a mixer; I am a believer that mixing basics that are good on their own - like rice is great, say, salad is great and as we know, shrimp is great! And what I would do is just take all those ingredients together and mix them up into, like, a weird salad stir-fry! And I am really interested, and I mean, I haven't done this yet, but I'd really like to get into gluten-free cooking. A lot of the recipes use natural, organic, fresh fruit and vegetables... And I really would love to learn how to make their desserts, because gluten-free ice-cream is the best. Better than Häagen-Dazs - hands down!
E: Is there anything in your wardrobe that you will never throw away?
C: Probably I'll never throw away my Abbey Lee [Kershaw] Mania Mania ring that she gave me for my birthday; I love her – she is really creative and designed this ring for the Australian brand [pointing to a stunning, lilac crystal ring]. So this would probably be the one thing I know I'll keep forever. It's an amethyst ring and I have a special affinity with amethyst - it was just too perfect.
And of course, there's always the Chanel bag and Rick Owen boots, which are staples - always! But this [ring] is something beyond special.
E: And one last question - tell us something quirky, maybe something unusual about yourself that not many people would know?
C: Not many people know that I am obsessed - ever since when I was a kid - with Tetris! Do you know that game?! I play it all f***ing day – even in the bath! And I also make Lord of The Ringsrecordings on my phone in elf voices - that's pretty quirky! I am actually REALLY nerdy... I think this is all qualifying me for the biggestnerd model! I was into Rubik's cube for a very long time and I would bring it on set and do it in hair and make-up… I used to think that was pretty weird, but it really calms you down!
I've also eaten a tarantula in Cambodia AND I had a live one crawling on me as well! I'm an arachnophobic so I went there to conquer my fear.
E: WOAH! And did you do it - let's say there was a spider right beside you, what would you do?
C: Whereas before I would've most probably had a panic attack, now I would acknowledge it, remove my stuff and calmly walk away. And hope that it's not a jumping spider because that would be sooooverwhelming!!!
Thank you so much for your time and this amazing interview Crystal. We cannot wait to see many more of your incredible work splashed across our favourite glossies, and we look forward to having you back in London with us again soon!
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