Claudia Carpentier: Savremeni boho

Zvezda naše januarske digitalne naslovnice, Claudia Carpentier, uspešan je model Francusko-Karipskog porekla. Iza njene figure supermodela, zlatne kože, smeđe kose, prodornih očiu boje lešnika i osmeha od million vati krije se i uspešna producentkinja događaja poznata na međunarodnoj sceni. Ova jedinstvena lepotica je takođe veoma aktivna na mnogim poljima. Krasila je stranice brojnih magazine u Evropi i Juznoj Africi, pa čak i na Reunion island-u. Karijeru je započela kao model u showroom-u za brendove kao što su Prada, Chanel, Fendi, a tu su i kampanje za kupaće kostime za brendove Eres, Tommy Hifilger i Victoria’s Secret. Ukoliko je zapratitre putem društvenih platformi, postaćete svesni njene pozitivne energije i njenog međunarodnog angažmana za različite dobrotvorne organizacije. Ona je jaka, iskrena i moćna žena. Tu je da nam kaže šta je tačno na njenom umu, a mi smo se povezali sa Claudiom kako bismo pogledali u njen život iza objektiva.

Recite nam nešto o sebi.

Ja sam Francusko – Karipskog porekla, sa ostrva St Barts i Reunion, sa karijerom supermodela, glumice i međunarodnog producenta. Kao unuka mornara, odrasla sam na ostrvu St Bart uz čamce i morske proizvode. Detinjstvo sam provela okružena životom, ljubavlju, prirodom i porodicom. Moje poreklo je pomešano, imam DNK sa pet različitih kontinenata, i sve te kulture su moje nasleđe. Učinile su me ponosnom devojkom sa Kariba. Veoma sam ponosna što sam multikulturalna, čak i u trenucima kada je to za mene teško. Dok sam bila mlađa često sam slušala da sam “previše egzotična”, ”previše mešana” ili da mi je kosa “previše kovrdžava”. Ta vrsta klasifikacije ne bi trebalo da postoji. Kada imate ovu vrstu suda o nekome, samo zato štoje je drugačiji, zapravo je u pitanju oblik rasizma. Umesto toga, kada naučite da prihvatate i volite ljude onakvi kakvi jesu, to je dobar način da ih upoznate i da sa njima delite samo mir i ljubav. Smatram da što je više različitosti, to će nam to više pomoći da budemo toletantniji i da poštujemo druge kulture. Takođe, duboko verujem da nam je potrebna veća raznolikost u modi, kao i na svim drugim poljima. Već dugi niz godina postoji prevlast belaca, ali došlo je vreme da imamo stvarnu reprezentaciju čovečanstva. Osim toga, to će pomoći svi mladim devojkama koje su meleskinje, poput mene, da se osećaju više zastupljeno i cenjeno. Nadam se da će im to što vide moju fotografiju na nslovnoj strani pomoći da budu ponosne na ono što jesu. Biti dtugačiji je odlična stvar, to znači da ste jedinstveni.

Haljina Christophe Guillarmé
Marama Hermès

Šta vas je navelo na odluku da postanete model?

Dosta kasno sam krenula sa karijerom modela. U pitanju je bio Ellite Model Look na Reunion Island-u, a ja sam tada već imala 20 godina. I ako sam imala mnogo prilika da postanem model, dok sam bila mlađa, za to se nisam opredelila ranije zbog svoje stidljivosti ispred kamere. Toikom odrastanja bavila sam se plesom i glumom, imala sam priliku da se izrazim, samopouzdanje mi je raslo i tako sam krenula sa modelingom. Sada sam veoma srećna što se bavim modelingom i glumom u slobodno vreme.

Opišite nam vaš savršen dan kada se ne bavite modelingom?

Volim da odlazim u prirodu i na hajking kako bih napunila baterije. Takođe, uživam u pikniku sa porodicom ili prijateljima u parku poput onog gde smo snimali (Parc des Buttes Chaumont in Paris). Lepo je biti okružen ljudima koji razgovaraju, smeju se i uživaju u prirodi. Kada sam na osrtvu St Barts volim da idem na plažu, zapravo moj nadimak je “karipska sirena”. Kada ste pored okeana, neverovatno se punite energijom a istovremeno je i moćno. Od malena sam volela da idem na plažu i u prirodu sa svojim bratom (Frantz Carpentier) i sestrom (Eleonore Carpentier). Oni su blizanci i kao i ja vole da istražuju, tako da je uvek bilo mnogo zabave i dobre energije. Pored toliko obaveza važno je da odvojite vreme da udahnete i da se opustite. Činjenica da sam mogla da se oslonim na svoje prijatelje i porodicu bilo mi je od velike pomoći u teškim trenutcima.

Marama Baylandi
Ogrtač Maison Natan
Blejzer Quartier Libre

Ko je vaš omiljeni dizajner i zašto?

Stella Mc Cartney zato što je eco-friendly ali postoji još mnogo toga što mi se dopada (u ovom editorijalu između ostalog nosim i francusku dizajnerku Noemie Devime, zatim pobednicu Britanskog modnog saveta Aurelie Fontan, a tu je i eco-friendly brend Reformation…). Verujem da će moda u budućnosti postati održivija, da će ljudi više obraćati pažnju na kvalitet odeće i kako se ona proizvodi. Etika u održivoj modnoj industriji je nešto što je zaista važno, pogotovu što je hiperprodukcija u modi drugi najveći zagađivač na svetu. Sva odeća se proizvodi u veoma siromašnim zemljama, u veoma teškim uslovima za radnike, a iza svega ostaje ogomna količina smeća na deponijama. Uz pomoć brata i sestre pokrenula sam svoju ekološku fondaciju pod nazivom “Elements”. Oni su uvek tu da me podrže u karijeri, i da podrže moj san da promovišem ekološki prihvatljive dizajnere. Sada kada znate da hiperprodukcija u modi veoma zagađuje okolinu evo mog saveta: nemojte da kupujete brendove velikih lanaca odeće, umesto toga izaberite modni brend koji je ekološki prihvatljiv, to pomaže da se smanji zagađenje i pomaže u zaštiti naše planete. Pozivam vas da obratite pažnju i proverite eco-friendly dizajnere na platformama kao što su Fashion Cross Over London i The Good Trade.

Šta želite da postignete u narednih nekoliko godina, na profesionalnom i na ličnom planu?

Godinama unazad ulažem energiju baveći se dobrotvornim radom, i ne planiram uskoro da prestanem. Veoma sam ponosna što ove godine radim na produkciji prve Unicef-ove organizacije na ostrvu St Barts. Uložila sam veliku žrtvu i mnogo truda da pomognem u ostvarenju ovog nevervatnog projekta, ali rad sa strastvenim ljudima i za dobar cilj je prelep. Nadam se i da će uskoro zaživeti projekti sa mojom ekološkom organizacijom Elements, kao i više umetničkih proekata u mom umetničkom prostoru Spirit. Osećam da je 2022. godina u kojoj ću se pozabaviti novim stvarima. Ne želim da otkrivam šta je u pitanju ali ću samo reći da ću do svog rođendana (22. Oktobra) raditi neke drugačije stvari u odnosu na to šta sam navikla, a takođe želim i da se vratim glumi i korišćenju svog glasa. Obećavam da će biti dosta toga u narednih par meseci. Volim da budem devojka koja ne priča previse već učini sve da se stvari dese. Kada okruženje ne očekuje često čujem komentar iznenađenja “Oh, ok Claudia.” Lično bih volela da se više povežem sa sobom i sa prirodom, toliko sam bila zauzeta radom na filantropskim projektima da se osećam kao da sam zaboravila na sebe. Nakon Unicefove gala novogodišnje večeri, želim da se ponovo povežem sa sobom i krenem na putovanje utelovljenja. U 2022. godini vratiću se prirodi i onome što me opušta. Prvo ću otići na ostrvo na nedelju dana odmora, gde ću biti sama sa sobom i sa plažom, zatim planiram yoga retret na nekom prelepom mestu kao što je Tulum ili Kostarika. To će biti prilika i da odem na izlete u džunglu, naravno bez telefona i društvenih medija. Smatram da je važno da se osamite kako biste mogli da se ponovo povežete sa sobom, zato prepočujem da ostavite telefon u torbi a zatim da krenete u istraživanje prirode. Kada živite u sadašnjem trenutku, tj. kada uživate u životu u potpunosti bez ometanja telefona i informacija, to je zaista dobro. Ne postoji lepota poput one koja dolazi iz prirode.

Odelo Quartier Libre
Korset Noémie Devime
Čizme Luis Onofre

English here:

You may be familiar with Claudia Carpentier, the French Caribbean model – also known on the international scene as an event producer – behind her supermodel figure, golden skin, brown curls, piercing hazel eyes and million-watt smile. This unique beauty is also a very active woman. She’s graced the pages of magazines in Reunion island, South Africa and Europe and starred in showrooms for brands such as Chanel, Prada, Fendi and swimwear campaigns for Eres, Tommy Hifilger and Victoria’s Secret. If you follow her on the social media platform, you will also be aware of Claudia Carpentier’s activism, her positive energy and her international work for different charities. Our Claudia Carpentier is strong, genuine and powerful. And she’s here to let you know exactly what’s on her mind. Here, we connect with Carpentier for a behind-the-lens look at her life.

Tell us something about yourself.

I’m a French-Caribbean from St Barts and Reunion islands with a career as a supermodel, actress, and international producer. Grand-daughter of a sailor, I grew up on the island of St Barts, with boats and sea products. I spent my childhood surrounded by life, love, nature, and family. My background is very mixed: 5 different continents according to DNA ancestry, but all these cultures are my legacy–they made me a proud Caribbean girl! I’m very proud of being multicultural, even if when I was younger it was hard to hear that I’m “too exotic,” “too mixed,” or that my hair was “too curly”. There should not be such a thing like to be “too much.” It’s actually a form of racism when you’re having this type of judgment about someone just because she/he is different. Instead, when you learn to accept and love people as they are, it is a good way to get to know people and to share with them nothing but peace and love. I truly think the more diversity there is the more it will help people to be tolerant and respectful to other cultures. I also believe that we desperately need more diversity in Fashion–and in all the fields. For many years there has been a supremacy by the white but now it’s the time to have real representation of humanity. Plus it will help all the young girls who are mixed, like me, to feel more represented and appreciated. I hope that the fact that they see my picture on the cover will help them to be proud of who they are! To be different it’s a very good thing that means you’re unique!

Haljina Christophe Guillarmé
Minđuše Clovis St Barth

What made you decide to be a model?

When I decided to become a model it was very late, it was for the Elite Model Look in Reunion Island, and I was already 20 years old. Even though I got asked many times to join a modeling agency when I was a kid I never wanted to do it because I was way too shy to pose in front of a camera! Then growing up thanks to dance and acting I got better into expressing myself, and that’s when I began to become more confident and to do some modeling. I’m now very happy to do both careers modeling and acting during my spare time.

Describe your perfect day off when you are not modeling?

I love to go in Nature to recharge myself or for some hiking. I enjoy a lot having a picnic with my family, or friends in a beautiful park like the one where we shot (Parc des Buttes Chaumont in Paris). It’s so nice to be with people talking, laughing and enjoying nature. When I’m in my island St Barts I love to go to the beach, as matter of fact my nickname is the “Caribbean mermaid”. I believe that when you’re with the ocean it’s incredibly recharging and powerful at the same time. Since I was a kid I’ve loved to go to the beach or to any natural place with my brother (Frantz Carpentier) and sister (Eleonore Carpentier)–they’re twins and like me they love to explore so it was always a lot of fun and good energy. We have so much going on, and it’s important to take the time to breathe and stay relaxed. Being able to lean on my friends and family has been very helpful during this difficult time.

Haljina Christophe Guillarmé
Marama Hermès

Who is your favorite fashion designer and why?

Stella Mc Cartney because she is eco-friendly, but I have many more that I really like (the one in this editorial is a French designer Noemie Devime, and the British Fashion Council winner Aurelie Fontan, the eco-friendly brand Reformation….) I believe that in the future Fashion will become more sustainable, with more people now looking at the quality of their outfits and the way they are produced; it’s a good thing. We are moving towards a more ethical and sustainable fashion industry which is really important–especially since fast fashion is currently the 2nd biggest polluter in the world; just after oil. All the clothes are produced in poor countries, in very difficult conditions for the workers, and after they are thrown away each year they become a large amount of trash in landfills. I got my own ecological foundation called “Elements” with the help of my sister and brother. They are always there to support me in my career and my dream is to promote more eco-friendly designers. Now that you know that fast fashion is very polluting, if you want to make a change, here is my advice: stop buying into big chains of clothes, and instead choose a fashion brand that is eco-friendly –it helps to significantly reduce the actual pollution and help to protect our planet. I invite you to check the sustainable designers on platforms like Fashion Cross Over London and The Good Trade.

What are you looking to achieve in the next couple of years, both professionally and personally?

Professionally I’ve been pouring energy into charity for many years, and I have no plans to stop anytime soon. This year I’m very proud that I’m working on the production of the first Unicef charity in my island St Barts. I made a lot of sacrifices and effort to help achieve this amazing project, but working with passionate people for a good cause is beautiful. I hope my own projects soon with my ecological foundation, Elements, as well as more artistic projects in my new art space, Spirit. I feel like in 2022 is my year to tackle that and make it happen. I don’t want to reveal what it is, but I will say that by my birthday [October 22] I will be doing some different things than I’m used to, and I also want to get more back into acting and using my voice as much as I can. I promise there will be something within the next couple of months. I like to be the girl who doesn’t’ say too much and makes things happen, and then you guys are really surprised like: “Oh, ok Claudia.” Personally I would like to connect more with myself and connect with nature too, I have been busy working so hard on philanthropic projects that I feel like I forgot about myself. After the Unicef Gala and New Year’s Eve, I want to reconnect with myself and embark on a journey of embodiment. I will get back to something relaxing and into nature in 2022. I will go first to an island for a week of holiday, with just me and the beach. Then a yoga retreat in a beautiful place like Tulum or Costa Rica–it will be the occasion for me to do some excursions in the jungle. Of course I will be with no social media. I think it’s important to disconnect to be able to reconnect with yourself and for this I recommend leaving your phone in your bag and then to go explore in nature! When you are in the present moment i–e when you enjoy life to the fullest–with no distractions from the phone or the news that’s the best. There is no beauty like the one that comes from Nature!