Georgia May Jagger gears up for #minniestyleuk

Taken from the Spring/Summer 2015 issue of Dazed:

She may be an unusual fashion icon, but Minnie Mouse is responsible for the style education of a generation. “She actually has more than 200 dresses in her wardrobe,” says Georgia May Jagger, the mega model who’s invoked the spirit of Minnie for Ashley Williams’ new Minnie-inspired collection. Jagger fell for Mickey’s better half aged eight, when she was rarely seen without her handbag adorned with a picture of her favourite mouse. “Minnie has been a muse for designers across the decades,” she says, “and this September I’m curating an exhibition at London Fashion Week showcasing this journey.” 

For Williams, Jagger was the perfect muse. “I wanted to make a sharper image of Minnie that would suit Georgia as she is,” the designer says. “She might throw the jumper over her polka dot dress during the daytime and take it off at night – I’m interested in someone who has an identity that’s seamless, no matter what she’s doing.” The capsule collection features elements from Williams’ AW15 line (Jagger opened the runway show) such as shiny PVC, graphic patches and signature playful exuberance. Anything else in common? “We both have a cute dog! She has Pluto and I have Daisy.” 

Georgia May Jagger is sourcing inspiration on Instagram as she curates the Minnie Style exhibition. Whether it’s illustrations, photos or fashion, share your interpretation of Minnie Mouse’s style using #MinnieStyleUK and find out more information here, and read on to find out the model’s ultimate life lessons.

FAKE IT 'TIL YOU MAKE IT?

“The Texan part of me would say that that’s important, people like Dolly Parton always believed in that saying, but I don’t really understand the idea behind this statement. I think if you visualise something for long enough yes it will come to you. But for me, I just try and visualise positive things that I want.”

PICK YOUR BATTLES OR STAND YOUR GROUND?

“My mum always says pick the right battles I suppose but I would say always stand your ground. I think there are so many compromises in life that you have to face everyday, little niggling things, that it’s all about compromise and knowing which battles to put your foot down and which to let go.”

KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE, ENEMIES CLOSER?

“I don’t know if I agree with that one, ha! I believe more in keep your friends close and enemies... far away. I think be nice to everyone, even if they are not nice to you.”

FORGIVE AND FORGET?

“Definitely agree with this – I don’t always forget but I forgive. I try and do as much as I can. I’ve been raised to try and be really positive about people even if they are negative or if negative things happen. That’s my mantra.”

CHECK YOUR EGO?

“It’s quite a weird thing because I spend so much time getting my photo taken and getting ready, that to be honest in my personal life I don’t really mind so much how I appear. I have more fun with fashion than I did at the beginning. I like doing projects like this as its something that’s different and fun than the usual thing. As a photographer, I’m just focusing on taking a lot of pictures as I don’t want to have an exhibition before I’m ready or to do small shows. I’m still building on a body of work; I’m helping some of my friends who are doing EPs and music right now, as I shoot mainly portraits.”

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD?

“Yeah! I agree with that. It’s hard during the fashion month, I don’t do that many shows anyway but I do get really tired by the end of it. I had the flu at the beginning of this season, and the whole way through... but yeah, sometimes I plan on going to a party and have my hair and make up ready but then decide that I really do need a night off – sometimes you’ve got to just do that. And I’m quite lazy sometimes, I like to party but then I’ll spend the next few days in bed!”

ROMANTIC OR CYNIC?

“Romance is good, but like Minnie, I think it’s important to be a leading lady too. I like old-school romance, so I’m definitely not a cynic, and I certainly believe there is someone out there for everyone!”

‘I don’t always forget but I forgive. I try and do as much as I can. I’ve been raised to be really positive about people even if they are negative or if negative things happen. That’s my mantra’ – Georgia May Jagger

TOUGH LOVE?

“Yeah, sometimes when you’ve got to tell someone a piece of advice that maybe they wouldn’t want to hear, I believe in that. But for instance my mum let us do whatever we wanted to do but then disciplined us after if we did something wrong. I feel it’s better to not exercise super strict discipline because it makes you behave almost better I think. With too much tough love you can go the opposite way – I’ve never felt afraid of my parents and would always talk to them about stuff, I have a good relationship with them in that way.”

TAKING RISKS OR PLAYING IT SAFE?

“I enjoy having fun but I have to say I do think a lot about things first - probably too much! I’m very analytical about work, and a lot of things that I do or choices that I make in life. Some things I do on a whim but most of the time I have quite a thought process going on behind getting involved in anything. That’s just the way I am. I consider all my options, future outcomes, which is maybe bad as I always try to live in the present – I never live in the past but I’m often in the future. Having said that, I wouldn’t have said five years ago that I wanted a house but now I’ve done that and to be honest I didn’t think I’d still be modelling by this point, so some big things still do happen day by day.”

WORDS OF WISDOM?

“For modelling I always say that aspiring models should think about their other interests as it’s very day by day and it’s bad to pour your energies into it because it’s so based on youth and factors like that. I’ve seen that the best photographers are those that come up with the most interesting ideas, or those who work best in a team because a lot of things have to work together simultaneously in order for a shoot to work. Life-wise, I think never take things too seriously. I think people need to start having more fun, smile more, look after each other more, look out for people because you don’t know – they could be having the worst day ever.”

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The Minnie Style exhibition will run September 18–22 as part of London Fashion Week. Polka dot tulle dress, PVC Minnie Mouse embroidered skirt, Minnie Mouse logo long-sleeved t-shirt, PVC bucket hat and PVC Minnie Mouse embroidered clutch bag all custom-made for Dazed x Minnie by Ashley Williams; all other clothes by Ashley Williams SS15. Photography Sharif Hamza; styling Elizabeth Fraser-Bell; film direction Charlie Robins; filming Arthur Loveday; hair Alex Brownsell at D+V Management using Bleach; make-up Georgina Graham at Management Artists using M.A.C; nails Sophy Robson at Streeters using Leighton Denny Expert Nails; model Georgia May Jagger at TESS Management; set design Theo Politowicz at The Magnet Agency; photographic assistants Ted Park, Peter Carter; styling assistants Margherita Alaimo, Ioana Ivan, Giulio Ventisei; hair assistant Beth Kucic; make-up assistant Kristina Ralph; set design assistant Aislinn Dowling; digital operator Emma Gibney; retouching BLANK; production Laura Holmes Production