Interview – Vivien Solari The Face of InWear: Vivien Solari Words Cath Clarke Photography Johan Sandberg There is fashion, and then, well, there’s life. No one epitomises that sentiment more than the model and cold-water swimmer Vivien Solari. A woman of substance as well as style, Vivien Solari was the one and only name on our shortlist when it came to choosing the ambassador for the year-long IW50 campaign. Vivien will appear in four shoots throughout 2019, each with something to say about InWear – Hope, Balance, Life, Power. These are the values we live by, and that we recognise in Vivien, who returned to modelling in 2014 after a career break to be with her young family – she is the mother of three. Vivien was 19, in her first year studying for a psychology degree, when she was spotted by a model scout. She had never previously thought of modelling but decided to give it a go, reasoning that she could always return to university after six months if it didn’t work out. She never looked back, becoming one of the most sought after models of the ‘00s, appearing on the cover of countless Vogues and working with the likes of Bruce Weber, Steven Meisel and Craig McDean. Now 40, Vivien is still in demand, but these days you’re as likely to find her in the icy grey waves of the sea near to her home on the English south coast – bravely wearing a swimming costume not a wetsuit. Vivien started swimming outdoors around 10 years ago and now documents her adventures on her Instagram account @coldseawarmheart, using hashtags like #seacalling, #wildswimming and #mydailymeditation. Being cold is a state of mind she says: “I think that’s what swimming has really given me, a mental toughness, as well as physical strength.” You are the face of the campaign celebrating fifty years of InWear. Do you feel a connection to the values in the four shoots? “Yes, completely. Personally, I feel really strong and confident going into my forties. Becoming a mother and following my own path has made me feel quite powerful, and I think that’s because of the balance I’ve found in my life. I’ve really strived to get that balance. You have to work at it.” What are your favourite looks from the campaign so far? “The black dress I wore on the beach in the Balance campaign with big black boots. It was really simple, relaxed and cool. I felt great in that. The fabric was really lovely. There’s also an oversized cream jumper I’ve got my eye on.” What does InWear mean to you? “It’s a brand that has stayed true to its values and stayed cool and modern. The reason Niels Martinsen set it up in the first place was to appeal to cool modern women. Amazingly that’s what the brand is still doing now – dressing a modern confident woman in clothes that look feminine and strong.” Describe your style in three words? “Relaxed, minimal, modern.” You modelled nonstop in your twenties. Did you enjoy the lifestyle? “I found it pretty crazy, to be honest. But I always felt like my family and friends – that was what was really important. I always tried to maintain the balance. It was really only at showtime that I was away for weeks and weeks at a time. Otherwise, I tried to live outside the main fashion cities and go away to work. Sometimes, when it did get too crazy, I would come home for a bit. I just had a strong sense that’s what I needed to do.” You took a four-year break from modelling in the late ’00s. Why? “I wanted to be with my children when they were really young. That time just flies by, when they’re small, and I felt it was important to enjoy it. Then when I came back, my youngest was about two, so it was really gradual. I didn’t want to go away that much.” During that career break, did you worry it could be difficult to get back into modelling? “No. I just knew that a break was what I needed to do to feel happy. I didn’t worry about it too much. I thought I could always do something else. I think that times have changed too. When I started modelling, I would never have imagined I’d still be working at 40. But here I am.” InWear Brand Book – Chapter II 26
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