18-year-old Just Kids model Susannah Liguori proves she’s more than just a pretty head, chatting secret spy identities and the genius of Hedi Slimane with i-D online.
Click images to enlarge.
She may be Just a Kid, but 18-year-old Susannah’s eye for beauty, relaxed temperament and tomboy sense of adventure shows she’s not “just” anything. Fortuitously scouted in her hometown of LA by Hedi Slimane, who photographed her over the summer, Susannah stumbled easily, and accidentally, into the fashion world. Now signed to IMG, sharp as a whip and an artist in her own right (her beautiful sketch and collage work is displayed on her tumblr), the kindly oddball brings books and interesting stories to shoots, along with her natural Californian good vibes of course. Both smart and strange, Susannah loves relentlessly and is loved back tenfold, and with beauty on inside and out, we’re sure we’ll see lots more from her as she grows up (or refuses to).
Where are you from? What’s it like there? Los Angeles California. I live in a little hippie area in the mountains with my mom on the coast. So I grew up going to the beach loads and playing outside. We have five chickens, two dogs, a cat and two Flemish bunnies (the fat kind named Theodor and Leonardo). All of our animals kind of have a mutual agreement of civility towards one another so they just hang out free in our backyard. They have a pretty sweet life I’d say.
My mom and I get fresh eggs every morning as well, which is an extra perk.
How were you scouted? Hedi Slimane found me and asked if I would cut off my hair (which was down to my hips). I thought he seemed nice enough so I did. After shaving half of it off we just started hanging out and making pictures this past summer on the beach by my house… surfing, eating sandwiches… it was great and totally worth the lost locks. To be honest I didn’t really know who he was until he signed on with Saint Laurent Paris… I thought he was just some strangely creative French man who thought I was cool so I didn’t really question his motives hahaha. He was the first person to make me feel at ease with being photographed. He understood my awkwardness and showed me how to embrace character rather than insecurity. He’s an incredible artist.
What’s your earliest memory? Lighting things on fire with my big brother in the backyard… we lived outside for most of our childhood playing pirates or Indians. As long as we were back by dinner my mom was fine. Scabby knees and dirt crusted feet where the usual.
What TV shows did you used to watch as a child? I didn’t really watch TV when I was young. Mostly the food network with my Granddaddy… I was a weird child. Cartoons confused me. They still do.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a spy. I haven’t really grown out of that.
What was it like shooting with Solve Sundsbo and Charlotte Stockdale for-D? Incredible! Both Charlotte and Solve are supremely inspired in their creative process so working with them was just like one big art project. It was a composite effort from everyone, which was really exciting. I’m still getting powder paint out of my ears. (Worth it).
What’s the best thing about being young today? So far falling in love has been the highlight of my youth.
Are you in love? I love a lot of people. But not IN love… that ship has sailed along with the boy. But I now know what it feels like. It was wonderful.
What quality do you like most in others? I need to laugh. So a witty dry sense of humour gets the job done. I’m also a sucker for people of passion. A deep piercing sense of purpose. The kind you can see the moment you meet someone. I appreciate that.
How do you feel when you look in the mirror? Mostly silly. Which I think is good. I don’t take myself too seriously. It’s really easy to fall into a self-consuming mindset of negativity. So I’ve just learned to chill.
What are you up this weekend? I’m driving up to Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco with some friends. Metallica, Die Antwoord, Jack White, The Kills… I’m very excited.
Text: Alice Wadsworth
Images courtesy Susannah and IMG. Image (bottom) Solve Sundsbo and Charlotte Stockdale for The Just Kids Issue.
