You’ve most likely seen her around campus and couldn’t help but stare. Susie St. Denis is known for her cute and rocker-chic haircut, unique and eccentric outfits, and the fact that she is a model.

Susie’s inspiration for her outfits derives from her mother and Aunt Claudia. As a teenager her Aunt Claudia competed and won many pageants and her mother has always had a classy sense of style. St. Denis credits her aunt for getting her into the fashion industry.

When asked who her fashion icon would be, without hesitation, she answered Alexander McQueen. “He really redefined the idea of runway show, he turned it into a show instead of it just being something where people just walk up and down a runway.” St. Denis says that Alexander McQueen taught her that fashion isn’t just clothes but a way to express yourself.

Going to college for fashion as your undergrad degree, is a BAD idea due to its instability. So instead of doing what most people would think is the obvious thing to do, Susie plans on going to college for international business and minoring in Chinese and Hindi so she can “get a more hands on approach for getting materials and other products I will need”.

Bolles students are known for their cliquish and almost robotic ways. At first Susie tried to fit into the “Bolles mold”, Lilly skirts, pastels, and Polos but quickly realized that it wasn’t for her. Her moment of realization came during the summer before her junior year when she cut her hair. Susie’s parents were very adamant about her not cutting her hair and she begged for months and months. The minute her parents left for their anniversary in New York she got $60 out of her drawer and got her hair chopped off. Even though she knows her rebellious act was wrong the haircut made her feel more confident and more like her own person. “I have this hair that stood out, why should I dress like everyone?

Susie St. Denis works at Sessions Modeling Agency located on San Jose. Her mom recommended that she participate in some of their camps to build up her self-esteem. At the camps they taught her all sorts of things like how to walk, get proper headshots, etc. After years of doing the camps she was signed on and her career in fashion began. Susie is a teacher and model at Sessions. When she is teaching, she is assigned to a set of kids around the ages of 4-6. She teaches them how to walk runway, do photo-shoots, take care of their face, eat properly, exercise, and really make them understand who they are.

Many people have a set style whether it’s preppy, chic, bohemian, etc. Susie believes that she isn’t stuck on one of these tags but more open to anything that comes her way. “The idea of fashion is bringing in new ideas”.

Her advice to young girls aspiring for a career in fashion is to always be themselves, don’t get caught up in what other people say, and do your research.

“If you love something do it… no matter what people might think or say”.

INSIDE Susie’s Head:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMTZD193AA8

Alexander McQueen’s VOSS Show// Inspired Susie

http://www.inbaldror.co.il/en/gallery/2015

Ibald Dror Spring Collection// Susie’s Favorite show of the year