2 Fashion Bigwigs, 1 Mohawk: Our Chat With Joan Smalls And Mario Testino
If you want to see the best use of a sunroof since Prom ’99, look no further than Mario Testino’s new fashion film for the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake, which sees Joan Smalls — clad in vintage Mugler and playing the part of an “other-worldly” beauty — using the car feature to create some extra space for her towering Mohawk. Running into the twosome at — where else? — Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin, Refinery29 sat down for a chat about cars, crazy hair, and going with your gut.
Joan Smalls
Obviously, you’re having a huge moment right now. You’ve got Fendi, W, the spring '12 Chanel campaign. Have you gotten to enjoy it, or does it just seem like a whirlwind and then it’s on to the next project?
"I try to stay grounded, and I think every job I do is an accomplishment and a goal that I’ve wanted for a long time, and you get to enjoy it for a short period. But, because I’m kind of an overachiever, as soon as that’s done, I’m asking and bothering my manager, 'What’s the next one?' [laughs]"
Mario was saying that Grace Jones was an image that he had in mind for your shoot. Was she a muse for you? It also seemed very Catwoman-like with the Mugler suit.
"I think for me it was a superhero and Catwoman and seeing all of those empowering women that have these supernatural powers — this super-strength. I think that's where I drew my inspiration from, and Grace Jones is part of that movement, as well. "
What was it like wearing the mohawk?
"My first mohawk ever. [laughs]"
Do you think you’ll adopt it? It could be a new trend.
"I don’t know if that’s going to work for my job. They pinned all my hair down, and I think it was actually a necklace or something. I don’t know if it was horsehair or what, but they put it in that way. "
Do you actually drive in real life?
"Yes, I do. I’m from Puerto Rico, so you learn to drive there from a very young age — around 14."
Have you ever been in a car accident?
"Oh. I’ve been in fender benders, yes. Two. But one was not my fault! The guy in front of me was slowing down and he was going to make a turn, but he didn’t put his blinkers on. I mean, what do you expect me to do? Read your mind or something?"
But no fender benders on the Mercedes-Benz set, right?
"No, I’m very careful with that one!"
Check out our exclusive chat with Testino and the full-length Mercedes commercial on page two.
Photo: Via Mercedes Benz
Joan Smalls
Obviously, you’re having a huge moment right now. You’ve got Fendi, W, the spring '12 Chanel campaign. Have you gotten to enjoy it, or does it just seem like a whirlwind and then it’s on to the next project?
"I try to stay grounded, and I think every job I do is an accomplishment and a goal that I’ve wanted for a long time, and you get to enjoy it for a short period. But, because I’m kind of an overachiever, as soon as that’s done, I’m asking and bothering my manager, 'What’s the next one?' [laughs]"
Mario was saying that Grace Jones was an image that he had in mind for your shoot. Was she a muse for you? It also seemed very Catwoman-like with the Mugler suit.
"I think for me it was a superhero and Catwoman and seeing all of those empowering women that have these supernatural powers — this super-strength. I think that's where I drew my inspiration from, and Grace Jones is part of that movement, as well. "
What was it like wearing the mohawk?
"My first mohawk ever. [laughs]"
Do you think you’ll adopt it? It could be a new trend.
"I don’t know if that’s going to work for my job. They pinned all my hair down, and I think it was actually a necklace or something. I don’t know if it was horsehair or what, but they put it in that way. "
Do you actually drive in real life?
"Yes, I do. I’m from Puerto Rico, so you learn to drive there from a very young age — around 14."
Have you ever been in a car accident?
"Oh. I’ve been in fender benders, yes. Two. But one was not my fault! The guy in front of me was slowing down and he was going to make a turn, but he didn’t put his blinkers on. I mean, what do you expect me to do? Read your mind or something?"
But no fender benders on the Mercedes-Benz set, right?
"No, I’m very careful with that one!"
Check out our exclusive chat with Testino and the full-length Mercedes commercial on page two.
Photo: Via Mercedes Benz
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