Glass sits down with British supermodel GEORGIA MAY JAGGER to speak about the early days of her career, her beauty mantra and the launch of her skincare line, May Botanicals
From Spring Issue 53
Georgia May Jagger is the epitome of cool. Infused with the rockstar aesthetic of her father, Mick Jagger, and finished with supermodel genes from her mother, Jerry Hall, the charismatic blonde has managed to weaponise this combination and cultivate her own identity as one of Britain’s top models.
Having spent over half of her life in front of the camera, fronting global fashion campaigns, walking runways and covering magazines, Jagger is entering a new phase, one defined by a lack of filter and instead embracing the stripped-back version of the gap-toothed model.
Photographer: Nick Thompson
Your mother had a trailblazing career in fashion, were you nervous going into the same industry as her?
Yes definitely. My mum is taller than me, more statuesque and it wasn’t really a thing where I was like ‘Oh I’m going to do that too because she did it’. I was actually quite anti doing it at the beginning and it evolved into something over time. I know that she’s a fashion icon, so it’s nerve wracking to be compared.
Did she give you any advice?
She always just said smile, be nice to everyone and be on time – be polite and never be a diva.
Photographer: Nick Thompson
Do you remember your first shoot?
My first photoshoot was for i-D magazine, and it was supposed to be a whole story but ended up being just one photo. I was 14-years-old and my friend, who has now passed away, Matt Irwin, took the photos. I met my business partner at Bleach London there, Alex Brownsell; she was 17 and the hair assistant on set. We did this shoot, I was so nervous and we shot all day, and the picture they used was the one where we were eating chips at 6pm in this old pub called The George Tavern.
Making your runway debut at Chanel’s 2011 resort collection show –what was that experience like?
I was completely terrified to do a show and I didn’t know that I was going to close it, let alone know that I was going to shoot that campaign – everything was so last minute. We arrived on boats and then it ended where I had to sit side-saddle on a motorcycle.
I was only 17 and just freaked out by the whole thing. [laughs] They forgot to put gas in the motorcycle so it stopped at the end of the runway during the finale, so they told me to get up and dance – it all looked like it was on purpose but it wasn’t.
Photographer: Nick Thompson
How did you come to co-own Bleach London?
Alex and I have been working together for years, we have done loads of shoots together, travelled for jobs and she would always come with me because I liked working with her. She would also always dye my hair, and I guess I’ve always been interested in experimenting with my hair.
Since I was younger, I feel like I was really precious at certain points with anyone even cutting my hair, and Alex helped me relax a bit about it and learn about change being positive. Before that I saw changes as negative and held onto my hair as a security blanket.
Seven years ago, she was looking for someone to invest in the company, so she approached me, and since I was already using the products and having my hair dyed by her it made sense. She’s a genius and now I’m part of the team and I absolutely love it.Â
Have you ever had a hair dye disaster?
Before I met Alex, I would experiment with my hair and I started doing three colours, pink, blue and purple. I would do it myself underneath my hair – we call it a secret rainbow. I would grab a bunch of Manic Panic and just smush it on the back of my head, so sometimes there would be a patch but I always thought I looked cool because I could only see the front.
Photographer: Nick Thompson
You are launching your own skincare line, May Botanicals, in the summer. What sparked the idea to make it?
I’ve always been interested in skincare, obsessed since I was a teenager when my sister and mother would make our own products using natural ingredients. I have really dry and sensitive skin so I always buy organic clean products, but sometimes it would just make it worse.
It sounds corny but I do feel like it’s a mindset, it’s a lot about your inner voice and the things you say to yourself. Sometimes your inner voice is so negative, and everyone has it where they’re going to put themselves down, but I think finding things that make you happy is important. We need to stop comparing ourselves to others, which social media hasn’t helped, like it sucks to be a teenager and see all this retouching – not everything is as real as people think it is.
Photographer: Nick Thompson
What’s the ethos behind the brand?
I have been planning and working on this for four years. The products are all kept in recycled glass packaging designed by Matty Bovan, and the ethos is to have something that looks glamorous but is made from very simple ingredients – no preservatives, completely organic and natural, fragrance-free, cruelty-free – and it’s made in England. It’s six products: a moisturiser, a creamy cleanser, a multi- purpose balm, a spot cream, an oil and a seaweed sheet mask.
I know it’s a saturated market and people are, like, ‘we don’t need another nepo baby skincare line’ but it’s something that I have made for everyone. By talking to those around me I feel like something is missing for people of my age group, because I’m 31 and everything is aimed at anti-ageing. I believe in natural ageing and just want simple things that work.
I’m not trying to push some message about lifestyle. I think you can still be cool and get your hair dyed at Bleach and enjoy natural ingredients; I don’t feel like those have to be mutually exclusive.
Photographer: Nick Thompson
Photographer: Nick Thompson
Beauty has been a defining aspect of your career, from the iconic Rimmel London campaigns to Bleach London, and now your skincare line. What is your philosophy behind beauty?
It sounds corny but I do feel like it’s a mindset, it’s a lot about your inner voice and the things we say to ourselves. Sometimes your inner voice is so negative, and everyone has it where they’re going to put themselves down but I think finding things that make you happy is important.
We need to stop comparing ourselves to others which social media hasn’t helped, like it sucks to be a teenager and see all this retouching – not everything is as real as people think it is.Â
by Imogen Clark
Photographer: Nick Thompson
Fashion Director: Katie Felstead
Make up: Joey Choy at PREMIER HAIR & MAKE-UP using CHANEL Spring-Summer 2023 Make-up Collection and No.1 de CHANEL Rich Revitalizing Cream
Hair: Declan Sheils at PREMIER HAIR & MAKE-UP using BLEACH LONDON
Manicurist: Cherrie Snow using CHANEL Le Vernis in Organdi and CHANEL La Crème Main
Producer: Alexandra Oley
Digi technician: Benjamin Kyle
Model: GEORGIA MAY JAGGER
All fashion throughout CHANEL Spring-Summer 2023/24 Ready-To-Wear & Accessories, All jewellery CHANEL Fine Jewellery