Grace Bol has been an explosive, captivating presence in editorials and on the catwalk in her four years working as a model, but the latter avenue hadn’t really taken off until this season, when Bol appeared on the runway for Rick Owens, Proenza Schouler, Balenciaga and Hermès, a show she opened.
“I feel new this season. It was like I was starting again,” Bol told Style.com, explaining that, “When I began the season, I thought it was just going to be like the previous fashion weeks I had, so to have it be completely different meant a lot to me.” Having been cast at Proenza Schouler in New York for the first time, Bol was selected by casting director Ashley Brokaw for London shows, before moving on to Paris.
“Proenza Schouler was a very big surprise for me because I’d never even cast for them before,” Bol says, adding that, “This was a season of firsts for me: doing Balenciaga—I had never done their casting before, either—and Hermès, not only doing the show, but I ended up opening.”
After fashion week, Bol returned to her family’s home country: Sudan. Asked about her family’s reaction to her international fashion career, Bol revealed that, “The thing is, I don’t talk to them about what I do at all. They know I live in New York, but they don’t know what I do. My mom just found out last year.”
Having stormed the runways, what’s next for Grace? “I’m interested in living outside the city, settling down and having a farm or a house on the beach,” she says, but adds that, “I don’t think that will happen soon, though—I’m a little hooked on fashion. I hope to one day become a designer. I’d like to still be involved in the fashion industry even if I am no longer a model.”
Credits
Photography Daniel Jackson
Fashion Director Alastair McKimm