Coco Rocha: On Being a Supermodel

Coco Rocha gives us the full picture on modelling, beyond the camera lens.

In this exclusive interview, supermodel Coco Rocha peels back the glossy veneer of fashion to reveal the grit, artistry, and resilience that have defined her storied career. From walking for legends like Jean Paul Gaultier to posing for Steven Meisel’s lens, Rocha has lived through fashion’s most iconic moments and shaped them. But what sets her apart isn’t just the couture she wears; it’s the conviction she carries. Modelling, she tells us, is performance: part discipline, part instinct, and all in the moment.

She doesn’t sugarcoat the early days: motorbiking between castings, skipping meals, and the sting of harsh criticism, often as a teenager, often alone. Those chaotic beginnings fuelled her mission to build Coco Rocha Model Camp, where new faces learn not just how to pose, but how to protect themselves, advocate for their rights, and master their craft in a shifting industry. For Rocha, mentorship is rebellion and a way to rewrite an industry that once asked for silence.

First Vogue Italia cover

Still, Rocha’s most unforgettable moments often came unplanned. A split-second pose in frustration became her first Vogue Italia cover. A near-disaster in a soaked red gown while pregnant became a TIME Image of the Year. These are the high-wire acts that prove why she’s lasted: instinct, guts, and a refusal to play by the old rules. Now, she’s helping others do the same on their own terms and in their own power.

Exclusive Interview With Coco Rocha

IRK: Talk us through one of the most unforgettable modeling days of your career. A shoot or a runway. What made it unforgettable?


Coco Rocha: Some of the most unforgettable moments of my career were working with Steven Meisel and Jean Paul Gaultier. Watching these two men love what they do, in design and photogtraphy, pushed me to work harder. Whether it was Steven shaping an image down to the smallest detail, or Jean Paul transforming the runway into theatre, from them I learnt what true commitment to craft looks like. They don’t just create fashion, they create worlds. And being part of that is something I’ll never forget

IRK: People think being a supermodel is all glamour. Tell me about a day early on that was pure stress, confusion, or chaos.



Coco Rocha: In the early days I was running between castings on the back of a motorcycle, skipping meals, spending money I didn’t have, and facing the cruelest criticism. I was learning everything on the fly, under pressure, without guidance. That is one of the reasons I created CRMC, to give young models the structure, tools, and protection I never had. I teach them how to advocate for themselves, to be informed confident, and supported, not just as models, but as people.

IRK: What’s the most misunderstood thing about being good at modeling?



Coco Rocha: Being good at modeling has very little to do with how you look. Creating memorable fashion imges is about teamwork, skill and storytelling. It’s knowing your body like an instrument, understanding light, angles, timing, and emotion and delivering a clear point of view in a split second. It’s showing up prepared, respecting the team, and adapting instantly when everything changes (because it always does). Modeling to me is performance.

IRK: What makes a creative collaborator truly good to work with?

Coco Rocha: I always tell my students at CRMC, a great collaborator listens, communicates clearly, and respects boundaries. You know very early if a team is right when there’s mutual respect and above all joy. Laugher goes a long way to creating great fashion images.

IRK: Tell me about a shoot where you saved the day with one decision: a pose, a movement, a look, a refusal, anything.

Coco Rocha: I’m not sure I saved the day, but I vividly remember one of my early shoots with Steven Meisel for my first Italian Vogue cover. I had an inkling that a cover might be possible yet, for some reason, we just couldn’t land the shot. Time passed, and Steven, and the team gathered around the monitor, trying to figure out how to fix the moment. In a wave of sheer frustration, I grabbed my Balenciaga bowler hat, pulled it down over my head, and let out this raw, open-mouthed expression. Unbeknownst to me, Steven quietly captured that exact moment, and that spontaneous, frustrated gesture became the cover.

IRK: Tell me your worst runway moment. What went wrong, and what did it teach you that still helps today?

I’ve tripped, lost shoes, and walked out at the wrong moment.

Coco Rocha: During the height of the pandemic in September of 2020 there was a Christian Siriano show held in his backyard, where I wore a red dress while seven months pregnant. Christian and my husband James decided I would walk straight into the pool and float, thinking it would be beautifully cinematic. The second I stepped into the water, I realized it was a mistake. The dress became incredibly heavy and I struggled just to stay afloat. I came out of the pool frustrated, convinced the images would look ridiculous. Fast forward to the end of 2020, when TIME magazine selected that very image as one of its Images of the Year. It’s a reminder I often share with my models at CRMC: even when something feels wrong, or like a mistake in the moment, it may become the memory others hold onto most.

IRK: You teach negotiation now in your modeling classes. Tell me about the first time you negotiated for yourself.

Coco Rocha: I’m not sure if this was the first time I ever negotiated, but I think about it often. Around the age of eighteen, I felt completely overwhelmed, burned out, even. More like a machine than a person, I was moving through work without experiencing much of life. I also realized I hadn’t been speaking up for myself or setting clear boundaries. I told my agencies I wanted to quit.

So I moved Bondi Beach in Australia I took what felt like a massive break, just two months away from everything. During that time, I realized I did want to return, but not in the same way. I came back ready to use my voice, to be clear about my preferences, my schedule, and my rights. Those early boundaries became the foundation for a longer, healthier, and more sustainable career.

IRK: Your page talks about succeeding on your own terms. What’s the clearest turning point where you chose control?



Coco Rocha: The clearest turning point was realizing I could say no. No to unsafe situations, no to unpaid work, no to being silent. Choosing control changed my career and gave me longevity.

IRK: What problem were you trying to solve when you created your training platform, and how has that mission evolved?



Coco Rocha: There has always been a huge lack of education and protection for models entering the industry. I had to learn the hard way, trial and error. Coco Rocha Model Camp began as a way to prepare models before they face those challenges, and now it’s a space that builds confidence, skill, and self advocacy.

IRK: The Camp is open with no restrictions on height, body type, gender, age, or background. Tell me about someone who did not fit the old template and booked anyway, and why.



Coco Rocha: We see this at CRMC all the time! Models are told they don’t belong, then book work because they’re prepared, confident, and professional. Talent looks different now, and opportunity follows readiness. We have models in wheel chairs book the cover of major magazines and plus size models walk in Fenty and Sports Illustrated. Our models break the mold everywhere they go.

IRK: What are the top three skills new models must have now that weren’t required 10–15 years ago?


Coco Rocha: Social media literacy, self-content creation, and to perform better than AI!

IRK: When you look back at your early career, what’s one habit or belief you had to unlearn to last long-term?



Coco Rocha: I had to unlearn the idea that being agreeable at all costs would protect my career. Setting boundaries is what actually created my longevity.

IRK: What do young models still underestimate about the mental side of the job?



Coco Rocha: The isolation and emotional toll of rejection. Without tools to process it, it can become overwhelming. Mental resilience is just as important as physical preparation.

IRK: What do you hope models trained through your platform will do differently than previous generations?



Coco Rocha: I hope they speak up earlier, ask better questions, and understand their value from the start.

IRK: The Models Alliance is really helping bring models right to the forefront of the industry, and you have always been an advocate for models voices? Tell us your moment when you needed to speak up?



Coco Rocha: There were moments early in my career where staying silent felt safer, but speaking up changed everything. I’m very proud that my advocacy, including helping The Models Alliance and putting my professional reputation on the line to help them fight for model rights, helped shift how models are treated and heard around the world.

IRK: What advice do you have for anyone of any age who wants to model?



Treat modeling like a profession, not a lifestyle. Educate yourself, protect yourself, and find mentors who perfected their craft. Talent opens the door, but knowledge and confidence keep you there.

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Photographer REINHARDT KENNETH

Model COCO ROCHA @ NOMAD MGMT
Production ARTCODED

Producer GINA KIM-PARK & VICKY JUNG
Creative Director CANNON of Atelier Management

Hair LINH NGUYEN of See Management using Balmain Hair, Makeup RENEE GARNES of Opus Beauty using Danessa Myricks, Nails CASEY HERMAN at The Wall Group using Nails Inc

Location Manager MADISON BURRESS, Vhernier PR AJ VERMA of Lotus Beverly Hills,
Videography HUGO ARVIZU, Lighting Director MAYA LOUIS, Retouch VALERIA MEDIANA, BTS SEUNGOK KO, Floral Production THE MILLE FIORI in partnership with WILDDEA
KOREA, Floral Team RAQUEL F. MEMBRENO, REYNALDO ORTIZ GONZALEZ, Floral Crew
JIN OH KIM,

Production Assistant SOOYEON YOON, Fashion Assistants WINNIE NOAN,
DAVID GOLDBERG, MAKSIM MIZGIREV, SYDNEY LOERA, JACK UMPHREY, GABRIELA
JAGODZINSKA, KANA KOBAYASHI, MADINA ZHANUZAKOVA, CLEMENTINE VERNON,
MALAK ISMAIL, BETTA BONO, SUMMER GUDERIAN, SUIMAY LEE, Hair Assistant:
NATALIE LUCAS, Digitech FABIAN OSPINA, Gaaer YOHANCE VARGAS, Location Scout:
MAXIMILIAN ZIM, Photographer’s Assistant MADELINE PARK, Intern LEAH SENECA
Our biggest gratitude to THE SOVEREIGN BRANDS LLC, BUMBU RUM, LUC BELAIRE, THE
DEACON & special thanks LAUREN MOGHAVEM at The Lions & JAMES CONRAN for help with the location.