The Moment Caroline Vreeland (Diana’s Great-Granddaughter) Stopped Considering Her Full Chest a Flaw
A photo posted by Caroline Vreeland (@carolinevreeland) on Jul 4, 2016 at 7:28am PDT
Caroline Vreeland is a musician and model, and at first glance, you might peg her to be just one of the many, beautiful, blonde and blessed. Her piercing blue eyes are mesmerizing and hypnotic. Not to mention, Caroline’s surname is that of one of the most iconic fashion editors of the 60’s - Diana Vreeland who was her great-grandmother.
In her time, Diana was a force to be reckoned with - a confident, eclectic woman with a vigorous fashion point of view. Although Caroline was only two years old when her Ms. Vreeland passed, Diana’s fervent thoughts on what constitutes beauty remained poignant in her life.
Despite her famous pedigree, Caroline is forging a different identity for herself. She released her debut album, In Ruins in 2014 and an intoxicating video for her single, “Wasteland” in 2015.
Caroline Vreeland spoke to Yahoo Style before the Hot-as-Hell show during SWIMMIAMI in Miami, Fl this past weekend. To open the show - Caroline performed a special cover of Peggy Lee’s, “Fever.”
Caroline Vreeland performing at the Hot-As-Hell show during SWIMMIAMI. (Photo: Getty Images)
Read below to see what she did to prepare before the show, how she describes her own personal style and how her great-grandmother impacted her thoughts on body positivity in an industry that is so fiercely focused on body image
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Yahoo Style: So is this your first time walking at Miami Fashion Week?
Caroline Vreeland: It is, but not technically walking because I’ll be doing a performance, but I’ll be going down the runway, so in a way yes. But I came last year to support a friend of mine who has a brand. This is my second time coming up, but it’s the first time being in the show, involved with the show.
Is it due to a special connection with the designer of Hot-As-Hell that you are performing?
Well, we actually shot together.
Oh how so?
In Paris - in this amazing tiny little hotel. We shot maybe 10 looks or something – and we did a really beautiful photo shoot with Jordan Keith. And I just fell in love with the girls. It was as if I was hanging out with my friends. We’re just drinking wine, and we just have a…
An organic relationship?
Yes totally. And when they asked me to sing I thought, how fun? You know. I like to be part of their family. They’re very sweet.
A photo posted by Caroline Vreeland (@carolinevreeland) on Jul 16, 2016 at 2:27pm PDT
Did you do anything particular to get ready for the day? Did you just relax this morning or was it very hectic?
Well… [Laughs] I had… not a wild night. But I had a Miami night last night.
Oh! Tell me more.
So, when I woke up this morning they were really sweet. Like - just have the day by the beach [and] come to sound check at 6:00. So I had a very chill day with my friends by the beach and it was great.
That sounds great. So obviously you’re a musician as well, do you have a certain regimen you do during the day or do you take it easy, relax…
You mean before a performance?
Yes, exactly.
Hmm. Good question. [laughs] Mm. Not really. I’m pretty chill about it. I always have to have a soundcheck. That’s super important to me. No matter what. This is easy because it’s going to be A cappella. There’s no levels with the music. It’s fun. It’s more haunting I feel like. The song really speaks to the brand and speaks to the idea of being sung A cappella.
Will it be one of your songs? Or…
No, they wanted me to pick a cover so people knew, and so I chose it and I think it’s a perfect fit. Should I give it away?
No, let’s keep it a surprise.
You know, I think being a model in the fashion industry, especially nowadays is different in that the industry is trying to be more diverse and include more body types other than the typical waif-thin model type.
Thank God.
Do you have any advice for aspiring models who don’t fit that type of body shape and the age old mold?
I think the sexiest thing about you is the thing that sets you apart. I mean, we’ve all heard it said before, but a lot of people also ask me what do you think your great grandmother imparted on you?
Exactly.
And that’s the main thing. She loved peoples’ flaws. For instance, when she saw Barbara Streisand’s nose. That was to her the most exciting part of her. She was like, “Feature the nose!” – have it be about that. But beauty comes from that too. For example, with Michael Jackson - the skin on his hands and why he started wearing the glove. The glove became a part of who he is. So I really like that. I had a producer a couple of years ago who was deathly afraid to go onstage so he put on an opera mask and it became his thing. So I love when those beautiful things make you who you are instead of bringing you down. I mean, that’s been hard too with me for having a full chest and stuff in the fashion world.
Definitely.
But they’re there and that’s what it is.
It makes you who you are.
I hid them a lot at first and then Carine Roitfeld was like - no embrace it! She was like – the whole story is about your boobs. You know that right? [laughs] Because the first time I ever showed my boobs in a high fashion situation was my first shoot. And it was for Vogue Italia with Michel Comte and he was like, “I love you, but I can’t work with that.” I had to leave. And the next thing I did I was with Carine and she was saying, “Let’s bring the boobs, let’s embrace the boobs.” So I think you just have to be confident in who you are and love yourself and that’s what’s way sexier.
I think the scope [in the modeling industry] is definitely changing and I hope in 5-10 years that ideology will be the norm, but I definitely feel like that’s where it’s headed.
We’re totally going in that direction.
Yes absolutely.
A photo posted by Caroline Vreeland (@carolinevreeland) on Nov 16, 2015 at 7:45am PST
So how would you describe your personal style?
Well, since I feel that I’m very feminine, I - a lot of times try to have a more masculine vibe. I always opt for a jumpsuit or a pant…
And those pieces are obviously comfortable for one, first of all.
And it’s chic – always. A black jumpsuit - you can’t really go wrong. But I get to have fun with it too. When I’m in Milan for Fashion Week I get to go a little more crazy and wear certain colors and try things out, but I’m still learning what I like. But right now, I’m super into streetwear shit and my thigh high boots and my Justin Bieber shirt that says “Sorry” on the back.
[Laughs]
That’s my vibe. So it’s always changing, but I like to try and keep it a little more casual and a little more boyish I would say.
Love that.
Do you have one piece in your closet that you absolutely love and could never part ways with? Or perhaps that one treasured piece you bought when you were young?
Well I do have my great grandmother [Diana Vreeland]’s cuff from the 1900s. I had signature cuffs of hers and those are obviously invaluable to me.
Did she leave a lot of her emblems to you? Or was it passed through your family?
I got to take home the bracelets because I have a small wrist and she had baby wrists. And so I got kind of lucky in that department. There’s a mirror that my aunt has – it’s convex so it comes out like this. [gestures with her hands the shape] It’s tiny. It’s a gold snake eating its tail. And she always said every woman should be covered in serpents. That was her total vibe. So I know she loved the snake and so I love that mirror. I hope I get it one day.
