Jacket, shirt, skirt, earrings, and bracelets SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO
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The model, photographer, and writer opens up to L’OFFICIEL about finding her creative identity—and steps into the spotlight wearing some of our favorite American sportswear–inspired looks from the spring runways in Paris.
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PHOTOGRAPHY Heather Hazzan
STYLED BY Dione Davis
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The influence of American sportswear was impossible to ignore on the spring runways in Paris—clean tailoring, sharp jackets, easy skirts, and pieces that feel as wearable as they are elevated. French houses embraced that relaxed confidence this season, blending their signature polish with a more effortless, American sensibility.
Model Grace Burns brings that mix to life in L’OFFICIEL USA‘s March Issue.
More than just a face on the runway, Burns represents a new generation of creatives who refuse to be defined by one title or aesthetic. A model, photographer, writer, and editor, she moves fluidly between in front of and behind the camera. Her approach to fashion is personal rather than performative. There’s a thoughtfulness to the way she carries the clothes, whether it’s sharp Givenchy tailoring, a classic Thom Browne uniform moment, or something softer and romantic from Chloé.
But fashion is only one part of her story. Burns is equally invested in building a creative life that feels expansive and honest, exploring different mediums while still discovering what feels most like her.
Below, L’OFFICIEL sits down with Grace Burns to talk about creative control, moving between modeling and photography, and what it means to carve your own path as a young woman in your twenties, all while sporting the season’s chicest looks.
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Jacket, bra, pants, and earrings GIVENCHY BY SARAH BURTON
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L’OFFICIEL: You work across so many creative mediums—modeling, photography, editing, writing. Do these practices ever compete with each other, or do they feel like different dialects of the same language?
GRACE BURNS: For as long as I can remember, I worried about when, if ever, I would find my passion or purpose because that’s what I saw in my parents. For both of them, their work is an extension of who they are, or at least my understanding of them.
For a while, it felt like I had my fingers in many different pies (I think that’s the saying), and I worried that by spreading myself thin I wouldn’t excel in anything. Over the course of college, though, my hobbies and interests naturally intertwined and, to my surprise, things like screenwriting and acting emerged and fulfilled me in the ways photography, fiction writing, and modeling do—but almost as if I were doing them all at the same time. Looking back, I see the stepping stones that led me to a place where all these mediums complement and inspire each other.
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Jacket, shirt, skirt, coat, tie, shoes, and bag THOM BROWNE
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LO: Modeling places you in front of the camera, while photography puts you behind it. How has moving between those roles shaped how you see yourself as a subject?
GB: Being able to see from another perspective helps you understand the bigger picture and your own role within it—in any career, situation, or relationship. When I’m behind the camera, I have a very clear idea of what I want, which constantly reminds me when I’m in front of it that it’s not about me. Generally, when you’re in your head, you’re out of your body, and that’s been the biggest lesson I’ve been learning repeatedly over the last few months.
LO: As you grow professionally, what does creative control mean to you now compared to when you first started?
GB: When I’m writing and taking pictures, I’m able to control most aspects of the process and/or at least the finished product. On the other hand, when I’m modeling and acting—more so in acting—I’ve realized I’m trying to escape the controlling, perfectionist, overthinking critic inside me. It’s the only time in my day and in my life that my brain goes quiet. It has to, because the second you get in your head, it all goes to shit.
I don’t know if this makes sense, but I either want to be completely hands-on and do it myself, or have no control when it’s someone else’s project, vision, or words.
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Jacket, sweater, skirt, brief, bracelets, belt, and shoes CHANEL
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LO: For young creatives trying to avoid being boxed into one identity, what advice would you give about building a career that stays fluid?
GB: I don’t know if I have any legs to stand on, and I would love to hear someone else’s advice, but this is what I tell myself. I’d say you shouldn’t worry too much about how your identity is perceived. Follow your interests and your heart. Keep contradicting yourself, challenging yourself, and always put yourself in uncomfortable situations.
The more embarrassing, the better. Keep surprising yourself and others. If people try to box you in, prove them wrong.
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Shirt, socks, and bag ISSEY MIYAKE Ring CARTIER Shoes TOM FORD
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LO: Every woman has her signature. What’s the one thing you do, wear, or swear by that makes people go, “Yep, that’s so you”?
GB: I love socks and underwear—that’s definitely the key to my heart. I’m not sure many people know that about me, but that’s how my closest friends would answer this for me. Otherwise, I’d say it’s probably my scent. I seem to get told that quite a bit.
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Coat and skirt CHLOÉ
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LO: Where’s your go-to “unwind” spot? (spa, salon, coffee shop, bakery, etc.)
GB: I’m a bit of a homebody, so when I want to unwind, I usually crave my own home. Aside from that, I love to spend a free afternoon in a coffee shop. There are so many great ones in New York, it’s hard to choose just one, but I love trying new spots—especially in a new city. I find them comforting because you can be alone and surrounded by people and conversations at the same time.
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Jacket, top, and shirt LOEWE Earrings CARTIER
Jacket, shirt, skirt, earrings, and bracelets SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO
Shirt and skirt AMI PARIS Earrings CARTIER
Coat, dress, and bag MAISON MARGIELA Pendant VAN CLEEF & ARPELS
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CASTING: Shawn Dezan
HAIR: Clay Nielsen TRACEY MATTINGLY
MAKEUP: Rommy Najor FORWARD ARTISTS
CREATIVE CONSULTANT: Mariana Suplicy
PRODUCED BY: Dana Bosland
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Grayson Kohs
LIGHTING: Luke Nilsson
PHOTO ASSISTANTS: Matt Coffey and Joel Lora
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Marlo Irani and EllaBelle Warner
STYLING ASSISTANT: Isaiah Walke
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SWOW SWAG
