LONDON: Fitzrovia
Karol Marie is one of those sexy American models who grew up in a small town tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky. Since being discovered at the ripe age of 15, she has traveled around the country and ventured to different continents for work. The unstoppable sex appeal shows through in her photos.
“I was ‘discovered’ when I was 15 years old by Seventeen Magazine at a mall in Cincinnati, Ohio. I moved to Barcelona, Spain, within a couple of months. It was a huge culture shock for me. I spent a lot of time traveling and working throughout Europe. When I decided to come back to the US and expand my career here, I lived between Miami, Chicago and NYC. Right now I am in NYC, but I’ll be leaving to visit Miami again soon.”
Where have you traveled for modeling?
“Barcelona, Spain. Milan, Italy. Hamburg, Germany. Paris, France. Dallas, Texas. Seattle, Washington. Miami, Florida. Chicago, Illinois. New York, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Bahamas, Caribbean, really everywhere. I was supposed to go to Tokyo once, but I got double booked and took the other job.”
First big job you were excited about?
“Impossible to name a favorite, but Raisins Swimwear by Quicksilver was such a fun shoot and I got to work with one of my favorite photographers – Larry Batholomew. Plus, we went to Hawaii to shoot it. Tough days soaking up that Hawaiian Sun on the beach. A couple years later the pictures got picked for Kelly Bensimon’s ‘The Bikini Book’ which was really cool for everyone involved.”
Favorite designers?
“Predictably, I love Chanel bags… and Giuseppe heels, but I also love finding unusual vintage pieces on Ebay and mixing it all up. I like my style to be unique and my accessories to mean something special to me. I think of dressing for the day like getting suited up for a battle – ‘what special powers will I need today – I’ll wear this double chain gold charm because it makes me resilient’, hahaha.”
Publications and brands worked with?
“I have worked with clients from all over the world… too many to remember. What’s really nice is that I don’t think I have ever worked with anybody I didn’t like. Some designers/clients that I have particularly enjoyed collaborating with are Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Levis, UGG, JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, Free People, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, GUESS, Nicholas Kirkwood, Quicksilver Swimwear, and Sunglass Hut.”
Weekly diet and exercise routine?
“I live near Central Park in NYC so I spend a lot of time running and hiking around the park. I also lift weights to stay strong, dance training to keep it fun and I just started kick boxing. My goal is to dedicate most of my workout towards boxing in 2015 – it’s really fun and cathartic.”
Favorite anti diet cheats and drinks?
“I like to consider myself a Bourbon Enthusiast. Being from Kentucky it has been a lot of fun to witness the ‘bourbon boom’. I can certainly say I was drinking bourbon way before it was ‘cool’. Now, I work with Bourbon brand called Widow Jane. It’s made in Brooklyn, New York with water from an abandoned limestone mine in Rosendale, NY. It’s the mine that was used to build the Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building and the base of the Statue of Liberty.
Perception of the modeling industry?
“The modeling industry has really come full circle. When I started and up until recently it was all about how thin a model should be and her personality wasn’t all that important as long as you had the right look. Now, it’s so important for a model to be healthy, fit and interesting. I think a lot of it has to do with social media. Instagram has especially made an impact. Everyone’s a ‘model’ now.”
Any plans for an acting or different career in the future?
“I started studying acting over 5 years ago. The first place I studied was at Terry Schreiber Studios for theatre acting. Once I finished there, I wanted to continue my acting experience and try a different style which led me to Stella Adler Studios. There I learned about On Screen Acting which was something I was more interested in at the time. Both are wonderful schools in NYC where many Oscar and Emmy winning actors have studied. Once I finished my study’s at both of these schools I wanted to do something that was really intimidating to me, improv. So, I enrolled at a famous improvisation school called The Pit. I knew I had to try it because of the fear I felt just thinking about it. I have been a model for so many years that the idea of standing up in front of a large group and completely letting go of all personal judgement and judgement from others was thrilling. I get judged every day on my appearance and that doesn’t faze me anymore. But, standing in front of a group of people to make them laugh or feel emotion without memorizing lines was something I never imagined being able to do. At least without a few days to prepare. It wasn’t that I necessarily wanted to be an IMPROV actress it was more about personal growth and learning to let go. I’m proud to say I finished and loved every moment of it. Now I’ve been in commercials, music videos, and television shows. I even got to fulfill my dream of appearing on Saturday Night Live – it was awesome!”
Charities?
“My family and I started a Non Profit Organization last year called AGT (Always Give Thanks). The mission is to bring awareness and aid to the troubled families of Eastern Kentucky. It is historically the most impoverished area in the US. Many of the kids in the region don’t have appropriate coats, shoes, food and sometimes even heat through the cold winter months. If people could only see how much is needed there and how far just a little effort goes they’d want to find a way to help. I encourage everyone out there to do just a little research and find a way to help or contact me so that I can point them in the right direction.”
Anything quirky or unique you would like to share?
“I’m a cross in between a very girly-girl and a tom-boy. I absolutely love Barbie, the color pink, ruffles, bows, lace, lingerie, high heels, dresses and basically all things extra girly. But there is also this other side of me that wears a lot of denim, leather and drinks bourbon on the rocks. I go fly fishing, steep face rock climbing and generally love being outdoors. I’m always up for a new adventure. My friends call me “Bourbon Barbie.” I think it fits. :)”
INSTAGRAM: @Karol_Marie
