Suzi de Givenchy: Loving and Being True to the Self
「"I don't want to fight against wrinkles and aging."」
Being True to the Self Is the Best Way to Fit In
Song:
You were born in Hong Kong, moved to New York at the age of four. Did you ever feel like an "outsider" while growing up?
Suzi de Givenchy:
Growing up in a foreign country, I think it's totally normal that you feel like you're an outsider, but sometimes you can even feel like an outsider in the country where you're born. So everything is very relative. And it's about adapting. It's about continuing and going forward.
Song:
You have lived in Hong Kong, New York and Paris. For you, where do you consider it "home"?
Suzi de Givenchy:
Hong Kong was where I was born. So there you don't really have much choice because cuz you just, you know, that's where life puts you. Home in New York was also a choice of my parents. So, and that was not really my choice either. But I think home in France is really where I chose to live because I found love, because this is where I decided to have my family. But I don't really consider any country my home. I really do believe that home is within myself, within this body of mine.
Song:
You mentioned to your mother earlier, what kind of person is she in your eyes? What does she mean to you?
Suzi de Givenchy:
My mother is one of the strongest people I know. She found herself in a very difficult situation where she could have also just gave up, but she overcomed a lot and just push on. And I do have to say that she was an example and one of the motors of my own life change where when I lost my husband, where I could have also, you know, just decided to stay in bed and I get up and, take care of what I needed to take care of. And I always remember not even thinking about it. My mother did all that to give me my life. So I don't have that right.
Becoming a Model at 52, Challenging the Industry's Standards of Beauty
Song:
Adolescent girls may begin to feel insecure about their appearance. Have you ever experienced this when you reached 16?
Suzi de Givenchy:
I think adolescents is equal to insecurity. So I think that is a worldwide feeling that every adolescent feels in any country, all of the, of all over the world. It's part of growing up. And so, yes, I did have feelings of adolescents, of insecurity during my adolescence. But I think also what made it even more pronounced was the fact that when I was growing up, there wasn't that much diversity in the media. And this is something that is kind of my main reason for being in this industry, showing that there are diverse people and that we can all feel like we belong.
Song:
You rarely retouch photos. It's hard for many people to do this. People always want to present an imagined "better look". Do you feel that your real look is the "better look"?
Suzi de Givenchy:
I make it a point of honor not to retouch any of my own photos, being myself is what you see on my Instagram. I think that this is the look I've been given in life, I embrace it. And I really believe that life, in life, things happen for a reason. So why would you go against something that's going to happen anyway? So make the best out of life. Don't worry about what you're looking like as long as you are happy with yourself. Have that love affair with yourself and find yourself.
Song:
The fashion industry continues to shape definition of beauty. Always new beauty standards, always new rules, especially women have to follow. How do you see these demands?
Suzi de Givenchy:
I choose not to follow these rules, but that's just because I never really had the need to. And I do know a lot of discussions about me, because I realize that I am maybe not the standard beauty from certain countries. Like that doesn't bother me, the discussion is why I chose to be in this industry, is what really gets my energy going is being a part of that discussion, is being maybe a motor for that discussion. What it is, I am challenging their ideals of beauty. And I may be challenging the certain industrial ideals of beauty and how you should age and all that.
Start Any New Adventure, No Matter the Age Limit
Song:
We've seen Michelle's speech at the Oscar. We're the best actress. And you said that it encouraged you because she said, don't let anybody tell you are all ever pass your prime, right? What's 'prime' to you?
Suzi de Givenchy:
Well, I think that word can be taken in different ways, right? Being your best self. There is no ideal age to be a bestself. It's, I'm thinking I'm even gonna be here when I'm 70 and doing what I'm doing. Why not? You know, if I'm in good health and if it's, I'm still having fun, I think that there is no prime. It's prime when you want it to be prime. I don't believe that there's a prime age to do anything.
When It Gets Tough, Put on Your Pink Sunglasses and See the World
Song:
You once said, "I moved to Paris for love and I have been called a hopeless romantic who looks at life through pink-colored sunglasses". Did you have any concerns before moving to Paris?
Suzi de Givenchy:
The first time I went to Paris, I was like 19. And when you're 19, you're very brave. You don't have, your inhibitions are a little bit less. You feel like you're the king of the universe and you can have all the adventures you want. So I had this bravery, but I also have this optimism that I've always had since I'm a little child. And I think that's what got me through a lot of things. So coming to Paris was just like an adventure, you know, I've had many adventures in my life and coming to Paris was an adventure.
Song:
How did you get through the difficult times in your life?
Suzi de Givenchy:
All through these, there's always been hard time. So I think it's kind of nice to have pink-colored sunglasses to see. It's good to be pragmatic and serious and take life seriously, but it's good to add in some joy and some goofiness and some lightness, because otherwise it's some, it makes life easier, let's say. It gets you through the harder times.
