Jennifer Hawkins On Social Media, Switching Off And Surviving The Dark Days

Jennifer Hawkins chats social media, switching off and surviving the dark days ahead of the Myer Autumn 2016 fashion launch in Sydney tonight. Photo: Instagram

It's a very cool space this year here in The Cutaway at Barangaroo!
I love being here - it's so raw and grand – I love all the exposed concrete, it's very dramatic.

What has your preparation been like in the lead-up to this season's show?
I've done a little detox ahead of this show, I've cut out processed foods and I haven’t drunk alcohol for two weeks. Just coming off the back of Christmas it's been a really nice way to end January – and I've also had no coffee – well less anyway! My eyes are so much clearer and I feel really good!

How was it giving up the coffee?
I switched to green tea and at first it wasn’t really doing it for me but I've just been sucking it up! I' have had a few when I’ve been really busy though...

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Do you stick to a tried and tested routine before a show or do you like to mix it up?
I always mix it up. I've been doing pilates twice a week this time around and I've been running more – I'm loving beach running. I started that in January when I was in Byron and its just so good for the soul. If if I cant get to the beach though I’ll still run on my treadmill so all up 4 or 5 times a week. I've had to up the carbs though because otherwise I'm ravenous.

Can you talk us through the 24-hours before the show?
I'm drinking loads of water for my skin – I’ll try and get a good nights sleep but we’ll be working pretty late getting all the rehearsals done for tomorrow. And then go home and relax and cuddle with Jake.

What trends will we be seeing for Autumn/Winter this year?
I'm loving darker florals, I think they’re beautiful for winter, as well as lots of fringing – and particularly leather fringing – a throwback to the 80s! Also bell sleeves are still huge, they’re such an elegant detail. For a statement piece it has to be thigh-high suede boots – and team it with a felt hat and a leather jacket.

Jennifer Hawkins in a White Suede dress ahead of the Myer Autumn/Winter fashion launch in Sydney. Photo: Instagram

What looks will you be wearing in this show?
It's quite exciting this year how the show will be different, I'm only wearing one look and it’s a sit down dinner, so we’ll get to talk with everyone. To be representing Myer as a brand I feel so grateful, it's coming up on a decade. I’m a really loyal person and so when someone is loyal back I really value that. It will be nice to actually see some of the fashion moments in the show that I'm not in, and then I’ll be part of the big finale.

Last time we spoke you were going through a tough time following your Mum's health scare, how are you doing now?
I hated last year! When I look back, you know when there’s certain years when you look back and you just go that wasn’t really a good year, but at the time you’re just getting through it. I just feel like in 2016 I feel really light and happy and positive. Jake's happy and we’ve had a lot of time together and our business Sesion (Jen and Jake's brand of premium tequila) has a lot of opportunities overseas, which is really exciting. So it's busy, but we're just trying to take moments out where we can.

How is your Mum doing now?
Awesome! Amazing! She’s such an optimist, and she’s just really healthy now, she has to really watch what she eats because she only has one kidney, but I feel like there was a guardian angel looking out for her.

How did you deal with those difficult situations?
Last year I took on meditation, I kind of take it on when I need a little help, it just grounds you. Running as well but also just communication with loved ones. When you look back you just realise how hard things actually were at the time.

Going through that in the public eye must have been so difficult? How did you deal with that?
In moments like that, that are so dramatic, I think you just really shut off from the outside world.

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Did you struggle with the level of interest, especially with social media being such a big part of our lives these days, it's such a constant presence?
I think social media should be really fun and light hearted and that’s how I take it. The days I want to do it I do it and then just leave it when I'm not into it. I don’t get too many negative comments, but if there are any I’ll leave them. I just think you should be compassionate – I think if someone is being negative they’ve obviously got something going on in their own life. But overall I don’t get too much of that luckily.

You’ve always been very open about promoting a healthy lifestyle and posting pics of nutritious food and you doing lots of exercise, whats your take on how critics say the fashion industry portrays a negative body image?
I don’t see too much of it, I mean I know it goes on but I'm not really around that. Personally I do like to lead a healthy lifestyle and I hope that others want to do that too. I mean I think it's really up to the brands.

For girls to see how for you’ve come would be inspiring.
You can really take that on board too much, its just too hard. I just try to look after myself and if people see that, if that even helps one girl then that’s great.

You recently mentioned something about a 'technology detox' that you do?
That was a flippant comment, it's actually very loose but I do really try to where I can, like if were at dinner I just try not to be on my phone – unless were taking a photo or something of course!. But if I've got the day off and I'm not doing emails (which doesn’t happen often) I'll be on social media. It just depends on what my day's like. I mean sometimes it's just fun to be on social media – I've just gotten into snapchat – it's fun to document different things. But then it's often nice to switch off from emails because I find that’s when you’re always on and having to make decisions, it can all just get too much and you need to say no more. Same with when you’re with girlfriends, it's so important to be present and grounded – and make eye contact!

After the show what's coming up for you?
First up – because I've been detoxing I'm going to go nuts! I'm going to go to dinner and eat food and drink tequila and everything because I've been so strict! But there’s lots of exciting things coming up in 2016, with Sesion and J-Bronze, I’m launching a couple of new products this year. I’m so passionate about that so that's really exciting! And that’s just the near future...

Finish these sentences:
If I wasn’t a blonde I would be a… A redhead!
'If I wasn't a model I would be… An entrepreneur
The celebrity to play me in a movie would be... Gwyneth Paltrow – love her!
The last book I read is… ‘’On Becoming Fearless’’ Arianna Huffington
The thing I’m afraid of the most in the world is… Losing family members.