Shanina Shaik On Beyonce, Body Image and Having A Beach Wedding

It's very exciting to see you on board for the Myer show this season, can you tell us a little bit about the show?
I'm very fortunate that Myer chose me to be part of the Autumn/Winter fashion launch here in Sydney for the first time. They're redefining the catwalk and it's going to be a very intimate, exclusive black tie dinner. There will be a few fashion moments during the dinner - and tomorrow’s my birthday so I'm really happy to come home to Australia and work with Myer and also be with my family and friends on my birthday.

Happy Birthday! This is your 25th - so that's a milestone one!
Yeah I’m an adult now! I’m growing up – I just feel like 25 is the point where you feel like you’re really a women.

How are will you be celebrating your birthday after the show?
Being here with Myer will be such a fun celebration in itself but then on Friday I'll have dinner and drinks with a few family and friends before I head off back to New York.

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What has you preparation been like for the show, what have you been doing in the lead up?
Resting is really important, especially with all the travel that I do and my schedule at the moment. Keeping hydrated, obviously coming of the plane it's very drying and dealing with the jetlag. And just keeping up my energy with nutritious food – being Australia there’s plenty of great healthy options to choose from. I had a facial yesterday which was very relaxing, so yeah just really lots of rest because it ends up being a long couple of days.

Do you have a pre-show routine – a tried and tested one that you stick to ahead of shows or is it different every time?
Usually my routine depends on how I feel, but I'll often workout in the morning. It makes me feel really good to get a good sweat on in the morning. That's followed by a good hearty breakfast and just making sure I cleanse and moisturise my skin before all the makeup begins.

Just before you go on do you have a song or anything you do to pump you up?
I love to crank some music on my iPod, I love Beyonce, and Rihanna’s new album is really great – and ever since the Super Bowl the other day I’ve been loving getting back into a little bit of Coldplay.

In terms of modelling, do prefer runway over photoshoots, or vice versa?
That’s a tricky one, I really enjoy doing catwalk and having fashion moments, it's kind of theatrical and acting all at the same time. But then photoshoots are really fun because you get to play on set and work with the teams of designers and photographers... So I really love both.

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You're working with Jennifer Hawkins again after she was a mentor for you on Make Me A Supermodel in 2008, how has that been?
Oh it’s a privilege working with Jen, and I really look up to her as a mentor and also she is an amazing business woman and has a great work ethic. She’s also just very kind and easy going so she’s really easy to work with.

Has she given you any advice or tips?
She gave me so much advice back in 2008, just to enjoy the moment and be your unique self and that’s stuck with me.

What do you love most about coming home?
Being with my family. But also the amazing Australian people, great food, the weather and I miss the Australian style! I love coming home and shopping – I usually bring an extra suitcase so I can take the Aussie fashion back with me.

What do you think defines Aussie style?
I think it's to do with the weather and our beach culture, we have really cool street style yet it's got a bohemian, relaxed vibe.

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Who are your favourite Aussie designers?'
Definitely Aje, Alex Perry and Sass and Bide – I love their street style.

What are the big trends for Autumn/Winter this year?
There's a lot of 70s inspired looks, flared jeans and stripes.

Do you have a favourite look you'll be wearing?
I have two and they’re both gorgeous – and I also cant wait to wear my red carpet dress too, it’s really my personal style, it's romantic and flowy, and the colours have an autumn feel.

Congratulations on your recent engagement, have you started planning anything yet?
Thank you so much! It’s still brand new and exciting, were just going with the flow, but in time we’ll start planning.

Do you have a vision? In other words, have you started a Pinterest board?
I have started a pintrest board I’ll admit that haha! But we’ve both agreed that we want it to be a beach wedding – we both love the beach and we got engaged on the beach in the Bahamas.

You announced the news via Instagram, and you have over 650k followers and growing, with social media such a big part of our lives now, how do you manage it to be a positive influence in your life?
What I do love about social media, is that it can allow me to show my personality and what I do for work and behind the scenes and my hobbies as well. Sometimes with work, in our industry, we well as for actors, singer/songwriters etc there’s a stereotype that we have everything so easy, so you get to see elements of our personality but also all the hard work and dedication we put into our jobs. There's all the travel but also the appointments and then just fitting that all into our personal lives as well. I think everyone wants to see that they can relate to somebody and we’re just like everyone else. And its just so fun, you can create movies and be artistic.

It's so great in so many ways, but there can be negative factors as well, how do you deal with that?
I tend to cross some of the negative comments but it really just doesn't phase me. Obviously it's going to happen no matter who you are but I choose to ignore it and bask in the positivity. I have really amazing fans who really do love me so luckily it's not common.

The fashion industry is constantly under the microscope for skinny models, and promoting unrealistic expectation? What is your take on that as someone in the industry?
I think everyone needs to understand that these girls are built that way and that’s just how they are. They might look really thin to everyone else but I’ll see them at the catering backstage, even at Victoria's Secret, grabbing all the food they can and eating really healthy - and also getting into the sweets and hamburgers. So sometimes it's just judging and perception, for myself I really embrace my body and being a woman and embracing my curves and understanding that everyone has a unique body type and that not everyone is going to be the same body type. And that’s what everyone needs to understand and celebrate.

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Do you think social media can help with that, seeing models of all different shapes and sizes embracing and owning their uniqueness?
We're just like everyone else - we love a bagel here and there, and indulging in sweets, but its also our job to be fit and happy and healthy.

There’s a law in France that requires models undergo health checks to ensure they are fit for work, do you think that is a positive step?
I think its really important, and it's come across for a reason as we want to give everyone a healthy image of what women should be. Sending a message for a positive lifestyle. I mean in France it's the couture shows and it’s a very different body type, and I personally have never done couture shows because of my body. But I’ve been to Paris and the catering is just too amazing to resist – all the croissants and bread!

Finish these sentences:
If I wasn’t a brunette I would be a… Black
If I wasn't a model I would be… A child psychologist
The celebrity to play me in a movie would be... Beyonce - that would be amazing!
The last book I read is… Argh I've been so busy, I travel so much so I’ve been reading a lot of magazines on the plane – the Qantas mag on the way here – and marie claire of course ;)
The thing I’m afraid of the most in the world is…. Sharks!