Michon van As is a seasoned model with an impressive portfolio of campaigns and runway shows. From Mulberry’s F/W 2012 runway show in London to Peter Pilotto’s S/S 2013 runway show, Michon has graced prestigious runways and showcased looks for renowned designers like Emilia Wickstead, David Koma, and Stella McCartney. Her versatility extends beyond the catwalk, as she has also been featured in editorial shoots for Vision China, Notion Magazine, and Tatler Hong Kong. In addition, Michon has lent her beauty and style to advertising campaigns for brands such as Babyliss, Natural Organics, and Spanx, cementing her presence in the fashion industry.
Can you tell us about your experience in runway modeling and how you got started in the industry?
Was scouted by Alice Sinclair, winner of the first season of Make Me A Supermodel Britain. She was studying at LSE, as was my sister at the time, and they were both working at the LSE call center—they’d call old LSE alumni and ask them for funding. Through that they became close and my sister had mentioned to Alice I was joining LSE in the fall and that she thought I should model (so props to my older sister for making moves for me!).
About half way through my 1st year of university, I finally met Alice in the university pub with my sister. From there, Alice took me to NEXT Models London (she knew a booker there who used to be her agent at SELECT). Things all happened really fast that day. I met one agent, another 2 sat down with me, then the director, then a contract was plopped on the table in front. Luckily I had Alice by my side who felt like my voice of reason—which I need because I am impulsive ah—and was able to guide me through the whole contract negotiation and signing. That day I was asked to take photos and do a quick catwalk and a model I suddenly was.
I did 2 test shoots right away to build my portfolio. Then after the Christmas break hit the ground running. Booked my first job for Peter Pilotto Lookbook and from that jumped into fashion week, where I walked 11 shows in London (I did only London in my first season given my university commitments at the time). Shows included Peter Pilotto (opening and closing), Mulberry, Dion Lee, Emilia Wickstead, Christopher Lawrence, David Koma, Hasish, Thomas Tait, KTZ. I also joined Paris to do looks for Stella McCartney and a Dior Beauty Lookbook.
What were some of the challenges you faced transitioning from modeling in Europe to the United States?
I’ve moved around my entire life, on average every 3 years, so I thought the move from London to Los Angeles would be a piece of cake. And boy oh boy was I in denial. Looking back it seems pretty obvious, new country, new systems, but I guess I didn’t expect how different. I remember landing in LA with no no credit card and no driving license, not a great starting package. I couldn’t rent a house, lease a car, or get a US bank account without a credit score so I felt like a headless chicken running in circles for a few months. Finally got the bank account, built credit, got the apartment, and car and license. So it took me about half a year to get into a solid groove, to feel settled. Luckily I had two close model friends doing the whole shebang with me so there’s always relief in numbers ha!
Then came the difficulty of establishing myself in a new market. I had felt a nice initial surge of being the ‘new girl in town’ but after the first two months, things slowed down. I took the little savings I had and invested it into a health coach and fitness trainer—I knew I needed to really focus on my goals, and that started with feeling and looking my best. And 3 months later, things really started to turn around for me. Started working 3-4 times a week, building my clients in the US, and built a strong reputation with which I ended up signing in NYC and moving there after 2 years.
How do you prepare yourself physically and mentally for runway shows?
For me, I treated the preparation as I would training for any sport growing up. I believe that athlete-mentally served me well in my modeling career in general, especially gearing up for runway season where the size and look requirements are really specific, not to mention just a grueling period in general, of long 16 hour days rushing from one show to another and probably being a bit hangry the whole time, ha. For me, reaching the runway took a lot of determination and consistency, often meant sacrificing my uni-social life and often feeling perhaps lonely and misunderstood.
And as with anything, every season you learn from the previous. You learn what works and what doesn’t, how far you need to push to get results. At the time I did hot yoga every day, walked a lot, cut out alcohol and caffeine, and ate mostly fruit and vegetables. By no means was it sustainable and not what I think is healthy, but at the time, I was only 18/19 and doing what I thought I had to do. I’ve learnt now that no short cuts or quick fixes work nor make me happy so it’s about small habits everyday for a long time.
Can you share any memorable moments or highlights from your runway modeling career?
I get asked this question and I think my answer surprises people. I’ve worked for some of the biggest names in fashion and those will always feel like checking off a bucket list item, but my most memorable moments are driven by the people I work with over the brand name or paycheck. To this day one of my favorite moments has been the campaigns I’ve shot with We Are Handsome, an Australian Swimwear and Activewear company. Traveling to Maldives, Thailand, Western Australia, Los Angeles shooting swimwear and activewear with a team that’s since then, become family to me. I just clicked with this team—I’m weak for the Australian banter I guess! So many great times together, laughter, and not to mention the most beautiful places.
What skills and qualities do you think are essential for a successful runway model?
Grit. First and foremost. Resilience. That too. Grit because the preparation for me was all-consuming and required a lot of time and patience. Learning to craft your own walk, walk with confidence, and learn to also adapt to each brand takes effort and as with anything, you get better the more you do it. Resilience because the days are grueling and you’ll have to shake off the rejection (and there’s a lot of it) and keep on going. And I’d end with Humble. You’re not always the best version of yourself during fashion week, or at least I wasn’t. The days are long and I was hangry most of the time. So just reminding yourself of the opportunity and how wicked it is to be part of that at all, and not getting too caught up when you’re the ‘hot thing’ one season.
How do you handle the pressure and expectations that come with being a runway model?
I think I’ll always be re-working how I handle it. The progress ebbs-and-flows. But I feel like over the years I’ve built a great foundation in my physical and mental health, a really great toolkit and habits that I can reach when I’m not feeling great. I also think it takes trying a lot of stuff (and that takes time) to know what works for you. I’ve done all kinds of wacky wellness and fitness stuff to learn that for me, the more extreme the less sustainable and consistent I’ll be. So over the years I’ve really embodied more balance and taken away any strict rules. My unspoken daily rule of 3 is to eat mostly wholefoods, get some sort of movement every day (that can be just a walk too) and learn something new. If I do all 3 every day I know I’ll feel my best that day and those after. Also having a close group of friends or family to lean on, or a therapist for that matter ha, has been really important. But keep the circle small and carefully curated!
In your opinion, what makes a runway show successful and memorable?
The shows that stand out to me are those that were really able to transport the audience to a new world. And that’s the doing of all creatives on the team, from styling to hair/makeup, music and set design. It’s the sweet spot of all of that coming together to bring someone to a different place. You can just feel it when the creative talent is not only top-tier but the synergy between the team is really strong too. Personally, the more extreme the commitment is to the vision the more memorable. The times I felt like I looked the least Me and took on a whole different character.
How do you adapt your walk and style to different designers and their collections?
Much of this happens naturally, subconsciously. Firstly, a casting director will select models, gravitating to the specific characteristics and looks of the walk they like. So that does much of it. And then it’s getting the look, going through hair and make up, the music, and runway itself. It all comes together to facilitate this ‘character’ and style of walk. And then of course, sometimes you’re forced into it. Either by direct feedback or maybe the constraints of the look you are wearing. If you’re given an impossible outfit that’s tight around the knees, there’s no way around that except with short and fast steps.
Could you share any insights or tips on maintaining a healthy lifestyle as a runway model?
I don’t believe in living in extremes with fitness and diet. I’ve learnt over the years that it, well quite frankly, makes me miserable. I feel socially isolated, constantly disappointed, and the results are not consistent for me which isn’t great for clients and work in general. So, my biggest tip is to commit to small habits every day that you know, even at your worst, you’ll be able to do. Because everyone can accomplish anything at their best. But at our worst, that’s the person we need to curate the habits for. For me, I also spent many years doing the work to make choices in my fitness and diet to achieve feeling good over looking good and found the moment I did the former, the later sort of just happened. That meant speaking to a therapist and being patient with myself to understand my eating habits.
As a VP of Partnerships for Model Alliance, how do you work towards creating a positive and supportive environment for models within the industry?
Model Alliance is a nonprofit launched to help give models a voice in their work. We do this through strategic research, policy initiatives, and campaigns. We aim to promote fair treatment, equal opportunity, and sustainable practices in the fashion industry, from runway to factory floor.
I joined Model Alliance as a volunteer and during my time there moved into the VP of Partnerships role
It was a new division launched within the company and was an honor to be approached to lead it. During my time there we were very focused in the #metoo movement, supporting some of our community members who came forward, as well as passing the RESPECT program, the only program, written by and for models, with the ability to afford models the worker’s rights and labor protections we need. Link here: https://www.modelalliance.org/
You can follow Michon on her Instagram.