Naomi looks playfully modern with blunt cut bangs on Oxygen’s The Face – Photo: Walter Sassard for Oxygen Media
Supermodel Naomi Campbell makes her debut on The Face as an elite coach and mentor to young modeling hopefuls in the new Oxygen fashion reality series.
The new fashion competition goes beyond the glamour to find the newest face of ULTA Beauty with global supermodels Naomi Campbell, Karolina Kurkova and Coco Rocha as coaches, while renowned photographer and personality Nigel Barker serves as host.
When The Face begins on Tuesday, February 12, models will compete in array of challenges to prove they can survive in the competitive world of fashion. From photo shoots and runway shows to commercials for national brands, the top 12 women on Team Naomi, Team Karolina and Team Coco battle it out each week in a Test Shoot and Campaign to show their versatility as a top model. At the end of The Face season, only one will the spokesperson and brand ambassador for the ULTA Beauty Fall and Holiday 2013 national ad campaigns.
Ahead of the February 12 series premiere of The Face, The Deadbolt spent a few fashionable and stylish minutes with supermodel Naomi Campbell to learn more about her “tough love” coaching style and the pressures young models face because of television.
THE DEADBOLT: Since the modeling industry can be so competitive at a high level, why do you think tough love is a more effective approach with models based on your experience?
NAOMI CAMPBELL: I don’t think it’s the more effective approach, it’s just how I am. When I say tough love, I’m very straightforward with my girls. Some people might see it as blunt and some people might not see it as tough love.
I’m saying that I feel, compared to the other two mentors, Karolina and Coco, I want them to get everything so that they know everything. In the challenges things could change at the last moment. I wanted them to be prepared for those changes and not to be caught off-guard, not to fluster, and not to use the challenge because they didn’t know that “Oh, Naomi didn’t tell me this could happen.”
Supermodels Naomi Campbell, Karolina Kurkova and Coco Rocha of The Face on Oxygen – Photo: Oxygen
THE DEADBOLT: So, time must have been a challenge?
CAMPBELL: It really was a matter of time and all that I could give them in the limited amount of time we had. Of course I can’t give every single thing. As you’ll see, I gave to the girls what I thought could be helpful to them right up until they have to do their challenge.
I come from a very disciplined Jamaican heritage. It was the way I was raised so that’s the way I am.
THE DEADBOLT: Since fashion television has become so popular, do you think there’s more pressure on models now because of TV, as compared to when you first started?
CAMPBELL: Well, I definitely think they have to be more personable now. It’s just not good enough to be a pretty face. You have to learn how to talk. You have to learn how to sell a brand. You have to know how to do [public relations]. You have to learn what to do under a contract with a cosmetics company. There are more dimensions to it now than there was before.
The Face premieres Tuesday, February 12 at 9/8c on Oxygen.