SOO JOO PARK
The boundary-breaking Korean-American supermodel is no stranger to empowerment. A decade into her career, SOO JOO PARK reflects on identity, values and the importance of staying true to yourself.
jacket, waistcoat CHANEL A/W 2020 collection.
INTERVIEWER KELLY LIM
PHOTOGRAPHER PETER ASH LEE
STYLIST XUYUNER (ABBY) QI
When we think of defining supermodels of the past decade, Soo Joo Park is definitely one of them. With her signature platinum-blonde looks and scissor sharp-cheekbones, the Korean-American model boasts an impressive portfolio of high-profile editorials, campaigns and shows, even moonlighting as a DJ on the decks of the occasional it-party. If her mononym status isn’t indicative enough of her stature, she also holds a double title of being a global ambassador to both Chanel and L’Oréal—a feat not many models can hold claim to, let alone one who doesn’t necessarily fit the traditional euro-centric model mould.
jacket, waistcoat and skirt CHANEL A/W 2020 collection.
“It’s been life-changing,” she says of the many special memories in her career and life that have led up to this moment in time. It’s the middle of July and she’s spent most of the year holed up in her New York home due to the pandemic, in addition to short trips to the West Coast to spend time with family. Interestingly enough, the California-raised model had been hoping to take a small break in 2020, using the down period to spend time closer to nature, reflect and look inwards “not just as a model but also as a human being.”
sweater and trousers CHANEL A/W 2020 collection.
Looking back on her career, one moment that’s continued to make an indelible impression was when she first stepped into 31 Rue Cambon—the famed atelier, home and beating heart of Chanel. “Walking into the HQ was like opening a jewellery box with all the inner gears and seeing through a glass,” she remembers. “You always see all the glossy beautiful packaged pieces and the creative director or designer—first Gabrielle Chanel, then Karl Lagerfeld and now Virginie—but there’s so much to it. I noticed that as soon as I walked in: the people inside from the design house to the creative team, the textiles, the couture artisanal team, PR; they’re all in that hub of 31 Rue Cambon and that is so special to me. Everyone is working there with so much pride and love with what they do, and it’s a place where they really respect everyone—it’s family. That was one of those things at the beginning of my career that really changed my perspective on fashion as well.”
coat, trousers and boots CHANEL A/W 2020 collection.
While gaining global ambassadorship to two leading luxury brands are major milestones for any model to pass in their career, Park’s achievements, in particular, are significant to pushing the barriers of stereotypes across fashion, beauty and music. She was the first Asian model to land the coveted beauty contract in 2015, and in doing so contributed to a fuller representation of beauty and self-love during a time when the prospects of diversity and inclusivity were still low within the commercial realm. From the get go, the model has always carried with her a sense of strength and empowerment that’s true to herself as Park exudes a cool-girl nonchalance that bleeds effortlessly into her eclectic off-duty style, no matter what context she’s in.
dress and belt CHANEL A/W 2020 collection.
“Chanel tries to encourage us to be creative in our own ways and help us manifest our ideas. That’s how I started DJing because I love music and I would love for people to dance to my music too.”
jacket HAN WEN.
What does empowerment mean to Soo Joo Park? “Right now to me, it means having the courage and power to lead by example by being yourself,” she says. “I was having a really good conversation days ago with a good friend of mine and saying that it was hard because I'm having an awakening moment. As good as the things are in my life, I'm mentally questioning a lot of things. He told me, you are special and there’s no one in this world who can be you. There’s not another person in this world who can match your DNA, have your thoughts when you have them, have the desires when you have them. As long as we can celebrate our individuality, our own uniqueness and specialness, I think that’s empowering more than anything. I also want to say that it’s always a process of going back and forth and I think that I've learned to accept that. All the love, pain, sadness and joy—that's part of life.”
top MIU MIU, earrings L.hite.
Though it may seem like it’s only been an upwards trajectory, her career hasn’t always been that way—particularly for her private life. Struggling between the sense of belonging the industry gave her and the validation that it upheld, she talks about the constant inner conflict that threatened to push her own understanding of self over the edge. “Working in fashion as a model, you end up travelling so much alone,” Park explains. “Though it all sounded romantic I realised that oftentimes I was left to my own thoughts and they can really eat you up. Travelling alone makes you want to feel like you belong and receive compassion from other people, and I think that’s such an important part of building yourself, but it’s almost like a bandaid. It doesn't heal who you are inside.”
A longer version of this cover story and interview will be published in our upcoming The WOW N° 3.
TALENT SOOJOO PARK @ WOMEN MANAGEMENT NY
HAIR EVANIE FRAUSTO @ STREETERS
MAKEUP AYAMI NISHIMURA @ STATEMENTS ARTISTS
PRODUCTION D&V MANAGEMENT
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER WEI LIU & CHRISTIAN MESHESHA
CASTING DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN MESHESHA @ C.M. CASTING
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT CHRIS PARENTE
STYLIST ASSISTANT YAO YAO