Amanda's Next Move: Hood sits down with Scottish supermodel, Amanda Hendrick

After a four-year hiatus, during which she came face-to-face with the demons that plagued her early career, Scottish supermodel Amanda Hendrick is back on the style circuit with a significantly healthier and happier outlook. Here, she talks recovery, reinvention, and being a worthy role model to her daughter, exclusively with Hood…

Did you always want to model?

Honestly, it wasn’t on my agenda. My first foray with modelling was entering a modelling competition for Elle Girl when I was 14, and then I was scouted by a photographer on Halloween night in Central Station, Glasgow, when I was 15. So really, I started at an age where I was so young, I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until I was a bit older where I started to appreciate the opportunity I had been given.

You would go on to enjoy huge success early in your career—a Vogue cover, gracing Zac Posen, Balenciaga, and Vivienne Westwood runways, and a campaign for Topshop, no less. Was it overwhelming? 

To be really honest, it’s clear to me now that, at the time, I wasn’t present in the moment and didn’t appreciate what was happening. I can admit it now—I was a bit of a brat. Today, however, looking back, I can see what huge achievements they were and it’s only now I appreciate how cool it was. Being a young girl and having shopped in the likes of Topshop for years, and then to be doing the brand's campaign and seeing photographs of myself blown-up in stores—it’s fair to say it was pretty surreal. 

In 2011, you were the centre of a furore when you were pulled from a campaign for looking too thin. How did it feel to have so much vitriol targeted at you?

I’m human—it made me sad and I felt very attacked. I was just a young girl who felt very lost in life, but I understand why it happened. I see now that it was the right decision.

In 2015, you bravely admitted to suffering from anorexia throughout your career, while also battling a drug habit. What made you take that step?

I’d fought incredibly hard to get to a healthy place in my life; I’d been through so much and managed to overcome it all. I wanted to be honest and open, and maybe help others going through the same thing. I’d get so many messages from other people battling the same problems and, for me, it was almost like therapy to share where I had been and let people know that it is okay to talk about it and that it doesn’t control you. You have the power to overcome whatever it is that has a hold on you.

Do you feel the modelling industry created your demons?

Not at all. I was in a very toxic relationship which is what spiralled me into the world of drugs and an eating disorder. It just all happened at the same time, so I guess everyone thought it was because of modelling. Modelling was the only stable thing in my life. 

How did you take the steps towards recovery?

Getting out of the relationship I was in was the priority and the catalyst for my recovery. I began reading books on meditation and mindfulness, while the Internet also proved to be a source of strength. I became obsessed with other people on YouTube and social media who had been through eating disorders and overcame them. I started to realise my own self worth and, put simply, that I didn’t want to be sad anymore; after that, I started taking the necessary steps to recovery. 

You have recently become a mum to baby Misha; has this changed you as a person?

Completely. She has given me so much purpose in life. She reminds me to be in the moment and appreciate all the little things. She will only ever be the age she is for the shortest amount of time and I want to soak it all in as much as I can.

Is there any advice you’d want to give Misha for her future self?

I want her to feel like she can do anything in life that she wants to—nothing is off limits. I want her to be able to be whoever she wants to be and express herself, however she chooses, and to respect how others choose to express themselves, too.

You dissolved your lip fillers last year. Why did you do that?

I started getting fillers about five years ago and I had such a big build up that wouldn’t dissolve naturally. I hadn’t had them filled for about 18 months before I eventually decided to have them dissolved. I just wanted to go for a more natural look. I’m not as insecure as I was back then and I longed to have my old face back. I think a lot of girls will feel that way in the not-so-distant future… 

You have recently re-joined Scottish agency Model Team—your very first agency. Why have you decided to get back in the game, and why return to Model Team?

It was just time to switch it up again. I’d been with another agency for almost ten years and the relationship had gone a bit stale—it was just time to move on. I’ve known Model Team’s director, Michael O'Brien, since I was 16, so we have some history together. It just felt like the most natural decision. As for returning to modelling, I just want to see how things go—I’m not putting pressure on myself. I’d modelled since I was 15, so I needed the break; modelling was all I knew. Now that I’ve had time to explore different things, I feel like I’m ready to reenter the industry. I feel stronger than ever; I feel like a woman now, not a frightened little girl, and having my daughter has given me more drive and determination than ever before.

As you reach your 30s, what do you think you offer compared to younger models?

I feel like I’m wiser and have experienced more in my life at this age, so I can take all those experiences with me and translate them into my work. You draw on your personal experiences when you’re in-front of the camera. I’m also a lot more confident and secure in myself now, which is also working to my advantage. 

As we enter a new year, people start to reflect on the year gone by and the year ahead. As something of a comeback kid, do you have any words of wisdom for our readers who may need New Year motivation?

I’ve come to realise that so much can happen in one year, whether it’s emotionally, spiritually, or professionally. Everything can change in a moment, so that always makes me feel excited for the year ahead. As for my own goals, I’d love to model internationally again, and travel as much as possible with a baby. My partner is incredibly supportive, and is fortunate enough to have a job that he can pretty much do from anywhere in the world, so I’m lucky enough that I would be able to bring them both with me.  

Do you think our perception of is beauty changing for the better?

Absolutely. There’s so much more diversity in the industry now compared to ten years ago; its refreshing to see and I hope it continues this way! While a lot of this comes from social media, it also has its dark sides. We all need to keep reminding ourselves that social media is an illusion, and to stop comparing ourselves to people on Instagram that seem to be more successful. You only see a fraction of someone's life—it’s a highlight reel. Don’t take it too seriously and, if you ever feel like it’s becoming a negative thing, take an immediate step back. You don’t have to post everything on Instagram to make it count for something; enjoy a moment in its purest form. That’s something I try to do daily and, let’s face it, you’ll have way more fun in the process. 

Amanda is a judge in our Model Team x Hood model search competition, which closes on March 1 2020. Don’t forget to enter - you can get all the details here.

Photography: Aleksandra Modrzejewska