Hello everyone! Apologies for the hiatus. Today we’re back with a new episode of the podcast, featuring a dear friend of mine, German photographer Larissa Hofmann.
Larissa and I met back in 2016, when I was still working as a model. She had recently begun exploring photography, and was shooting me for one of her first editorials. To be honest, I was a bit in awe of her back then - I knew her face from the many runway shows and campaigns she’d done, and admired her photography, too. Even back then, she had a distinct point of view, and her careful compositions and elegant treatment of the female form really resonated.
Our shoot was in New York, where we both lived at the time. Soon afterwards Larissa moved back to Berlin. About a year later, I quit modelling and similarly returned home to Europe, which is where our friendship really began.
One of the things we often talk about is our experience in the modelling industry, and making the transition into a new career. Modelling can be a sticky thing to get out of - the money can be great and it’s a ‘cool’ job, meaning it can easily become part of your identity and how you present to the world. Many people manage this well, but for myself and Larissa, this was not always the case. In private, we have discussed the side of things that people often don’t see - in particular, our experiences with eating disorders.
It’s scary to touch on this topic because I think everyone’s experience is so different, and recovery is by no means a straight line or a simple formula. I also know that Larissa and I are not representative of the standard body type, and I don’t want to deliver some privileged and out-of-touch ‘happily ever after’ take. However, I hope that hearing the honesty in Larissa’s story (which I’m so grateful to her for sharing), will show that no matter how ‘perfect’ your life can look from the outside, mental health really is an inside job. I also love how she touched on the role of her friends in this episode - I think it’s easy to forget the impact of simple things like laughter and human connection, and how healing these can be.
Of course the episode is not all about this topic - we also cover her childhood in Germany, her move from modelling to photography, and some of the highs and lows along the way. Over the last few years, Larissa has become one of the industry’s most exciting photographers (although she’d probably deny it), shooting everything from Marc Jacobs campaigns to the cover of Vogue France and Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Guts’ album. She’s also made artworks for an exhibition at Paris’ Palais de Tokyo, and miniature cutouts of herself as different characters for The Face magazine. In particular, her portraits of women have a subtle power and defiance, whether it’s Solange on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar, or an enigmatic model in an editorial. I hope you enjoy this conversation and learning more about Larissa’s work.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please know that you are not alone. I have put a few resources at the end of the letter.
Read on to see pictures of Larissa’s selects, and subscribe for more podcasts, essays and interviews. You can also listen to the show on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and follow Threads of Conversation on Instagram here.
The piece that reminds Larissa of her childhood…
“I chose a dirndl. It's a traditional Bavarian dress. My grandma owned it. The way I wear it now, I think I've stripped it of what makes it more traditional, which is the white blouse that goes under it, and the socks etc.”
The pieces that remind Larissa of her career…
“This Balenciaga top definitely reminds me of my time as a model. There are some street style photos of me wearing this sweater, and I wore it to numerous Fashion Week castings. Mixed feelings when I look at this item.”
“Then I chose a salem green hoodie. I've worn it to multiple shoots and it definitely represents something practical. As a photographer, I spend half of the day on the floor, so everything I wear kind of gets ruined. So it needs to be something that can get ruined!”
The piece that reminds Larissa of a high…
“I chose a Y-Project pink, fluffy cardigan. I've worn it so many times. I also wore it on the day my first cover as a photographer got published - I had no idea that I had the cover. It was for Self Service magazine.”
And one that reminds her of a low…
“I've chosen a jumper that I still love and wear. The picture is a street style picture from my last fashion week. Looking back - especially at where I was at personally when I purchased that piece - I think I had just reached a point in my life where I really had to face the demons.”
The piece that makes her feel part of something…
“I chose a sweatshirt that my friends gave me for my birthday. There's a photo of them on it where they're all basically naked, wrapped in towels. When I thought about the piece that makes me feel part of something, I feel like this group has been this consistent grounding place for me since I left school. There are lots of great people in this friend group, and we go on little trips and have little parties. Honestly, they make me laugh - it's fucking exhausting to spend time with them! But it's also so fulfilling. There are great memories attached to this sweater.”
The piece that reminds her of a great party…
“This is a vintage red dress that I actually got in a store in Berlin. I'd worn it a few times before and then my 30th birthday came up, and I celebrated it in Berlin with this group of friends. It just felt like the perfect moment to wear it it.”
The piece that makes her feel sexy…
“I really dislike the word sexy, I think because it comes with so much projection, and can be objectifying. I chose a black boxy jacket. Every time I put it on, it feels like it completes the look I'm wearing. It makes me feel good when I wear it, and for that reason, that's probably when I feel confident. So therefore, hopefully, confidence is sexy.”
The one that got away…
“I chose this green cap with pink stitching on it. It says ‘Cry Baby’. And somehow, somewhere, it's disappeared. I must have left it somewhere. I would like to believe someone took it, but I do think it's probably my fault. And I will take accountability for it, which hurts even more!”
Threads of the week
New shirt, two ways. It’s vintage but I think it has an Ann Demeulemeester vibe. Left hand look is (in the shop) with Atsuro Tayama pants and Ann D boots, right hand look is with a secondhand Acne Studios blazer and Issey Miyake Homme Plissé shorts.
Loose Threads
We’re being blessed with a lot of great music videos at the moment. Alongside 360, we’ve had new ones from Yseult (office siren goes off), Jamie XX (starring Rahel brewing cocktails in a toilet), Confidence Man (inexplicable nude helicopter plot), and now this John Glacier banger (her glam is unsurpassed). Music videos are so FUN.
A clever bit of Rimowa marketing by the brilliant Sucuk and Bratwurst.
Bury me in Johanna Parv AW24.
This New Scientist podcast on the discovery that elephants have names for one another!
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A Thread about Larissa Hofmann