Natural from Oslo, Norway, and scouted by her currently mother agent, Donna Ioanna, Julia Rudby described herself as a very caring person, dedicated, reflective, a bit funny and ambitious. Her most remarkable achievement so far in the industry is to have been a Gucci girl for a while, making her debut for the Italian house in February 2018.
Words by Diana Serenli. Photographed by Edwin S Freyer. Styled by Michelle Duguid.
Julia Rudby appears in the Spring Summer 2019 Issue 2. Get your copy here.
Where are you originally from and where are you based?
I’m originally from Norway, Oslo, and I’ve been based in Milan for one year, but I'm now in the process of moving. I’m looking into where I’m going to be based next, but the goal is to definitely go to New York soon. Maybe I’ll travel a little bit, see a little bit of London, and maybe go to Paris.
When and how were you scouted?
I was actually scouted in Oslo, in a shopping mall. But, it was not a coincidence, because my neighbor told me, 'oh Julia, you should definitely be a model, you should really try'. I said 'Oh really, I haven’t really thought about that. I’m not sure if that’s something for me'. She then sent me this post on Facebook that a model scout was going to be in Oslo in a shopping mall, that she was going to scout girls for her Norwegian modeling competition. She told me 'Julia you have to go. Please do this for me'. So I went to the shopping mall, and I met Donna Ioanna, who is now representing me, and she scouted me for her model competition in Norway, so that was really nice and there I met a lot of models from other agencies, took a lot of pictures, made a lot of friends, and there I got a really good modeling experience. I was very inspired by modeling and wanted to try it out.
How old were you?
I think I was 15 at the time, though as I was very young, and still very short, so my model agent kept in touch and I was sending her Polaroid’s regularly when I was in school.
What has been your biggest achievement in the industry?
I think maybe it must have been the Gucci show in February 2018, because I have been working with them in fittings in some shows for them in Milan for a while, but this was my first really big show, and I felt like I earned it because I’ve been working a lot with them. I’ve built up a relationship with them, and I liked working with the coats and the people, it was just so inspiring to see everything coming down to one show.
Julia Rudby walking for Gucci FW19 -left- & Gucci Cruise 2019 -right-
What are the peaks that you want to reach in your career as a model?
I think the dream is a cover of a really big magazine like VOGUE or something like that. That would be amazing.
Why would you want a cover?
Because as a child you go to the supermarket and see all the people on the covers of the magazines. I just think it would be so amazing to see yourself in such a big magazine.
What do you most like in the industry?
I like to meet new people and travel around. I also really like to see the pictures taken, and I get to see all the hard work you put in to come out really well in pictures. Learning a lot of new cultures and that the days are never the same, it’s like you get to experience so much different stuff.
What would you want to change in the industry?
If I wanted to change something, it would maybe be the way people look at models. It’s not so much in the industry but I feel like of course, you're selling yourself with the product but, as I have also seen in the business, I would like more people to come out as a person, show more personality. Also, I think the industry is trying to change the issue with the measurements, but it’s hard cause it has always been like this. We should show more different type of girls, not the usual skinny, tall, typical model girl.
Who do you admire?
I really admire people that dedicate their lives to make a change. For example, Martin Luther King Jr, and people like that. He is very like an idol. I also like all the feminists that really work for women’s rights. I really admire them.
Who would you propose for this Q&A?
Maybe my friend Maria Zachariassen. I think she will have good answers to these questions.
MakeUp by Naomi Nakamura using M.A.C. Cosmetics.
Hair by Cher Savery using Cloud 9 and Aveda Products.
Julia appears courtesy of The Hive Management.
Julia wearing COS total look.