Meeting Coco Rocha was one of the many highlights of my night at Target’s – Québec launch event. She is a spirited young woman, a successful model and an overall sweetheart. Rocha who now lives in the United States grew up in British Columbia, Canada and was especially proud of Canada’s new-found love for Target which she pronounces with a soft “g” for fun.

If you don’t know her name you certainly know her face. Here are just a few notes on her career.

 

STYLE RESUME: Coco Rocha

Campaigns: Hermes, Longchamp, Target, Saks 5th Avenue, L’Oreal, Banana Republic, Neiman Marcus, Karl Lagerfeld, Diesel & many more.

Covers: ELLE, InStyle, Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, Fashion, Allure & many more.

TV show: The Face on Oxygen with Naomi Campbell.

Side Jobs: Stylist, Blogger & Philanthropist.

 

Now that you are fully Coco Rocha literate, here is what Coco and I talked about during our little heart to heart at the event.

FWAC: How does it feel to be a part of this huge Canadian event? 

CR: I think it’s very smart that Target has finally come to Canada. I always wondered why it hadn’t come sooner especially since in the States Target is always brought up. I actually shop there very often for home goods. I just moved so if I’m looking for a coffee pot or anything, I’m there! And so many people, like me, shop that way. They say: “Oh I need to get something, where can I find that? … Mostly Target.” And I always wondered why Canada didn’t have that. Especially when we think that Phillip Lim, Zac Posen even Gaultier have done collaborations with Target, where else is Canada going to get that? We haven’t had those sorts of collaborations. Target has been able to do it and be successful at it. Now we’ll have the chance to have those sorts of collaborations. So congratulations Canada! Ya finally did it. And we’re on our way.

FWAC: What made you want to partner with Target?

CR: I’m not officially an ambassador for Target but I’m proud that Canada has taken on Target. I have done some projects with Target on my own. Target asked me to style a few items of clothing they had and come up with my own looks which was a lot of fun. We also made this little YouTube video showing how in about 17 photos we got the cover look. And we’ve done fun things, especially since they’ve worked with designers like Posen and Gaultier who are great friends of mine. How can I go wrong? I mean, I think it’s great that they have been smart enough to work with high fashion and brought it to the consumers that can actually buy it now.

FWAC: You are Canadian, as we know, and have become an international star, what would you say to someone who is from Canada and wants to make it really big?

CR: Don’t sell yourself short, don’t do what everyone else is doing and you want to come into an industry, say fashion, and leave the same way you came into it. Maybe a bit stronger, a little smarter, a little powerful. Really the whole game of it is to make sure you are still you and that’s why people will embrace you… because you haven’t changed for anyone.

FWAC: Do you have a cause that is dear to your heart?

CR: I do. I have a beautiful group of girls that I work with from Cambodia. The group is called Senhoa. We take girls out of human trafficking from the ages of 5 – 18 years old. The girls from 15 – 18 years old are given jobs as jewelry makers. They work with Swarovski crystals with their hands as much or as little as they want to and they get paid better than teachers in Cambodia. What we do, we sell the jewelry online and the proceeds go back to them. So they learn the cycle of work and the rest of the money goes to the younger girls for school, clothes and food. Then, we take them from 18 years old, we help them leave the cycle of the sex trade and enable them to now have a proper job so they don’t have to go back to the parents who sold them in the first place and don’t have to return to that old lifestyle. I love it, it’s a really small group that we work with but they’re so beautiful and they really tend to the girls.

FWAC: Where can we buy this jewelry?

CR: www.Senhoa.com And they have all kinds of designers that have started collaborating with them. I have my own line with them too.

FWAC: That is so Fashion with a Conscience!

CR: I know, I love it! 🙂

I applaud how Rocha is using her platform to make the world a better place. She is involved in other philanthropic endeavors which you can read about here.

Hope you enjoyed your up close and personal moment with her. For more Coco: BLOG / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM 

Stay Conscious + Chic!

 

 

Coco Rocha & I. Photo Credits: Fashion With A Conscience.Â