JOANNA HALPIN

Before jetting back to London, we spent the day at Bondi Beach shooting Joanna in our Summer 2020 collection. Joanna chats with us about living in Australia during the Coronavirus outbreak, her style inspirations and the beauty and fitness regime that keeps her looking in tip top shape.

A beauty beyond her years, Joanna Halpin is blessed with a divine softness & a roaring passion for creativity, light & life. Those pillowy lips, her graceful presence & that ridiculously insane body … this woman is going places & we are right behind her.

"A lot of the time I do find myself reflecting and thinking how incredibly lucky I am that this is my job, that I have been fortunate to enough to travel and choose where I want to base myself out of for months at a time."

Welcome & thank you so much for joining us! How has life been for you over the last couple of months?! It's been such a wild time. What is your current state of normal?

I have been in Sydney the last few months, where in comparison to England, Europe and the States has seemed to have had everything a little more under control. So for the last couple of months as the lockdown here lessened I have been able to work a little, see friends and continue life as 'normal'.

Where have you been isolating from? What have you embraced throughout the experience? And what have you find hard to adjust to?

Noosa for about a month when Australia first went into lockdown and then back to Sydney for the last couple. As I said before everything has been pretty relaxed and under control so there hasn't been too much to adapt to. I guess the main thing that has caused me any anxiety during this period (other than the general state of the world) has been the decision of if, and when to leave Sydney to return to London, as when I go that will be it here until Sydney opens up its borders again.

Scrolling through your Instagram, it's clear you have such a natural eye for style. Who is your style inspiration? If you could raid a few wardrobes - where are you heading?!

Ah thank you. But to be honest I actually have a very simple style of wearing boyish jeans and t-shirts most days. Most people I tend to follow on Instagram I follow because I know them personally or I like their feed for their creativity - to name a couple : @majawyh @jessifrederick @blancamiro

There's a beautiful article on RUSSH showcasing your divine London home which you share with your sister. What are your favourite aspects of London? For those who have never been, where would you tell them to explore first?

I live in East London so this is the part of London I know and love most and I would always suggest Broadway market on a sunny Saturday or Columbia road flower market on a Sunday, both followed by a pub or wine bar.

Speaking of your sister, you guys are so often profiled together which is so lovely. What similarities do the two of you share & how do you differ?

We are very similar in taste, style, opinions - she is definitely my best friend as well as sister. But with those close similarities I would say there is enough difference that we are both very much our own people with a thin red line between us.

From your Cornwall roots, you look so at home & at ease on the Australian coast. In terms of your killer beach body, what style of workout do you favour?

I like to run and do Pilates. And then yin yoga to mentally unwind.

What absolutely kills you but you push through because you know it drives great results?

A hard weighted Pilates class, like a 'lagree' or 'slt'.

Skincare wise, what are the go-to brands & products?

I have a very low maintenance skin care routine; I wash my face with Cetaphil cleanser every morning and night. I use La Roche Pose SPF50 as my face moisturiser every day with a little bit of Lesse facial oil over the top. And then every night I use Weleda Skin Food and that's it.

We can't talk beauty & not ask you about those incredible eyebrows. They're a show stopper. How do you keep them thick yet so maintained? Tell us your secrets!

I am very lucky that they have always been like this (I think maybe from my grandfather). When I was a teenager I did pluck them very thin but my mum told me never to do it again and I would regret it - and luckily I listened and they grew back and I haven't touched them since.

The world of a model can be a whirlwind. So much travel, so many creative folk always around. How old were you when you decided that modelling was going to be your chosen career path?

I actually only started modelling when I had finished studying at university so I fell into it pretty late.

To date, has there been a "big break" moment? Or a time you've had to pinch yourself & think is this real life?!

A lot of the time I do find myself reflecting and thinking how incredibly lucky I am that this is my job, that have been fortunate to enough to travel and chose where I want to base myself out of for months at a time. It's pretty incredible and for that alone I feel very grateful.

It's hard to make any kind of plans at the moment in terms of travel - so before the world returns to normal, what is keeping you calm & content?

I guess feeling very lucky and fortunate that my friends and family have all been safe during this time.

QUICK FIRE!

Your comfort food/meal?

Pasta

Instagram accounts you love to follow?

@raven__smith@c_l_o@historycoolkids

The part of your body you've learned to love more & more with every year?

Lips

4 things we'd always find in your fridge/pantry?

Avocado, Spinach, Eggs, Cheese, Tomatoes

Top 3 beauty products?

Skin Food by Weleda, Lesse Oil, Cetaphli Cleanser

The last thing that completely shocked you?

That our fingers and toes get wrinkly in water as a body reaction to help us grip onto things

What was the last gift you received?

A beautiful ring

The last gift you gave?

Muji pyjamas

A book you could read a million times over?

Freedom by Johnathan Franzen