Taylor Hill, one of the most famous models in the world, grew up in Colorado and stumbled into her profession. “I was scouted in Colorado when I was 14 by a photographer,” she tells me when I ask if she had always wanted to model. “I was on a ranch, and there was a photo shoot happening there. The photographer thought that me and my sisters were some of the models,” she continues. “I was sent to New York, and I signed with IMG and I've been with them ever since. I've been modeling for what feels like a really long time.”
It's definitely been a long time. Fourteen years to be exact, half of 28-year-old Hill's life. “I really love my job,” she says. “I didn’t think I would end up here, but I’m glad I did.” Hill exuded a similar sense of gratitude, humility, and kindness throughout shooting this piece, which is really refreshing given her meteoric rise and early start. Luckily for us, she’s got great style of her own, too, shaped by years of experience working with some of the coolest, chicest brands around. Taylor and I discussed how modeling has changed over the course of her career, her style icons, her pet business, Tate & Taylor, and plenty more.
Fit One
Top by Reformation, trousers by Ganni, shoes by Chanel, and bag by Ferragamo.
How do you approach modeling in 2024? I imagine it's very different from when you started, and you're probably a lot more selective, too.
From when I first started, it's changed a lot. There wasn't Instagram or social media in the sense of how it exists today. But I really love it. It's definitely changed the industry, but I think it's changed it in a really good way where it gives models more of an opportunity to be seen a bit more for who they are. We can show our personalities, have conversations with people who follow us. It's a really great tool. When I first started, it was a lot of work. I put in a lot of time and energy to make sure I was building good relationships, and doing the most that I could. I did every fashion week season ever for a couple of years there. It took a lot of dedication to be able to get to the place that I am now. Now, I get to do the things I like and enjoy doing in the industry. I mean, I love every aspect of it, don't get me wrong. But it's also just been really fun to get to know people in the industry. Fourteen years later, I know pretty much everybody that I work with on sets for the most part. It's really fun to have these little reunions with friends that you've made throughout the years.
Do you have any favorite brands to work with?
I love everyone. I love shooting editorials. Sometimes it's not so much about the brand that I'm shooting with, but the team that they hire, and working with photographers that I really like. Hair and makeup is always really fun to just see people that I've known for a really long time. Some really fun, cool brands to shoot for are Free People and Anthropologie. Some of the more high fashion houses are really fun as well. It's a sneak peek into what's coming, and an inside look at the creativity of it all. I like all of it! It's a mix and match.
Fit Two
Dress, belt, and bag by Isabel Marant and bag by Zimmermann.
Are you ever fatigued by how much clothing you have to wear that isn't your own style?
I really enjoy wearing clothing that's not mine. When I was younger, I loved to play dress-up with my sister—dressing up and pretending we were fairies or mermaids. Trying on a bunch of clothes that don't belong to me is actually really fun, and I get such joy from it.
How do you approach your style on off days?
I definitely try to prioritize comfort just because as much as I love these clothes and as fun as it is, sometimes they're not very comfortable—but that's the fun part of it. That's the creativity of fashion. You can't really wear it all day, every day. I like to incorporate things that are really comfortable, things that I can wear multiple times and style differently. Having some good basics and base layers for your pieces in your closet that you can add on top of, with trendier items, is always great. I like to invest in more expensive things that I know I'll wear all the time and have for forever. I like mixing and matching, and I also love thrifting and vintage shopping as well, and mixing old with new.
Fit Three
Shirt and bag by Free People, tank by Brandy Melville, shorts by Agolde, sneakers by Puma, and sunglasses by Vehla.
Do you find any inspiration in style or garments that are considered traditionally as menswear?
The Boss pants I was wearing are men's pants. I love a blazer. Fashion should be taken with a grain of salt in terms of men's and women's. It's fun to play around.
Do you have any style icons?
I've been re-watching Sex and the City since it's on Netflix now. I just love Carrie Bradshaw and Sarah Jessica Parker. She's so fun, and the outfits are really cool. I've been taking some inspiration from her in terms of colors and how she mixes patterns. She has great taste. She loves shoes just like me. I also love Audrey Hepburn and that era—more classic, iconic style.
Do you have any favorite brands to wear at the moment?
I love, love, love Isabel Marant too much. I love Chloe. What Chloe's doing is beautiful and feminine, but still really cool. I love Saint Laurent. I love vintage Saint Laurent. Versace can't go wrong. So cool and Italian. I also love Etro. They're iconic. They're an Italian family-owned business, and I love that about them. Ralph Lauren, just because classic, Americana—definitely that kind of style is very timeless. I've been working with Ralph for a really long time, so I love them.
Fit Four
Sweater by Marni, trousers by Boss, bag by Isabel Marant, and shoes by Gucci.
What does the ideal off day look like for you?
I get to sleep in. I love going on a walk with my dog. I like to do nice long walk with him, maybe an hour if I can get it in. Then I do a workout, either Pilates or just weights in the gym. I like getting lunch with my friends or my husband. When we're in town at the same time, we like to try and prioritize time together. Some of my family lives here [In New York], so if I get to see my siblings, it's always great. I cook at home a lot for dinner just because it's hard in New York. You always go out. I'm trying to be better about cooking at home here.
Tell me about the business you started, Tate & Taylor, since we just talked about it offline.
It’s a curated online pet store, and what we do is find the best products that we possibly can for your pet. It’s an oversaturated market with a lot of products and no direction on what's actually good. We’re hoping to change the way people shop and are able to care for their pets with a little bit more intention. We also do a lot of charity work. We have a cancer collection where 100 percent of the profits goes back to The Buddy Fund, which is a fund at the Animal Medical Center that helps people afford care for chemotherapy or cancer treatment for their pets. I lost my dog Tate, who the business is based off of, to lymphoma last year. I experienced firsthand just how much of a toll it can take. If I can give back and help others who are in this similar situation, that's something I would really love to do.
If I have an off day from modeling, it's not an off day from Tate & Taylor. We have team calls, we have Zoom calls with our vendors. We're talking to people about the business, and trying to build and grow. It's a constant, everyday thing. It's something that I work on all day, every day. Even when I'm on set, I'm still working on Tate & Taylor. But it's been really fun because I'm really passionate about it. I love dogs so much. I'm excited to be able to do something else that I love and add that to my resume.
Fit Five
Top by Ralph Lauren, jeans by Kenzo, bag by Isabel Marant, and shoes by Versace.
What's one thing you've never been asked in an interview that you wish someone had asked you? Or a weird fact about yourself?
I like to draw. I'm definitely not an artist by any means, but I doodle, and they're not bad. They're not great, but they're not bad. They're good enough that when people see them, they're like, "Oh my God, you drew that?" And I'm like, "Yeah." And then they're like, "That's cool." Not like, "Can I hang it on my wall?"
If you had to wear one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it consist of?
It would definitely be something comfortable. I would wear layers. Probably comfortable pants; soft, really worn-in jeans, sneakers with a T-shirt, and some sort of soft sweater over a top, because then I could take the sweater off when I'm hot and wear my T-shirt.
