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Campbell fronts the new Lovable campaign
Credit: Pierre Toussaint

Rising star Ruby Campbell has worked as a model for just one year, but she’s already something of an industry rock star.

Not simply because the spot GRAZIA met her at most recently was a shoot location that resembled a band rehearsal space in a dilapidated warehouse. Rather, the Brisbane-born model has that X-factor alluded to in popular culture, but so very rarely actually owned.

It’s been a rocket-fast ride since the now 23-year-old made her modelling debut. In the 12 months she’s given the profession a red hot go, the gap-toothed star in the making has walked in multiple shows at Mercedes-Benz Australian Fashion Week and appeared in editorial shoots for top global fashion titles – including GRAZIAVogue and Marie Claire.

See Ruby Campbell in GRAZIA’s 2016 shoot: Too Cool for College

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Ruby Campbell for Lovable 
Credit: Pierre Toussaint

Now crucially, in a commercial sense, she has landed her first major solo campaign fronting the campaign for popular lingerie label Loveable shot by Pierre Toussaint. GRAZIA spoke to Sydney-based Campbell, whose mother is Caucasian Australian and father African-American, about her whirlwind rise to the top, what’s to come next and her advice to other aspiring models.

How did you fall into this industry? I was actually scouted when I was 18 in a hip-hop after party thing in Sydney – very random. I was promoting for it and they told me my face was amazing blah, blah, blah and that I should get into modelling. I started doing it for less than a month but I just wasn’t completely in it with my heart. The last year I was in Italy for a holiday and decided to just apply to Priscilla’s [modelling agency] out of the blue. They were like, ‘Come in when you come back to Sydney’ and I’ve been busy with them ever since. My whole life just changed right then.

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Ruby Campbell for Lovable
Credit: Pierre Toussaint

DID YOU HAVE AN IDEA WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE BEFORE THAT? Not really. I knew I would get into it eventually I was just kind of putting it off and people kept telling me to. 

It’s early days, but is there anyone whose career you look at and think, ‘I’d be really happy if mine went that way’ too? You can’t compare, but because I’m such a petite model in height, it would have to be Kate Moss. I’m 5’8 so that’s quite small as a model and you know a lot of agencies wouldn’t have even picked me up. So I’m kind of already pushing barriers and I feel like Kate Moss was like that and pushing barriers of individuality.

What have been the biggest challenges? Just staying confident and not comparing myself and not taking rejection personally. You know when you go to castings you never know if they’re going to like you or not like you, you just have to go in there optimistic and stay optimistic. Sometimes you forget and have to remind yourself of that.

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Ruby Campbell for Lovable 
Credit: Pierre Toussaint

Moving forward, where would you like this to go in the perfect world? I would love to travel and meet a lot more people and more clients and also once I’ve moved on from modelling maybe something in fashion or styling or something. I feel like this is a good basis for that plus I enjoy it.

How did how did you feel when you found out that you were the face of the Lovable campaign? I went for a casting, and with castings you just never know. The first one was very quick with one young lady and I didn’t know if I’d hear from them again, but then I did, and I had a second casting and then got the job. I was so happy.

How do you get past that natural human feeling of being nervous being half naked in photos? This is the first underwear or bra shoot I’ve ever done, but I feel really confident. You’ve just got to be relaxed in yourself because it really comes out in your photos. Just be yourself. When I first started, I was a bit ‘Mmmm’ but I just had to reassure myself ‘You’re here for a reason, do the best you can’.

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Ruby Campbell for Lovable 
Credit: Pierre Toussaint

Did you do anything in particular to get ready for today’s shoot? Even before I was confirmed I just thought maybe I should cut down on some carbs, so I’ve been eating a lot of greens, a lot of steamed vegetables with grilled chicken, working out every day and going for 30-minutes run every day.

Is that your normal exercise regime? I have signed up for Pilates but haven’t gone yet. I do a lot of exercises with phone apps when I don’t feel like leaving home.

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Ruby Campbell for Lovable 
Credit: Pierre Toussaint

What’s have you found the hardest thing about working in this industry to be? It’s not the hardest thing, but some days your call time might be really early and then finish late, so you’ve just got to keep that energy up and be really friendly with everyone.

Do you have any advice for any aspiring young models considering the industry? To believe in yourself. You can idolise other models but never compare yourself what they’re doing or where they’re working. No one else is like you, so just be really confident in yourself.

The new Lovable lingerie collection starts at $40 for a bra and $25 for briefs and is available now.