Meet Nerida

Nerida is an international fashion model working with labels like Gucci and Dior. Although it’s not just the glamour of the catwalk that ignites her passion; it's raising the profile of environmental and social values making fashion ever beautiful.

“I grew-up on a mountain amongst a lush rainforest in a house designed to minimise environmental impact - think rainwater tanks, stove heated hot water, a compost and a biodiesel fueled car. From an early age my father taught me about environmental issues like climate change. At 17 years old I was launched into the heart of the fashion industry as a model working globally with brands like Chanel, Gucci and Dior. I soon fell in love with the creativity and glamour of the industry, but I began to feel something was amiss. The clothing I was modelling to the eye and touch was incredibly beautiful, but I learnt there was a story behind fashion that was not as beautiful; a story about abusing human rights and degrading our natural environmental. I realised that a lot of the clothing I was modelling was missing the humanity fundamental to life and I now saw clothing as merely empty aesthetic expressions. After this realisation, it became increasingly difficult to surrender myself as a blank canvas to communicate other peoples’ messages that did not reflect my personal values. It was wonderful to push the boundaries of creativity through fashion, but I now had my own message to share about an ever beautiful fashion industry. My mission is to tell the story of beauty to encourage an ever beautiful future for fashion. I hope you make beauty a part of your life so we can create a beautiful world together.”

Achievements

Since 2009, Nerida has been working to raise the profile of environmental and social responsibility to make fashion more beautiful. Most recently she has been recognised for her work as a finalist for the 2014 InStyle and Audi Women of Style Scholarship.

Nerida is also a fellow of the School for Social Entrepreneurs and a recipient of the Big Green Idea grant, awarded by the British Council globally to eco-visionaries. She was a member of the Sustainability Cluster for the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA) before it ceased in 2012 and an Environmental Sociology teacher at Swinburne University.

Nerida is recognised by the Ethical Fashion Forum in London as a global Fellowship 500 sustainable fashion pioneer and was included in The Age Top 100 most influential, inspiring and creative people of Melbourne in 2011. Nerida is ambassador for the climate change organisation 1 Million Women and represented by Vivien's Model Management.