“Stop calling us curvy models” A chat with Sixtine Rouyre

If you’re looking for REAL self-esteem advice, you really should read this exclusive interview with Sixtine Rouyre! As a model on the rise, Sixtine has very clear ideas about feeling good about yourself, how to make the most of social media and we couldn’t agree more! We are sure that her amazing face and body will only keep her going in the industry, let’s get to know her better together.

You started very young with fashion. What drove you? Have you always wanted to be a model?

I always wanted to be a model as a kid but I think at first it was more in the way every kid wants to be a model or an actress or someone famous. As i started doing it more in high school, I realized how much I truly enjoyed it. I also quickly realized the potential modeling had to give me the platform i always wanted to talk about issues that were important to me. At that age, models like Iskra Lawerence and Ashley Graham were starting to be really popular and i remember thinking, “If I make it as a model, I want to be like them. I want to make something good out of my platform and help women.” Women like them are what drove me. 

You have already collaborated with famous brands and you are now the new debutante for the 2023 edition of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, congratulations! How do you live this fantastic period?

Thank you! This whole experience has been a dream honestly and I’ve just trying my best to slow down and appreciate it as best as I can. Becoming a sports illustrated rookie was something I always thought was just a “oh maybe one day that would be cool” goal so to have it happen to unexpectedly was crazy. So, the last couple months have really been a “stop and smell the roses” period for me so I can remind myself just how far I’ve come.

In your opinion, how should the creative industries propose greater inclusiveness in their projects? Do you think what has been done so far is acceptable?

I think what has been done so far is a great step in the right direction, but it shouldn’t stop there. I still see a lot of brands and clients who their inclusivity is clearly for the sake of it rather than because they actually care about it. You can always tell because there will be one “token” plus size model or one of two “token” models of color and then the rest are thin, white women. I would love to see more brands showcase such a range a model that you can’t tell who was the diversity pick if that makes sense. And I want the industry as a whole to stop labeling models by their sizes. Why do I need to be listed as a Curve model? It just feels silly at this point.

Speaking of self-esteem, could you list what women should do to feel more proud of themselves and their bodies?

Ooof I could write a book about this and it would still be difficult to get some people to hear me. Women are told from the moment we are born what we should look like and how we should act and what we should do to make men attracted to us and so on so it’s not easy to just one day decide to not listen to all that noise. But I’ll give a list of where I think women could start:

-Get naked! I am not kidding, a lot of us hate our bodies and are afraid of our bodies because we avoid it. And there’s nothing like a little exposure therapy to desensitize ourselves to that fear. So, get naked as often as you can. Try and stand naked in the mirror every day for at least 5 minutes and just look at yourself with no judgement. Don’t focus on any particular areas, just look at it as a whole. it’s just a body.

– speaking of not focusing on how it looks, Im a huge advocate for body neutrality. If you’re having a hard time loving your body, try just accepting it. Focus on what your body provides for you, rather than how it looks. My body allows me to do my favorite things, like dance with my friends at my favorite bar on a Friday night, and travel and see the world, and live in physically demanding places like New York City. 

-be specific about what you surround yourself with and what kind of images you’re always seeing. If you’re only following thin “Instagram models” who most likely filter and photoshop their images, it’s likely you’re going to go down a comparison rabbit hole. unfollow people who make you feel bad about yourself, or spend less time on social media all together. Same goes with the people who are around you in your everyday life. If all of your girl friends are consistently talking about dieting and food and what they look like, it’s easy to feel like those are things you should also be obsessing over. Maybe its time to have a conversation with them or find new friends. it’s not easy but it’s worth the effort.

-think about who’s benefitting from you hating yourself, because i can guarantee it’s not you. The diet industry is benefiting. the patriarchy is benefiting. brands who want to sell you an endless supply of products promising to make you prettier, smaller, thinner, better, are benefiting. you cannot hate yourself into a version that you love. you will continue to lose and these brands and systems will continue to win

-and finally, give yourself GRACE. No one is perfect, absolutely no one. and not every day is a good one. Everyone has bad days and insecurities, no matter what you think. allow yourself to feel the bad feelings, and then let them pass. Your value as a human being is not defined by your body or your size or your shape or your weight. Don’t forget that. 

-remember that everyone is so focused on themselves and worrying about what they look like, that it’s most likely that no one is actually focused on what YOU look like. 

Your digital fan base is really solid and growing all the time. How do you relate with the fans, and how do you manage your private life?

It’s something I’ve actually been working on lately is sharing a bit more of my personality and personal life rather than just talking about my body. I’ve started a “dating series” where I talk about my dating life and just where I’m at with all things dating and it’s been a really fun way to connect with my followers. As far as my private life goes, there is still a lot that is private. none of my friends are influencers or even models so I feel like my friendships and relationships are all mine. I think I have a good balance.

Do you think social media could help fight people’s inner discomforts? Or help to become more aware? Let’s think about important issues such as racism, bullying, sustainability for example.

Definitely. I mean let’s look at the 2020 black lives matter revolution, that happened because of social media, because people were learning and talking about it. Same with the last election, it had one of the highest rates of youth electoral participation since the voting age was lowered to 18. And I would bet money on the fact that that was driven by how many of us are on social media. 

As someone who grew up in conservative Texas, there were a lot of things i didn’t understand or know until I moved to New York and was surrounded by more liberal people and ideas. but that was 7 years ago and social media has changed a lot. Now it doesn’t matter where you live, information is everywhere. It’s a lot harder to ignore these issues now because they’re right in front of us, all day long. I think apps like TikTok have been especially helpful as well because it allows us to be heard. I can talk about body issues or politics or sustainability in a way that i never could with Instagram because it’s being pushed to everyone, not just people who follow me. 

What’s your skincare routine? You have an amazing face. How do you start the day on the right foot?

Honestly, I think my skin comes down to two things: genetics and simplicity. At the end of the day, I am just plain lucky and got blessed with my mom’s good skin. But I also use very little products outside of cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen and I think that’s key.  A lot of skin care routines are just overly complicated and end up making things worse and some people don’t realize sometimes less really is more. Also, I drink a LOT of water so that helps lol. 

In terms of starting my day on the right foot, I’ve always given myself way more time than I need in the mornings so i can have a slow morning and not feel rushed. I’ve also recently started forcing myself to wait at least an hour before having my coffee and as annoying as it is to wait, it has really helped me feel better throughout the day. 

Since LATEST is primarily a fashion magazine, this question is definitely a must. Do you have any fashion brands you dream of working with?

Oh plenty! Savage x Fenty, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, For Love and Lemons, Lounge Underwear, Mia Ou, Good American, Stella McCartney, Reformation, I mean the list goes on!