Hailey Baldwin Claims She’s ‘Not Trying to Take Anybody’s Spot’ in the Fashion World

The supermodel war has been reignited once again, thanks to model Hailey Baldwin weighing in on the drama.

The 19-year-old, who appears on the November cover of Harper’s Bazaar Australia, said she’s not trying to replace anyone in the fashion industry and wants to create a path for herself.

This defense comes after Rebecca Romijn said in April that Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid “are not true supermodels.” Stephanie Seymour also said that she questioned the social media stars’ classification as supermodels and would prefer if they were called “bitches of the moment.”

But Baldwin clarified that they are not trying to step on anyone’s toes and they hold their ’90s predecessors in high regard. “The older supermodels sometimes don’t agree with the fact there is a new generation of models,” Baldwin said. “We’re not saying we’re supermodels. I’d rather people look at us as businesspeople, and, yes, modeling is our business right now, but we’re not trying to take anybody’s spot and we’re not trying to discredit the past.”

Baldwin also revealed that she’s always been told that she’ll never be as big as Kate Moss, but said she’s a “completely different individual” and wants to carve her own career in the industry.

Baldwin counts Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid and Jenner as close friends and although she says that she appreciates their friendship, she also believes it’s important to have peers outside the industry to keep you grounded. “If you start to BS these friends, they call you out. They’re ride-or-die for you, no matter what — they have your back,” she said of her hometown friends.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.