"Cat Eye" Model Will Change Fashion Forever
Caitin Stickels, 29, has been an artist for as long as she can remember. In a recent shoot for V Magazine, Stickels - the first model with Schmid-Fraccaro Syndrome to be featured in a major fashion spread - went majorly viral, starting a conversation around modeling stereotypes and how to shatter them.
Only 1 in 150,000 people are thought to have Schmid-Fraccaro, which is also known as"cat eye syndrome" because of the genetic physical abnormalities patients typically have around their eyes. The Seattle-based artist spoke about how her syndrome does not define her, her art, or how she can impact the world with her work.
Had you always wanted to be an actress and model?
I've always been an artist at heart. When I was little, all I would do is draw and paint and I'd run out into the woods in the morning and I wouldn't come home until literally it was so dark you can't see. I've always needed to be creative. I've always been kind of introverted and independent, probably independent more so than introverted. I was not really thinking about being a model or actress or anything, but just being productive and getting a message out there.
So tell me how you went from someone who prefers working independently to booking such a high-profile V Magazine spread?
It's weird, [but] my life is kind of like that! Everything in my life is kind of organic. And I think that because I'm not trying, the most beautiful beautiful opportunities are falling into my lap. I was making my art, doing what I've been doing all these years and [famous fashion photographer Nick Knight] stumbled upon me on Instagram and he wanted to do something together. He didn't know quite what yet, but he knew it was going to be epic. And I was like "Do you know who I am, because I'm nobody. You're incredible." And he turned that right back around on me. I couldn't quite understand why did, but obviously he held a lot of respect for me and next thing I know he says "We have an editorial with V Magazine."
What was the most surprising thing about partaking in such a high-fashion photo shoot?
The fact that I would never expect to see someone [who is not stereotypically beautiful] in a fashion editorial. Whether it's because you're petite or because you're tattooed, or maybe it's because you have curly hair. That's why I do what I do because, on one hand, I think we're all different. Nobody is the same as another and nobody is perfect. That's what makes us all so incredible in really different ways. But nonetheless, fashion usually stays in a certain comfortable zone. You'd never seen anyone quite like myself in V, but I always loved that they do seem to want to break the scene a little bit.
Obviously your Instagram has blown up since the shoot came out. What is your relationship typically like with your social platforms?
It's kind of funny. I really was never going to have an Instagram - as I knew it, Instagram was for your cats and your food. And then my friend, she models as well, she was just hanging out in the living room, doing stuff with my phone... and next thing I know, she’s like "OK, so you have an Instagram account, you might want to start posting." And I was like “Uhhh.”
It didn’t take too long to grow [a following]. People were very, very, very receptive to my art and what I was making. And, you know, you don’t have to just show your cat. You can show your work and people will be accepting of it.
What's your dream modeling gig?
Hm. I want to conquer the world. I want to be seen. I want to do everything. I want to do things that nobody will forget, and if there are more publications out there that have the same endeavor, I’m totally up for it.
Is there an artist whose work you particularly admire?
Many … of course it is a bit weird to have [just networked with] one of my ultimate favorites. [Nick Knight] is kind of the master of them all to me. Tim Walker, Ellen von Unwerth, Annie Leibovitz. I’m so multi-faceted myself that I don’t want to limit it to just fashion photographers, if that makes any sense. I want to work with Cyndi Lauper.
Was there a particular moment you can pinpoint when you realized that you don't have to look a certain way to do what you love?
I was very lucky in that I learned self-love as a child. I saw kids being bullied just like I was being bullied. They're being teased for their freckles and I'm being teased for my eyes. But really what's the difference?
Having a syndrome doesn’t limit me. Every single one of us feels limited in one way or another, and the truth is, I don’t feel my syndrome is different from [anyone else's] differences. A lot of people may find that to be offensive but I hope they don't - there’s nothing wrong with being human. All differences are beautiful, and all differences are the same.
What has the feedback been since this editorial was published?
It's definitely overwhelming. But I've always been used to having a lot of attention on me. I'm not going to lie about that. Except a lot of people seem to think that it's generally negative attention I receive and that's not actually the case. That happens every now and then, but more so people are absolutely intrigued by me.
But I'm not about being the center of attention. I don't need to hide either but the attention that I've been getting since V and Nick has been ... a lot. It's been a lot. And it is weird. I already kind of felt like I didn't have much privacy and now I really can't go anywhere. But it's OK because I feel like my life has been preparing me for more. My entire life, my 29 years, I've been told "You're going to be famous, you're going to be big, but I don't know what it is." And I've always been like "Haha, yeah that's cute." But people also say I'm humble to a fault, so I don't know what to think of that either. All I know is that I'm here to fulfill myself and hopefully what I do can help others to build their own dreams as well. If it draws a lot of attention, that's more than fine. I really, really want to see the world change.
If you could see one thing come of all this publicity, what would it be?
It would be, I suppose, for people to rethink what their limitations really are and for society to think about it. Not just beauty, because I think that's too subjective and too simple. I would like to see acceptance of each other. I would love to see more hearts open, the artistic world open, even the fashion industry open up a little bit, which is a little idealistic to say. But why not?
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