Coco Rocha is one of the most famous supermodels, working alongside Karolina Kurkova, Naomi Campbell and others. She has appeared in numerous campaigns including Versace, Dior and Chanel. But when it comes to posing naked, in a bra or any other sultry photoshoots she declines to do so.
The most important reason for that is that she is a Jehovah’s Witness, a religion that prohibits its devours to appear too sexy or too controversial. Because of her religion she refuses to pose nude, semi-nude, in bikini or lingerie.
‘It’s just my boobs aren’t out. And I don’t have a cigarette in my hand, and I’m not making out with a guy. And it’s all fine if you want to do that. I don’t judge. My besties do Victoria’s Secret. I just don’t do it. In the beginning, the clients would say, ”This is too much,” but over time, the ones I liked kept working with me.’
When choosing who to work with she has a thorough checklist:
‘No religious artifacts, no government artifacts. If I’m shooting with a male model, what is he exactly doing with me? What is he wearing? If I’m working with other models, what are they wearing? Are they playing something that I don’t want?…Early on in my career, people were forcing me to do stuff. I was young and vulnerable. Those people should have had the courage to say, Hey, let’s not do that…They’d never ask their kid to do [what they’d ask me to do], but they forget that models are just children. I also should have had the voice to say no. I didn’t do it, so I can’t blame anyone but myself. That’s why I’m so vocal about things today. There was a point where I just wanted to be done with the industry. I was overtired and overworked, but a big part of it was that no one was listening.’
Rocha previously said:
‘When I started modelling, people said to me, ”You’re going to have to throw away your beliefs in order to be a successful model.” But I didn’t… I’m a Christian first and a model second.’
