My Interview with Ginger

‘Ginger Gilroy’ is taking the fashion industry by storm.  Porcelain skin and fiery red hair make for a killer combination; if ever there was a moment for gingers to shine, it’s now.  Aside from shooting and posing with some of the biggest names in the business, Ginger has the personality of a true supermodel in the best possible way.

Over the weekend I got to sit down with her via video chat for a quick interview.

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  Let’s start with something easy:  Is Ginger Gilroy a stage name and is that your natural hair color?

Ginger: I get asked about my hair a lot and yes, it is my natural color; my sister and I are both redheads, we get it from our dad. Ginger is my real name, but Gilroy is a stage name. I like my privacy and I think it’s easier to just swap my last name to get a little barrier between my personal and professional life.

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  I’m officially jealous of your hair. So, how old are you, and where are you from?

Ginger:  Isn’t age just a number?  No, really (she laughs), I’m new on the “teen modelling” scene, but in reality, I’m going to be turning 22 this year. I’m originally from Shere, a little village in England.  My family moved around quite a bit when I was growing up, we were blended nomads before it was cool or trendy.  My favorite place to live was Rothenburg, Germany, for sure.  It was like living in a town straight out of a fairy tale, just charming.

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  Do you speak German?

Ginger:  Not nearly enough, thankfully my dad was homeschooling me at the time so I was able to continue learning in English.  I can remember a few key phrases in German and I can usually tell if someone’s a native speaker or not when I’m watching a subtitled movie.  My sister went to public school and picked it up pretty quickly, though.  She’s always had a knack for languages. 

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  How did you start modeling?  Is your sister a model, too?  I realize I know the answer to this already, but some of our readers might not.

Anne, age 19 (left) / Ginger, age 15 (right)

Ginger:  She’s pretty enough to be a model for sure, I mean she’s gorgeous, I’d kill for her freckles. But no, she never got into it the way I did – she’s a wallflower and she’ll probably be embarrassed that I mentioned her at all.  Hi Anne, I love you!
Like I said before, we’re a blended family. My mom is Anne’s step-mother (second marriage for our dad) and she was obsessed with shoving me in every beauty pageant she could.  Anne was a little older and when she said she wasn’t interested, that decision was respected. Me, I liked the attention and my mom was determined. I think the day I got a call back from a reputable agency she actually cried. She tells everyone her daughter is a model and she has every picture ever publicized of me in a scrap-book, it’s really cute. She might be living vicariously, but that’s okay, we all do to some extent.

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  I suppose we do.  Are you happy modelling?

Ginger:  Honestly, it’s like any other job – you have good days and bad.  It’s exciting to get to meet famous photographers and people you’ve only seen on the cover of a magazine – like Poppy Parker, I still can’t believe I got to pose with her! – but it’s not as easy as you might think.  There’s a lot of travel involved, which sounds glamorous until you realize you’re flying coach and it’s not a vacation.  Like when I went to Paris for fashion week – I had several back-to-back gigs so as soon as I was done, I had to skip the parties and catch another flight.  I didn’t even get to see the city while I was there.  It can be exhausting and the jet-lag is crazy.

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  How do you handle the jet-lag? As a fan, what’s Poppy Parker like in person?

Ginger: Poppy was amazing, working with her was incredible - we’re supposed to be frenemies if you listen to gossip, but she’s really nice. I was so nervous and she told me she still had butterflies even to this day, and everyone knows she’s a pro.
She gave me a few insider tips, including the best jet-lag tip I can offer to anyone: Power Naps. I’ve embraced them wholly - if they worked for Poppy and JFK, they can work for me. That, and coffee, lots and lots of coffee.

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  What’s been your favorite job so far?

Ginger:  Working with Poppy has to be tied with my shoot with Chentiffen Ayalitzin. The hair and makeup team were on top of their game and the photos that came out were just beautiful. It was a really rewarding experience and I go tot see a little bit of Madrid before the craziness of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week started.  Now that was a whirlwind, I wasn’t even sure what day it was when I got back home.

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  Where do you call home these days?

Ginger:  My base of operations is in New York City and my boyfriend’s flat is in London; and yes, before you ask, long-distance can work, but it takes more effort than your average relationship.  Right now, I’m hunkered down with him in London and I can honestly say neither one of us is ready to murder the other. 

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  That’s a good sign in any relationship.  When you’re not busy jet-setting over the globe, what are your favorite things to do? 

Photo Credit: Chentiffen Ayalitzin

Ginger:  I dabble in photography, nothing too serious, just enjoy walking around wherever I’m at and taking pictures.  I know it’s going to sound cheesy because he’s sitting right here with me, but I love spending time with George.  (George audibly “Awwwws” in the background) He’s super laid back and supportive.  Mostly we just veg out on the couch watching movies.  We’re both big fans of comedy, we love to laugh. 

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  What’s your favorite movie and why?

Ginger:  That’s a toughie.  I think I’d have to say “French Kiss”. I love the music, the setting (Paris), the chemistry between Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline, and the story because I think every woman can relate to the situation Kate found herself in. I mean, not literally chasing her cheating fiance to another country, but how many of us haven’t tried to make a relationship with a toxic guy work at least once in our lives? I know I have.

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  If you had one piece of advice to offer to aspiring models, what would it be?

Ginger:  If you’re going to model, don’t put the job before your health.  Get yourself a nutritionist and a personal trainer who can work with you, you’re going to need a support structure.  If it gets stressful and you need a breather, take it, because burning out can really cost you in the long run.  And remember: you are more than just a pretty face - if you want a degree, go earn one, you deserve it.

Eve/PlasticallyPerfect:  Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me.

Ginger:  My pleasure, thanks for asking, this was pretty cool.



DISCLAIMER Please note: This is an interview conducted by a fictional character (Eve Elliots) with another fictional character (Ginger Surname unknown). This is NOT an official interview created by Integrity Toys, this is my personal story of the character I’ve chosen to bring into my doll community.**