‘I have beauty and brains – models don’t sit around all day being pretty’
A model said people who work in the beauty industry have beauty and brains – and don’t just sit around all day “being pretty”.
Maren Tschinkel managed to win Miss Germany in 2018 and model for Victoria’s Secret in France while remaining a straight-A student throughout school before she earned a degree in economics.
The 24-year-old juggled modelling with her education throughout her teenage years and excelled academically, particularly in maths where she was consistently top of the class.
READ MORE: ‘People tell me I have brains and beauty – but I don’t like them saying it’
Maren said she doesn’t understand why people believe all models are stupid, as she thinks it’s a “lazy stereotype”.
She said, sadly, the viewpoint is quite prevalent among many people – but she wants people to know it’s an image of the past.
The bombshell is keen to prove models have brains – and they want to use them and share their knowledge.
(Image: Media Exposure/Maren Tschinkel)
Maren said: “This is outdated thinking that has never been right.
“You can have beauty and brains – what is so controversial about that?
“Modelling is a very competitive industry that is not based solely on looks.
“You must adapt to pressure well, and not show nerves regardless of how chaotic it is backstage.
“It is time society as a whole saw that, and got rid of this archaic thinking.”
(Image: Media Exposure/Maren Tschinkel)
Maren, who studied economics at the University of Augsburg, believes attitudes are very different among younger generations.
She credits social media for allowing her to show her followers what her life is really like.
“It could be getting ready for a show with five minutes’ notice or having to catch a flight halfway across the world 90 minutes after a show finishes,” she explained.
“If they watch my content, they can see the pressure I am under.
“They can also see my interests and what I do with my spare time.
“I love sport, nature and animals.
“That rubbishes what a stereotypical model does in some people’s book.
“Seeing first-hand the person that I am, breaks down those barriers.
“And while there may be a lot wrong with social media – it does allow you to connect with your audience on that level.”
(Image: Media Exposure/Maren Tschinkel)
The model said this negative view of her industry is predominantly held by older generations, and people who are less likely to use social media.
Without the platforms she said she’d have “no chance” of breaking down barriers and showing people a different side of her life.
She said, even though her face is on billboards, she’s a “multi-faceted person”.
Maren added: “The people who I find the most judgemental are older ones who think I sit around all day ensuring that I stay super slim and pretty.
“That couldn’t be further from the truth but unless I invite them to come and live with me for a week, which I certainly am not going to, then I know it will be a tough fight to change their minds.”
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