The Catwalk

Anaelle Petit reminisces about her initial days in modelling – 

“Those were wonderful times. I was barely eighteen, when this photograph was taken. I still remember. I had run away from home to make a career in modelling and this was my third or fourth assignment. Jacques (my co model) and I were shooting at the Pampellone beach. The commercial was for Papillon, a clothes company and the shoot director wanted to capture us having fun at the beach. Jacques trod into the water happily but I was very scared. I have always had water phobia since I fell into the pool as a child and simply couldn’t bring myself to go in. The water was barely ankle deep but I was petrified. 

The director Charles, Jacques, Lucia (my stylist) tried to cajole me but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Worse, I was a newbie and anxious to make my mark in the modelling world. I could see Charles getting frustrated and losing his patience. I feared he would fire me and replace me with another model and I would never get a modelling assignment again.  Luckily for me, Jacques had a brainwave. He told me to close my eyes and not open them until he told me to. I could feel myself being picked up like a doll and carried. With my eyes tightly shut, Jacques walked into the water and I heard him tell me to smile and laugh like I have never laughed before. I did just that. And that’s how this picture was taken. 

So though I look really happy and as if I am having the time of my life, in truth I was petrified when this picture was taken.”