Jess Hart: ‘Modelling isn’t as easy as it looks’

LUXURIOUS locations, an impressive collection of bikinis and hordes of adoring fans… life’s a beach for Aussie model Jess Hart.

Jess Hart, as photographed here for Stellar, will be the face (and body) of Seafolly’s latest campaign. Pictures: Simon Upton; Stylist: Gemma Keil

JESS Hart spends a lot of time by the water.

When the 30-year-old New York-based model isn’t sailing in St Tropez, she’s lying on a beach in Capri.

Today, the bronzed blonde is wading in the shallows of a secluded island in the Whitsundays.

Hart appreciates the freedom of the ocean: “I live in such a crazy city; being by the ocean makes you realise you’re a really small part of a huge planet. It’s just nice to have that moment in such an open space.”

Not surprisingly, Hart has an impressive collection of swimsuits. “How many bikinis do I own? Oh god. I don’t know. I literally still have Seafolly bikinis from the first time I shot with them. I don’t get rid of many, so I have a lot — like at least 100,” she admits.

Hart shot her first Seafolly campaign in 2010 and jumped at the chance to front its Summer 3 collection.

Jess Hart shows off a Seafolly playsuit over an Acler top with a Bally belt.

“Seafolly shoots go down in history for me,” she says. “It’s like the best of the best. We have so much fun and go to these beautiful locations.”

For the Stellar fashion shoot, the team based themselves on a boat off Hamilton Island. “It was quite a luxury,” says Hart.

“The guy that owns the boat has a beauty school in Melbourne called Elly Lukas, so there was a masseuse on board. We were pretty spoilt — that’s not normal.”

Luxury boats aside, Hart insists modelling does have its downsides. “We have very early call times and work really long days. I mean, we start at 4.30 in the morning and finish at around 7pm. That’s definitely the hardest part, especially on top of jet lag.”

Quick, someone call a masseuse …

The Seafolly Summer 3 collection is out now; seafolly.com.au.

Originally published as Jess Hart: ‘Modelling isn’t as easy as it looks’