Instagram-scouted models are on the rise and Elizabeth Jane Bishop is the poster-girl of the pack. Curated feeds and selfies galore are the portfolios of ready-made new faces just waiting to sign on the dotted modelling contract line. Bishop just was another Tumblr obsessed teen endlessly scrolling into infinity, until she was snatched up as one of Elite London’s Special Bookings, alongside the likes of disco maestro Dev Hynes and LA’s Saint Laurent darlings, The Garden.
Since being signed, Bishop’s starred in a campaign for Uniqlo, been posted about by any self-respecting #fblogger and racked up nearly 600k followers on the platform that elevated her, Instagram. With the inception of “internet fame” and agents swapping street- casting for an alarmingly thorough online stalk, the world wide web wonder-girls’ gang is only growing. Elizabeth Jane Bishop’s paving the way with glittery, slogan-filled Insta square slabs.
Navy wool jacket with shearling detail and black and white printed wool skirt both by NEIL BARRETT, white cotton sports socks and white with red swoosh leather classic cortez trainer both by NIKE
Wonderland: If you were an emoji which would you be?
Elizabeth Jane Bishop: I would be one of the many sushi emojis.
W: What’s the best hashtag?|
E: #ihatehashtags.
W: Filter or no filter?
E: No way – sometimes my friends ask me my opinion on filters and I stare blankly at them because I think they’re so hideous! They make your skin orange and your hair blue… Who wants to see that?!
W: Which photos get the most likes?
E: Candid images, I think it’s refreshing to see real people on social media rather than try hard.
W: Do you have someone you consult before you post pics online (like we all send selfies to our bff for an honest opinion)?
E: Sometimes if I’m with my best friend I’ll send her a couple of pictures for a second opinion but most the time, not really. I’m really relaxed about it.
W: When did you start to notice you were getting more Instagram followers than the average person?
E: When I would connect and network with new people and they would ask for my Instagram and say something along the lines of, ‘Whoa, is this your profile?’ I thought it was just a normal thing to begin with! I also started to notice when people would suddenly try to be my best friend in hope for a ‘shoutout’, GURL BYE.
W: Did you always want to be a model? Obviously Instagram wasn’t really around when you were a kid so how did you envisage yourself getting into the industry?
E: It was either fashion or marine biology. Since I was 14 I’ve wanted to build my way up to becoming an editor, which is why I’m also studying at university, but I had never, ever imagined being a model! I had never deemed myself ‘model material’.
W: Is there anyone you aspire to be like? Do you consider yourself to be in a separate kind of ‘world’ to old school models as we’ve moved into a more digital and self- promotional age?
E: Social media platforms such as Instagram have only been around 5 years (scary thought, I know). In that short time the platform has changed the industry massively e.g. Marc Jacobs finding models off Instagram and classic brands like Burberry streaming behind the scenes footage of their new campaign worldwide. I think as the industry changesmso will the models… Maybe I’m part of a new breed of model and there will be others like me in the future.
Blue denim jacket and jeans both by DSQUARED2, navy with neon logo detail cotton top by NIKE X SACAI, white cotton sports socks by TOPSHOP and white with black swoosh classic cortez trainers by NIKE
White crackle print jacket by VIONNET, black nylon and cotton top by NIKE X SACAI, black lace up denim jeans by HOOD BY AIR available from a selection at SELFRIDGES, white cotton socks by NIKE, black with white swoosh classic cortez trainers by NIKE
Navy wool jacket with leather sleeves by NIKE X SACAI, black wool thin knit sleeveless dress by MOSCHINO available from a selection at BROWNS, white cotton socks and white with black swoosh classic cortez trainers both by NIKE
Black wool jumper with stripes by MARCO DI VINCENZO, blue denim jeans by 7 FOR ALL MAN KIND, white cotton sports socks by TOPSHOP, white with red swoosh leather classic cortez trainer by NIKE
Makeup: Jessica Taylor using NARS COSMETICS
Hair: Hiroshi Matsushita using KIEHL’S
Photographer’s assistant: Jade Jackson
Fashion assistant: Kamran Rajput
Model: Elizabeth Jane Bishop @ Elite Model Management
Words: Lily Walker
With thanks to special bookings at Elite Model Management