Shanina Shaik On Motherhood, Her Multicultural Heritage, And Moving Forward
The supermodel on her Arabic bloodlines, breaking into the beauty business and her new baby boy
A survivor. That’s the best way to describe Shanina Shaik. When faced with adversity, against all odds, she doesn’t just push through, she thrives. And although most people consider the pandemic one of the most testing times of their lives, the supermodel had already experienced her own annus horribilis in 2019. She sighs when thinking back, “I was moving, I was dealing with my divorce. I was single for the first time in a long while. It’s just so many changes in every aspect of my life. Change is scary, I think, for everybody.”
The pandemic was, in effect, a reawakening, a reboot, a restart. “I don’t know if everyone’s into astrology, but I am and there is a thing called when your Saturn returns. It’s kind of when the universe is cleansing everything from your life. Whatever is meant to stay will stay, and what was meant to go away will move out of your life. It makes you uncomfortable to get rid of those things, to start fresh, because it’s like coming into adulthood,” she philosophises. “So, at that time, all of these things were happening, and I didn’t understand that when your Saturn returns, it’s just cleansing everything from your life and changing into a new form.”
If she’d known from the start what was in store, she might have been more sanguine. “Because of the pandemic, I was stuck in London for a whole year. I love London, so it was great, because I have best friends there, I have an amazing agent there and had a new life over there. I met the father of my child [Matthew Adesuyan, head of an L.A. record label] so that came into place. Being there had its little perks. I have no regrets,” she laughs. But that is, of course, in hindsight. At the time, “I had no plans for a relationship, I was eager to get back home to the United States and I just didn’t know where I was in life. Work was frustrating – the uncertainty was scary. But it was all meant to happen for a reason.”
This fresh start for Shanina was all-encompassing. Fast forward four years, and the catwalk queen now has a new home in Los Angeles – her first property purchase ever – an American Green Card, a new partner, a new business, and most life-changingly, a four-month-old son, Zai Adesuyan.
Shanina Shaik: Striving For Stability
She’s been in front of the camera since the age of eight, yet despite the fact that she’s reached the pinnacle of the modelling industry, Shanina is surprisingly honest about how she views her future in the business. “Modelling is very competitive,” she explains, “and there are so many beautiful women and gorgeous men out there. You’re always changing and evolving. And I wanted to really knuckle down and work on what I love and what I’m passionate about.”
And it turns out, what she’s passionate about is skincare. Her face literally lights up when talking about her new project that’s been her primary focus for the past three years: “I’ve been working on a line since I was about 22, but I was trying to do it by myself. I was educating myself, asking questions, and realised, wow, this is difficult if you want to do it properly. I think there was a timing in place for me to do it. I was trying to go to Japan or Korea to go to the labs there… then the pandemic happened. And then I got pregnant. But I’ve always had a dream board, and ideas that I want to work on for my own skincare line. So, I’ve manifested it because the group that I’m working with, and the team that I’m working with is amazing. And all the skincare will be from the best Korean skincare labs over there. I’m excited.”
Given her flawless, make-up-free features during the interview, we are sure the cosmetic scene will eagerly embrace her new venture. But aside from a growing realisation that her field is synonymous with youth, the path her predecessors and contemporaries have forged, capitalising on their profile to diversify their personal brands, has also played a part in this choice.
“My peers and my friends are my role models, and they give me courage to work on what I want as well. Miranda Kerr, who I’m quite close with and who did Victoria’s Secret as well, has her own skincare line. I’m seeing Elsa [Pataky] and Rosie [Huntington-Whiteley] working on their own fashion lines now. I just love that with our job we can stretch it and go in different directions. Some girls just want to stick to fashion – that is what they love – but we can take that opportunity to go where we want in in life.”
Shanina Shaik: Against The Odds
One of the things the Australian-born beauty is proudest of is her multicultural heritage. She never shirks from celebrating her Pakistani-Saudi, Lithuanian-Australian roots. That’s why she’s always felt an affinity with the region. A recent visit to Saudi for the Red Sea International Film Festival was a dream come true and gave her the opportunity to connect with an intrinsic part of her bloodline.
When you see her, you’d think Shanina’s success was inevitable. But that certainly wasn’t the case. The 32-year-old is outspoken about the challenges she faced when starting out. She recalls, “I don’t look like the beachy Australian girl, even though the country is so diverse, and that’s what makes it great. So, for me it was difficult to have a foundation and start my modelling career. I had to go to New York [aged 17]. My look was so ambiguous and different. In America it was kind of celebrated. And there’s been times when I would go to jobs, and it’s great for my work to look [like this]. But I’ve also missed out on jobs because I didn’t fit in a category. That was really upsetting for me. I have been turned away at castings. It lowered my self-esteem quite a lot.”
It was at these times that her fighting spirit showed. “I didn’t give up. There’s been so many times where I felt like I wanted to. There have been so many times when I’m like, okay, I think modelling is done for me. In those moments I think you must come within yourself and be quiet. Think about what you want. I’ve let things happen around me rather than forcing them. Changing your team is important. I really push this with anyone who wants to come into modelling – having a team behind you who really support you and your beliefs and will stand up for you is a total priority.”
But surely things have evolved? She answers quickly, “Definitely. I think our voices are so strong, and people have had the courage to speak up, with the help of social media, which is great. I feel there’s so many things we still need to change about body image, but I’ve loved how it’s evolved. I feel accepted now. People see me. People want to celebrate me. We’re still working on things. And with our voice, things will change.”
Nowadays, it almost feels like Shanina’s look captures the zeitgeist. She agrees, musing, “Yes, it was probably a little bit ahead of the time. My family is just very diverse. My mom’s Caucasian, but she loved who she loved, and she didn’t see anything but the person.”
Shanina Shaik On Catwalks And Controversies
It is perhaps slightly ironic that the brand that pushed her onto a pedestal – literally giving her wings in 2011 – is one that has also had to change with the times. She unhesitatingly credits Victoria’s Secret for rocketing her career to stratospheric levels. “My biggest break in my career was Victoria’s Secret, and I know that they booked me because they loved how diverse I was,” she says proudly. “Being from a Middle Eastern background and being a role model for women over there [in the region] that don’t really see a mixed girl in beauty campaigns or in lingerie or on the catwalk, it made me feel good. Victoria’s Secret created a huge change in my career, and it was where I felt accepted and celebrated.”
And even though she didn’t see a reflection of herself in the glossy magazine covers or on high-fashion runways at the time, Shanina wasn’t ever short of role models. “I wanted to do Victoria’s Secret as I really looked up to a lot of the women there; Adriana Lima who I was quite close with, and Miranda. For me it is about their personality and the strength that they have within themselves. They’re very humble. I think those are the traits that I look up to and I value. I remember when Taylor Hill did her first show in London, and I was talking to her about it and just giving her advice. I love to play that nurturing mother role and give advice. I still have conversations with younger girls in Australia. It means so much to have someone to listen, who you can vent to and share things with. I hope I can be that person for younger women.”
Fighting stereotypes from all directions has also been par for the course. Was she ever tempted to hide rather than put a spotlight on her Pakistani and Saudi side? “There’s been comments made, maybe I am showing too much skin… my father’s Muslim and people asking about my background, but then at the same time, people don’t even know that I’m Middle Eastern, which is shocking. So, I’ve had a dose of everything, but mostly it’s been positive so that’s good,” she explains.
A recent story with Harper’s Bazaar Australia showed the world baby Zai, but even that was not the easiest decision to make. Putting his images in the public eye was not something they initially wanted to do. “My partner and I were very private with him when he was born, we didn’t show him at all and really didn’t share anything. I think the press found out I gave birth and then found out his name and put it out there before I announced anything which was a bit of an upset, but it happens with my work and I expect it sometimes. When you expect it, you don’t really get upset about it,” Shanina shares. “I’m so happy I can share him now as he’s such a cutie. And I have so much to share. But little by little.”
The conversation about privacy immediately takes us into the space of social media. “It has its pros and cons,” she admits. “I love the idea that we’re in control of our own brand and can voice our own opinion, show our personality, put our truth out there. But at the same time, it opens a gateway to harassment and bullying. It can really affect our mental health because it consumes us and it’s part of the job to be on your phone all the time. It’s important to have breaks. I have a clock on my phone. I turn off social media or have a Do Not Disturb on.
Shanina Shaik On Happily Ever After
When the clearly doting mother mentions her four-month-old son – cute anecdotes are peppered throughout our conversation – it is clear that this latest chapter in her life story is the most important to her. The phrase ‘life-changing’ is synonymous with having a baby – but has the experience fundamentally changed her? “That’s a great question,” she immediately replies. Considering it fully, she answers, “I’m not sure if it changed me entirely. I have seen a side of me where I’m more protective. Zai loves The Lion King and while watching it, I felt like I had become a lioness that’s so protective of him and just worries about him and everything that he does,” Shanina smiles.
She warms to the theme, “I have this newfound respect for women, in general. Just the things that we do, what we can do, what we must deal with. How we learn to prioritise, not just the nurturing aspect of taking care of our child, but also trying to find balance within life and taking care of partners or friends, running a business and cooking and cleaning at the end of the day – it’s just so many things. Matthew says, ‘I feel I want to help you so much more. It’s funny how we weren’t given the milk to even just help the mom out. It is all up to women to create and nurture and give life,’ which I found was really funny, but it’s true.”
When it comes to this sphere, she is remarkably self-aware and highlights her privilege. “It really takes a village. I have a great support system,” she says, quickly distributing kudos.
Maintaining a healthy dose of romance in the relationship, and having an open dialogue was also critical to the aspiring entrepreneur. “My partner and I had a lot of conversations before Zai was born about our priorities. We always have a date night. We always give time to each other. We’re very lucky to have to be independent in our roles with work so whenever I need to go somewhere we can work on a schedule. We’re at home for most of the time and Matthew’s parents are here [in Los Angeles] to help as well. I’ve been really weird about people coming over to take care of Zai. I don’t want to give him away yet and have other people take care of him, but I know I will. It’s coming to that time now. We’re working on that as well…”
And, when it comes to having a multicultural heritage, Zai has certainly won the lottery. “His father is mixed as well. His mom’s Armenian, and he’s from Iran and Nigeria. So, Zai is even more mixed than me. Even more diverse!” Given his pedigree, surely a life in front of the lens might be a natural choice? “If that is something he wanted to do, I would give advice from my own experience, and hope that he would decide for himself. But I would push the idea that starting young is probably not the best way to go. We can be any age now and do modelling. You don’t have to be a 15 or 14-year-old girl, because the cap on modelling would have been 23-24. If you had a child, your career would have been finished as well. Things have changed. I want to be my son’s biggest supporter and guide him in the best direction.”
Shanina Shaik On Looking Ahead
She’s been in the spotlight for so long and achieved so much that it would be natural to assume Shanina’s ready to take a step back and rest on her laurels, especially when it comes to the industry that she seems to have conquered. Yet she quickly dispenses of that notion. “I still love modelling; I love being able to talk about my experiences to help younger women and create diversity and more discussions within the industry. I’ve done a lot of high fashion, but I still haven’t hit the mark with certain brands that I would love to work with. I have my own skincare line, but I would love to have a beauty skincare contract. There is so much that I still want to work on and to achieve. There are so many things that I would like to tick off still. I think it is great to have dreams and big goals.”
Given her pregnancy went so smoothly, would she like to add to her brood? “Maybe in a few years’ time. I want two children, so we’ll see how that goes. It might be different second time round – I’m going to count my blessings. But I had a very easy, amazing pregnancy. I got away with so much. I ate what I wanted, did what I wanted. And even my birth was very, very easy as well.”
She’s also keen to return to the Middle East. She enthuses about her Saudi trip, “Everything’s big and grand. For me, it’s kind of like my birthright to see it all. That’s where I’m from in many ways, and I wanted to see where my family is from. It was beautiful and for me to be able to be there and walk around – I had a great time; everyone was so welcoming. I would love to visit again.” She jokes, “I also love Dubai. I’m so upset I wasn’t there for Beyoncé [who performed at the opening of Atlantis The Royal]. I’ve got the green-eyed monster, I’m jealous.”
Before our conversation ended, we picked up on something she’d said earlier. Since 2015, on every New Year’s Eve, Shanina writes a letter to herself. “I’d advise anyone to do it. It’s beautiful to read, after so many years, to see the transition of yourself, talking to yourself and asking yourself to change things that you would like to see for the future.” So, what did she hope for at the dawn of 2023? “I’ve always wanted to be a mom. I kind of manifested that. My focus is just taking care of Zai, working really hard for him and creating a lifestyle that’s comfortable for all my loves. I wasn’t expecting to be a mom last year, so that was a beautiful gift.”
Photography: Ellen Von Unwerth. Styling: Gabriela Cambero.
Editor In Chief: Olivia Phillips. Art Director: Oscar Yáñez. Fashion Director: Anna Castan. Executive Producer: Jean-marc Mondelet. Producer: Steff Hawker. Hair: Eduardo Bravo. Make-up: Kelly Mcclain Using Guerlain. Nail Artist: Adrienne At B Agency. Stylist’s Assistant: Florentyna Syperek. Location: Bonnie Restaurant At So/paris Hotel
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s February 2023 issue.