Model and Actress Sarah Stephens on Fashion, Film and Reinventing Herself

Created in Partnership with Samsung

Between her auditions and acting roles, modelling and events, Australian multi-hyphenate Sarah Stephens often switches between characters and identities. Whether the actress is on set or scouring stores for a modelling appearance, Sarah sees style as an extension of her identity and career — as a way to experiment.

“Clothes are costumes to me. I like to experiment depending on my mood, event or character,” she says.

Credit: Declan May

Sarah’s fluid approach to fashion mirrors her layered career. After winning the Girlfriend Magazine model search competition in 2006, the young girl from Sydney jetted to the glamorous world of fashion and modelling.

“I sort of stumbled into modelling without a clear direction for my life, and soon found myself completely immersed in the fashion industry,” Sarah tells Rolling Stone AU/NZ.

From walking 14 shows at her debut New York Fashion Week to being shot by famed German photographer, Ellen Von Unwerth, for Italian and Russian Vogue, Sarah hit dizzying international success early on in her career.

View this post on Instagram

Love Music?

Get your daily dose of everything happening in Australian/New Zealand music and globally.

A post shared by Sarah Stephens (@sarahstephens7)

In Europe, she was the face of Lacoste’s Love of Pink campaign, and just a few months after her 18th birthday, the model walked a coveted international runway. Reaching these milestones so quickly came at a cost, though. “It was all too much too soon,” she reflects. “I burnt out. I couldn’t cope with the loneliness and pressure.”

“As a shy and conscientious kid thrown into a ruthless, cutthroat industry, you often find yourself vulnerable to mistreatment and abuse,” says Sarah. “I often didn’t question what photographers, agents or clients asked of me because I didn’t want to seem rude or ungrateful.”

A young Sarah had to make a decision: continue down the modelling route or head home and regroup.

Credit: Declan May

“I was struggling both physically and emotionally. Being far from home left me feeling incredibly lonely, and the constant pressure to maintain a certain size took a serious toll on my mental health.”

Sarah decided to head home to Australia and “reconnect with reality.” It was during this time that Sarah stumbled upon another passion – acting.

“I attended a summer course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and discovered a deep passion for acting. It felt therapeutic, and the structure kept me engaged, challenged, and energised.”

Sarah’s acting break came in the form of A24 movie, The Witch, directed by Robert Eggers. Her proudest acting achievement, however, was playing Mary in The Flood, a four-person play that ran Off-Broadway in New York and at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast.

Now, as the actress reaches her mid-thirties and returns to the acting industry post-COVID and US writers’ strike shutdowns, Sarah is leaning into self-expression. She’s just finished shooting an independent film in which she portrays an ASIO detective, and is currently working on a short film with a friend.

“I love how acting lets me step into entirely different lives. I have a deep passion for storytelling and the immersive nature of film,” she says.

On a sunny afternoon, we met with the actress as she prepared for a sunset event at Nielsen Park. Sourcing fashion from local stores, including For Artists Only, UTURN Bondi and Ekoluv, the actress shared more about her new approach to fashion in this chapter of her career.

As a young woman who entered the industry nearly two decades ago, Sarah notes that the fashion industry has evolved widely. “Fashion used to be something you waited to see in a magazine spread,” she says. “Now, [thanks to technology], it’s instant, interactive, and more accessible.”

One way Sarah experiments with fashion is through the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7. From finding new stores to booking shoots for her many career ventures, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is powered by Google Gemini*, making it a handy tool for the person with multiple passions who’s constantly on the go.

When it comes to styling herself, Sarah believes that having an everyday uniform is overrated. For the actress and model, a wardrobe full of vintage blazers, polkadots, Mary Janes, and puffy-sleeved blouses means she can transform into whichever character she’s tapping into (both on and off screen).

“Every outfit I put on that day dictates the role I play. It could be bold and cinematic, or it could be soft and intimate and feminine.” But, it’s statement pieces, she says, that make you feel the most powerful.

What’s next for the model and actress?

“Hopefully something in a period drama or maybe even a supervillain. Time will tell, and that’s exactly what makes this career so exciting,” Sarah shares.

From the teenager who catapulted to the top of the international modelling game to the current woman navigating the acting world, Sarah’s career dream that once “felt unrealistic” is coming true, proving that your life’s work (and sense of style) can be multifaceted.

Explore more at Samsung.