Woman Power Wednesday: Laragh McCann

For this week's Woman Power Wednesday, we're looking at the gorgeous Laragh McCann. Laragh is a model who has taken the step into new creative ventures such as directing and photography. Her directorial debut was the incredible My Body, My Choice video for the Repeal campaign, which you can check out here. We caught up with Laragh to chat about the fashion industry, her directing career and her plans for the future. Enjoy! 




Photo from models.com


Do you think being in the fashion industry from such a young age had a positive or negative affect on your view of women?

In hindsight, it gave me a great view of woman. The owners of my first agency in Dublin were two sisters. My first shoot was shot by a woman. Aisling Farinella was the main fashion woman in Ireland when I started. The director of my first international agency in Paris, Ford, was a woman. Some of the biggest and most influential names in the fashion industry are women - Miuccia Prada, Anna Wintour, Pat Mcgrath, Simone Rocha, Katie Grand. The girlfriends I made modelling are to this day my role models.

Modelling is also one of the few industries where women are payed a lot more than men. Although, it’s quite layered, despite being awestruck by the woman in charge in the industry, these strong woman were really fighting against the tide. Fighting against a big picture that makes woman feel like shit. The fashion industry creates an illusion that beauty is a woman’s most powerful asset. That side of things, even though at the time I wasn’t fully aware of what I was feeling, really didn’t make me feel happy.

The actual industry itself is mainly a business and what sells is making women - the main buyers - feel like they need something so it creates an unhealthy dynamic where women always feel inadequate, especially when comparing to unrealistic standards. Although things are changing so much lately, the trend thankfully is for women (and men) to embrace their bodies and also their minds and their creativity.




Photo from fashiongonerogue.com


What made you want to branch out to photography and directing along with modelling?

I always had that interest. In school I loved art and right from the moment I started modelling I became obsessed with all the photographers and the magazines and pretty much from the get go had a camera with me travelling. Constantly being surrounded by creative people in the industry as well really propelled that instinct further and made a career seem possible, much more tangible then if I’d stayed in college I think.




Photo from laraghmccann.com


My Body, My Choice was your directorial debut, what made you get involved with the project?

Anna Cosgrave of Repeal is one of my best friends. I chatted to her about it when we hung out so I saw the whole campaign come to life from a small idea to what it’s become now. Around the same time I was starting out directing, so it was just a natural occurrence with timing and mutual interests aligning.




Photo from fashionmodelsdirectory.com


What else are you working on for the future?

The woman around me day to day inspire me. A lot of people who aren't in the spotlight, literally mothers, doctors, the nice lady in the post office! I feel hugely inspired by Gemma Dunleavy who writes and produces all her work, Stephanie Dufresne who's an amazing dancer who i've worked with a lot lately, Anna Cosgrave, my housemate Beth! I don’t think you have to look very far or even on Instagram to see incredible and amazing women.



Follow Laragh on Instagram here

Check out her website here



Ciara x