Hey everybody. I'm Ashley Graham. And this is pretty big deal. We're confidence is key every episode I get to pick the brains of brilliant and inspiring honest new and old friends who are a pretty big deal today. We are talking to the dynamic Emily Ratajkowski AKA am Rana in this episode. We talk about her career.Her business and her insane work ethic Emily Ratajkowski is in the house. What's up? Thank you for coming to PVD. I'm so happy to be here. Thank you for having me. Of course. I mean, I really wanted you for season one and it just didn't work out. So this is making me so happy like you're an expert now and interviewing like it's meant to be I am not an expert but after an expert, thank you. I just have to say that I mean and I've told you this before and maybe we've had many drinks when I told you this but but every time I see you out, it's like you are the Good Vibes girl. It doesn't matter if we're like sardines in a club or like board at a party or we're on a red carpet. You're always the same person. You're always like down to just have a real conversation. You're super normal. You've never made me feel like oh I'm going to hang out with them and not you. Yeah, just like a normal chick. I know I wish I was like better at that bullshit. I'm just not so I've accepted that it's really nice because I do feel like With you I have like such a genuine connection and with other people in the industry. Like I don't have too many of those surface level like oh we're best friends kind of thing which like maybe is about thing for my career but like ultimately better for my soul. I think soul is like the first thing that we have to take care of and then there are so many games that we have to play. Yes, and I think that playing the games gets to be like so obnoxious and that's what gives us the anxiety and the pressure and this yeah, that's why you freaked out on a Monday morning and I like I'm not coming to work. I can't handle it. Just did it. It yeah do it that's good though. I mean it's really important to also give yourself breaks. I was just telling Emily about how I had to actually take a break and I actually told this whole career right behind you guys that I just couldn't make it in so it's important. Do you have to do things like that care man, totally. I'm trying to get better at like being more consistent with the self-care so I don't have days where I have meltdowns, you know, I think our job is really hard and you've done such a good job, and it really inspires me of like not just being a I can write like you're not just a model who just represents like her body and who she is you stand for so much more and that's also like really good for your soul. It is still that doesn't mean that we don't have moments where we're just being a mannequin. Okay. So like we had bills. Yeah, that's the truth. So I try to find that balance of like, you know, having good conversations with people working on my stuff. That's really fulfilling and then like making money. Yeah. I know that there's a statistic. It's like 40 to 60 percent of Americans. And now go to the doctor's office because of stress related issues and just imagine how many women that is like. Yeah hearing that statistic just kind of blew me away because if I don't have that morning routine love like wake up prayer meditation set my intention. I'm not going to go into the day and have a good one. Do you have do you have like a daily thing that you do I write which is really good. Sometimes I wake up and like if my husband still asleep, I'll literally just opened. My phone and like go off other times. It'll be like in the afternoon if I have a break. It really just depends obviously our schedule is constantly changing but you know, I'm 28. I've been working in this industry. I started model. I signed with Ford when I was 14. So like it's a long long journey and people as used to say to me about being a model like, oh, well, there's an age limit like there's a time limit like it's like athletes added on I was always like that so fucked up like that's some sexist ages bullshit like that makes me mad and then Now that I'm 28, I'm like, oh no, like human beings actually can't physically survive being just seen for their appearance for this amount of time. I'm like, that's why by the time you hit 30, you're like I got find something else, you know, so I've been really mindful of that and like trying to you know, as all women have to sort of do be more than just our image our body like be conscious of that struggle. Yeah, I agree with you and I'm so glad I mean just to share the fact that you're writing. That's cool. Yeah. It's I mean, even if it is just for me like it but that's all it needs to be here. It is a need to be free. Yeah, so I think the first time you and I met was actually at a Sports Illustrated party and I was were you in CSI one time yeah or two. Okay two times. Yeah, and it was so funny because I wasn't actually in as I officially and it's just I was in a really remember I came up to you. Yes at the party. I was like this girl and you were so nice to me you like. I just wanted to congratulate you. At you and I was like, thanks girl. Like I was so shy because I felt like you're shy. Oh, well, thanks. You have just been the same and I'm just going to keep going always back to that. You've always just been the same and anybody who's listening and watching like Emily Ratajkowski and Radha is a real down chick, but you know a lot of us know you from the music video. I want to know what happened before how to where did you start? You said you were afford at 14. Yeah. I signed it for it at 15. Oh, wow. Yeah and Are you New York? Okay. Okay. I mean I was living in Nebraska. Okay. So I was one of I'm an only child my parents like made me do every like I had soccer ballet like piano theater painting clot. Like I was really lucky they really wanted me to try everything and the thing that I really fell in love with was theater. So I was doing that. I was like a total theater nerd from like the age of nine to like 13, not musical theater like theater theater theater. Darling, they are so darling and I had an acting coach was like, oh, I think she should really consider getting an agent in LA and you know at that point I was getting to that age where it was like my parents were like you need to start like making her money and like having you know extra money for lunch like I'd ask my dad for $200 to go shopping. It's like you can't do that when you're 14, you gotta start learning responsibilities. So we went up to LA and I signed with an acting agent and like kind of unprompted. She just called forward because I was living in San Diego, so I was close. LA and she was like you got to meet this girl. So my mom was kind of like okay, I guess we'll go over there and they signed me on the spot which was cool. And it paid for your college it set up my whole life. I mean my parents were School teachers. So it was a pretty sick job like I went to public high school, but I was able to not work at a cafe. Right right. I take some time off school go up to La like work for catalog right that whole thing. And then I went to UCLA for art actually. But that was 2009. That was when the economy just completely imploded. So all my friends were like really smart who I respected her older than me were like moving back to my hometown and moving into their parents basement and I was like to San Diego. Yeah and and getting jobs in cafes, even though they had like college degrees and we're like mad smart and I realize like oh shit, I better like capitalize on this opportunity I have and that's when I left UCLA and I started modeling full-time. Wow, so you only went to one year of college. I only went to one year College Dropout and it For 2009 the original plan would have been yeah, I think I would have stayed if I would have stayed. I was also really afraid of student loan debt. I was like what and also I was 18 and like being flown all over the world to like meet new people. And so it was a much better more appealing option for me at that point. Have you always I mean, I know that you have always been known as a sexy girl. Yeah, but have you used it as a superpower or have you felt like it's kind of hurt you in some ways. Both I think that I have a really complicated relationship to being sexy. I think that I have definitely found incredible power in it just for myself like being empowered for myself. I'm not talking about power and like how much money I made or my career. I mean like in feeling good and powerful in my body. I've definitely been able to do that. I also think there's another side of me that's like every woman where it's like, I'm so much more than just that so it's about Sansa I feel it because you know, I think that something else we have in common is that we've both always been put in this box of you're the sexy girl regardless of size. Yeah regardless of age or whatever it is. Like when you're put in a box and fashion, you stay in that box and it's hard to put us in an editorial light or in a business life. And I know Katy grin has been obsessed with you. Oh, yeah. Oh her so much for like making that jump to fashion for me. It was really her. She's incredible. Yeah, it was her. And honestly Korean gave me the cover of CR. So it was both of them. They just kind of like sad like no we see this girl's more than that, which was really cool. But yeah, it's an uphill battle, you know that even fashion models because they're not necessarily as womanly are allowed to be in more spaces than really like outwardly sexy. Very womanly models are I feel like people think of us as like too outspoken sometimes to oh, yeah because we come And like with our sexy look and our big tits ass tight like our personal we show it off. Yeah, which by the way we're going to get into we're both wearing in a Maraca. You look so flat. I've actually never seen this combo of this like little shirt with the dress. I really what do people usually wear with it. I'll just do it with jeans and my stuff. Oh my gosh look so good. Thank you. Well, maybe I'll wear it with my pregnant belly out and my God, I would be dead like a pant that goes on I gotta find pants I go under yeah kuzma. Sorry, Jin Suk. I'm so curious. Like how is that Journey? You're gonna be fine because you're so little that like you'll just me though, but like you'll just like have this little baby bump that pops out and I'll be like, I don't know maybe Sebastian will be like into it and be like, yeah my thing babe babe I had about it. I'm just more like it's probably pretty crazy to have like a little baby inside you growing. No, trust me when you feel the baby kick for the first time then you're like, oh, it's real right like that for me. That's when it clicked. Is it feel good? I'm sorry. I know know so I don't care. I'm actually just really yeah, it's like does it feel good to be pregnant or does it feel a little bit like an alien hostile forces taking over your body? I'm so my experience has been that there's somebody taking over my body and I've always had full control over my right and you know, as a model we have had people try to create agency over who we are and our bodies. Yes, and we have always taken the reins back. Yeah you and I specifically Lee but now there's this creature inside of me who is like, ah, I get first dibs. Yes. It's a little bit of a mind fuck. I mean, I'm just curious because I feel like in private women who've had babies tell me stories and they showed me pictures their boobs and they like really go in and when you posted that picture of like the new stretch marks on my body, I was like thank God because no one has talked to me about this stuff really and no one talks about it. Openly. I mean, I think Amy Schumer yes on your podcast. It she talks about it a lot. But like even she kind of always has to say the thing of like but I'm so grateful and I'm so you know, and it's like I just want to hear like woman to woman. Like what is that like that day that I posted that Instagram photo? I had actually been crying that whole week and it was I would still hiding my pregnancy which really sucks to hide it I bet and because you feel like you have a dirty secret. Yeah, and then the other thing is you feel like people just looking at you like you got fat and although who cares. There's there still is the stigma of like I'm sitting at a breakfast table. I look over and there's just people staring at me and they're having a full blown conversation discussing if they think that I'm fat or pregnant and I can hear the whole thing. Did you say anything? I didn't because I was so emotional that I know I would start crying me to like stand up for every time it right and it's hard to stand up for every time. Yeah, so I actually had just finished yoga and I was curled up in a ball and I looked at it. I was like taking a picture of myself and I looked down. I was like that kind of looks like Jenny Saville photo are painting. I love that. Right and I was like fuck it and I took a picture one photo posted it because I knew that wasn't for me, right it was for someone else right and boom and then did it feel good for you. Yes, a hundred get all that feedback. Justin was so confused. He was like you were just crying yesterday and you're like, well, I'm in a new it's a new day. Yeah, and now I feel better. It's out in the world. I'm pregnant. Yeah. Yeah, but that's so cool. I mean not to me is another way of me showing like you showing me how you have always taken agency and you've always taken the narrative and you've made it your own and you've made it so that it feels good to you. And that is so inspiring. Thank you. Well, you've done that to so brilliantly and you've done it through your brand and a Marauder. Yeah, I'm saying it right? Yes you okay. How did you come up with the name? I really wanted it to be not an emirati. I didn't want it to be my name, but I liked the idea. I've always Like trout I like the way it sounds I like em, rotten General like a hear it and I'm like, oh that's got a good little it's a good nickname was yeah. It was my nickname. I was that um, so I wanted to find something that was sort of similar and Amerada spelled a little differently in Italian means like a female lover or like kind of a muse and I liked the idea of women being like their own muse has their own lovers like self-love all that stuff. So it feels like I'm like explaining a tattoo that I got that like means a lot and like I'm not doing a good job of it but like it actually Actually is the name does mean a lot so it's Italian. Yeah, I love that because I was looking at and I was like in I'm in own marotta. I also you can do whatever you want. I mean I took like my interpretation but there is meaning behind it. I really love that. So what inspired you to make in a Marauder? I had done a couple licensing deals my name and my likeness was being used by these companies and they were you know, I think there was a really big transition. You probably felt it to where all of a sudden you weren't being used. As like a model you're being used for your Instagram for your creative direction for your perspective on the world and your branding abilities and then I get these checks and I'd be like wait that's not percentage. Like that's pretty good for me. But that means they're making so much money, you know, we'd have creative differences sometimes with like design or branding or marketing and I was just like I could do this myself. But then also I grew up in San Diego and grew up in a beach culture which is like part of the reason that I like accepted and loved my body. You so much and celebrated my body. And so I love the idea of making bathing suits almost for like my younger self. Well, we're brands that inspired you to do it or like wizard inspiration from Brands because I'm sure the inspiration came from I want to own I want full control. Yes, but is there like inspiration? Like, where do you gather it from? Cuz your what do you call them on Instagram is this is saved folder is a folder files on the stores those the can't go away. Yeah. No, I'll keep doing okay, just get busy week, but I'll do I'll keep doing it for you. Um, you know, when you're studying art, like obviously my dad is a painter my mom's an English Professor, but I've always been a really visual person. I was always like saving things collecting things. I used to collage a lot. So the idea of like the creative aspects of running a brand and like branding were very appealing to me so there wasn't really a specific brand but there are a lot of Reich reference images that I sort of collected that were like, this is our girl. This is our world. I was almost thinking like like not brand but person because I should have said Kathy Ireland. Yes, because she actually presented the award to you. Ideally front-row wouldn't it was entrepreneur? Yeah. It was so surreal to have her there. How did you ask her to present that word to you? Well, it was interesting because you know, we're thinking about starting to talk to VCS and like go down that world. So I was talking to a different people and they were like, you know, you know Kathy Ireland story and I was like what like she's cool. She did SI right which is But so many people think about her when they think about Kathy Ireland are like, oh, yeah, like poster child for Sports Illustrated, then I look her up and I'm like what she has a billion dollar company. So I educated myself. This was like months and months like maybe six months ago and I kind of got obsessed with her and her story and so when daily front row approached me about having someone give me this award. I was like well dream would be Kathy Ireland because goals and then you're friends with her. Yes, I can. It is you kind of get into that. Justin had been telling me for years that I'm like Kathy. Yeah, and that's what a good partner does. They inspire you to be someone you feel like you maybe couldn't even like see yourself in the same world as and he kept saying get her number get her number call her and I was like, there's no way in hell she dancer my number or my phone call. Finally. I called Ivan Bart president of IMG and was like, I need to talk to Kathy Ireland. He's like about what I was like she needs to be my mentor. And I tweeted her and she tweeted me back and then she said, you know, we're both we both come from same like upbringing so it's very Christian. Yeah. I was like girl Christian girl wants to another next thing. You know, I invited her something she came she invited me to something and I mean she is the epitome of where I want to take my brand. Yes. Yeah. I mean, she's so smart. I mean, I actually like when we sat down at lunch I really was like, okay tell me everything like how do you start whatever and it's interesting like, you know, I think it's the same thing with you to like that. I've I related so much to her as like she just wanted to work. She was like modeling is a great way to make some money to do other things and that's where my head was always that like, that's why I even like decided to pursue it full-time and that's just like so cool to see how she has turned this thing. That could have been just very simple like put the The in your bank account whatever and built this huge huge business billion dollar business. She's an Empire. So I mean modeling does a platform. Yeah. So in a Mirada is what's the size range we go all the way up to XXL. I love it. Yeah, we do XX smart. We do like the whole run the whole gamut but it's been pretty amazing. I mean we've been able to have like really special people and we had Judith Light. We've had Lena Dunham we've had you like so many people have worn our clothes but like just like if it's starting to feel like a community of women for women and I love that so much. Well when I put it on everybody on my crew was like, oh, I love that set. Oh, it's so color. She canceled. I love it. So you are a business owner. Yes. I am. I gave a couple percentage points to my very good friend who know does a lot of the manufacturing production side of it. Other than that, it's all me. I own all of it a hundred percent. I mean except for cat is your of that. Okay, who is one of My best friends and my partner and it's all self-financed. So and how many employees are there? There's one employee. So we're really basic weight. So it's you cat and one employee. Yes, and then like three interns but kind of rotate out. Okay, I need to understand, you know, I'm building businesses as well. And I want to know like how you built this. What's the structure? Like it's pretty crazy liked a lot of trial and error. I'm sure you've experienced that our Productions actually all in Allah, which is really amazing. So it's all American made. Made our Pick and Pack is very close to their offices in Brooklyn and I do sort of all the creative strategizing for the year like all the designing we don't have a design team. So I draw everything I pick the Fabrications. I've picked the prince and then cat how it really works closely with production to make sure that everything is delivered but I'm like, yeah, we're at we're how do you trust yourself to do something? Because you just witnessed anyone else we have like this. Oh, can I actually was telling Kathy about it? We're we're like trust no one trust. No one and every time we delegate we're like shit trust. No one like it's always a lesson that like we just care so much and I think is women you are taught to be like, oh, I don't know about that. So you teach me you teach me and eventually I just realized like know I can learn and I can like do it better and I care more than anyone else would so I'll maybe do a better job, but at some point we're gonna have to start delegating like pretty damn soon. I mean, I can't imagine your supermodel. You're a businesswoman. You're an activist. You're an actress. You're a wife like all of a sudden just lock - your dog ball, like it just turns into a lot. It's definitely a lot. I mean, that's why you have to take the time to do the stuff of like writing and like self-care and all that stuff. So what has surprised you the most in Morada what I would say is like trusting myself has been so rewarding and that is really scary because when I was trusting myself, I was like, I'm No, I'm going to be that girl who put all this money into this thing and all this energy and it's going to like blow up in my face and I'm going to be so mad at myself, you know and instead every time I've sort of listen to someone else my experience has been like that wasn't like listening to my gut has only served me. Well is basically been the best lesson and I hope I like take that into every area of my life. So I always tell myself to remember what my gut says and I've done a lot of gut checks and my gut and Overseers me wrong, it doesn't and I think like something is in our DNA or they're in our programming to make us want to question that and I've just found time and time again that that's not right. Okay. I still want to talk about the business. Yeah, and so did you educate yourself on building it? Oh, I literally read like how to build a company for dummies. Like that was one of the thing where you got the yellow. Oh my God, so I just asked I like used whatever resources I have like My friends brother-in-law other women entrepreneurs. I knew I also like looked at businesses I had modeled for and was like, how do they work this how they do this? Like, what's this person the job? Why were they doing that? How did they expand? Like, what is what makes this brand really work? So I just like did a lot of research and then trial and error. Okay, like you said it daily Franz. I want you to flex. Oh my God likes to the numbers Honeywell. We've been in the green since day one, which is a really we big deal for a company explain what everybody that means that the money that we put in we have we received back almost immediately. How much money did you put in? Well, it's kind of hard to say because in the first it's been cumulative, right? Okay, and like for the first year, we only sold six styles of bathing suits and like different Prints, but that was it which is also another reason. I love Kathy because she started with socks. I know so sometimes it's just about like building a customer base. That's the most important thing. We have been in the seven-figure range. We only have one point of sale. So it's just easy to see it's just from from our website, which is also another really big deal and all of your branding is only on social media only social media. So if you follow Emily Ratajkowski am Radha or enamorada and I'm erratic, then you're getting the swimsuits. Yes, and now you have body. Yeah you have which is what you're wearing. I'm wearing body ADI ADI sort of like it's sort of ready to wear but it's also like lingerie the whole idea is like of enamorada is like it's a girl who like maybe accidentally would Wear a bathing suit top to like go get coffee in the morning because that's how confident she is. Right. So the whole world is sort of around that but we're expanding into other categories by the end of this year, which is really exciting. It's been really incredibly good. That's what I would say. So yeah when I set a daily from Rhodes, I was like I didn't really want to do it. My publicist was like you got to drop some numbers like this is a moment for you to drop numbers. I was like, okay guys, bear with me. I'm going to flex a little bit and I heard you go. Whoa and I was like, okay. Do this and I like and then I dropped it all you like gave me but I had to because I know as a business woman that's like it's all about the numbers. Yeah. Nobody will take you seriously and not till you tell them the numbers. Yeah, and it's just basically the main thing that we're doing which is so exciting is building this customer like base that you know, most people have to pay a lot of money for customer acquisition. We don't because we have this incredible platform to jump off of and our rate of customer acquisition is really impressive to so That's what makes us special right now. It's amazing. I'm just I'm so excited for you. And I'm amazed and I mean, where do you see in a Marauder going? I mean, I'd like us to be like take I'd like us to be a household name. I'd like to be the go-to for like a sample dress or like a bathing suit or lingerie and other things as well. That's my goal. Because when I was first starting in I was like, I don't even know where I go to go buy a bathing suit or to go buy a bra. I'm not really behind Victoria's Secret. There isn't one brand that speaks to me for swim. That's like Chic but also sexy and even just like basic dresses. It's like yeah. Okay. They're Zara there's whatever but like there just isn't a place that I'm like, I know whatever I get there is going to be cute and like cool. It's going to fit you. Well. Yes, none of this needed healing everything that I put on needs tailoring. Oh that makes me so happy. No Taylor. I like this rabbit's a good rep. It is really good. Do you feel like now people are taking you seriously? Ously because you have a business and you're a business woman in the fashion industry. No. Damn it. I mean, yes, but I'm hard on myself and I think that the ways that I want to be taken seriously and respected are still yet to come. That's the truth. You know, I'm glad you said that because I feel like I've worked so hard and and I see you working just as hard if not harder just to get these people to be like, oh girl look with you. Exactly because there's so many people who aren't still shooting us working with us and it's like how far do we have to go to prove ourselves? And then I checked myself. I was like who cares about them? Yeah, you're in the fashion industry and you're creating it in your own way and it made me feel a little bit better because I'm like, oh well, then I'm just I'm going to be that business check. Yes, and I'm going to be like the Kathy's and the tire has and you just do it yourself. Exactly. And I find that really exciting and almost more of a feeling like I don't Don't necessarily want to check boxes that everyone's looking for me to check. You know what I mean? I want to find my own way. So you're right. Like maybe it sounded like I was saying negatively like, oh, I haven't still been taken seriously, but it doesn't really bother me because those people I don't even want they're like, I don't want it. You know what? I mean? I get it. I hundred percent. We don't want it. We don't want it. We don't need it. We don't need it. We don't need it. They need us. I mean, I was working for a long time before I really was able to be like wait. Second like I'm good at more than just being like pretty against a wall and like making clothes look good. Like I'm building a brand like I'm branding myself. That's something that like people get paid a lot of money to do a very important companies that I respect. So like instead of just trying to write myself off as this like thing. I started to really feel like powerful and that is the beautiful part about being alive in 2019. It's a whole new confidence in yourself. Yes, your work ethic is is amazing. Where does it come from? Well, my therapist would say scarcity ha ha ha I'm like you trauma truth to but I think yeah, I have like a hunger inside of me. I just have so much I want to do and like it's not satisfying to me to not be moving towards those things at all times. So yeah, I guess that's where it comes from. I also have very hard-working parents like I come from a family of middle-class psych schoolteachers lawyer, like people who worked really Really hard and that was just in our like nature. So yeah, mr. Sebastian. Yes, even very just over a year. I mean it'll be two years in February who years in February easy right time flies Okay. How did you meet we met through friends and I Lala at like a pool party. Like I don't know maybe four years ago now and we became friends and yeah, the rest is history. I think people were so surprised to see I get married so quickly at City Hall. Yes. I mean yet another very M Radha like well very moment my own thing, right? Yeah. Yeah, they were I don't know. It was really nice. Like when people talk about weddings. Like I've so many friends who've got married and whatever they're like, oh, I'm so stressed and like how am I gonna like, you know see everyone and then after the wedding there like it was cool, right? I didn't really have fun. And so what was so nice about City Hall was just like it was for us. It was with our close friends. We I On az-zahra suit and like a funny hat that I had custom-made and we just went down there and it was a real like private moment for us and no one found out about it until like the afternoon when I got a call from my publicist being like hello and my famous line. My husband can't get it because I was like, I'm gonna wear a hat and everyone was wearing suits even my girlfriend. So I was like, they don't know, it's me. They don't know that I'm the one getting married, you know, and I have a hat like who even can recognize me and so she calls me and she's like to chew. Get married at City Hall and I was like I had on a hat. She was like what and see those like I think that kind of like made you more conspicuous. Oh man, but it was really nice like those four five hours were just like for us so it wasn't that crazy could only have four or five hours that are sacred. I guess that is I never thought about that way, but it was that way. So it was really nice and marriage is awesome. We isn't it before I really like it. Yeah. I mean, I know Justin. Yeah, I love dressed and you're just such a fan of Justin. I really am you guys have been like my like little like cup. I like third wheel it sometimes with you. I know it's really fun. I really appreciate it. No. No, I mean, I hope we get to do double dates. Oh for sure. How how did you know that Sebastian was the one because I loved him so much and he scared me a lot which I think is also a way that you know that you really because if you if you're scared of someone and you also love them that means the love is real big cause like you're putting being away your own like fears to be with someone and yeah, we just like new and there was a sort of moment of like we're going to make a family just like us to you know, I'm not talking about kids. I'm just saying like partnership and that that moment of like saying those vows I always kind of I have issues with marriage in general and like never really was one somebody who's like I'm definitely getting married. I didn't feel that way but now I get it because it's just sort of this like, Promise that does feel more concrete than when you're not that's what it when my girlfriends are like sugar bear and shut up like this is all I can say like there's this level of commitment and like a deal you've made that's just really powerful. Hmm. It's one of the biggest it's one of the biggest deals you can make yes, it's a really big deal and it's like it's there and you work for it and like it's it's fun and it's hard and it's like just living man. Yeah. I mean the first two years of marriage, I don't know about yours, but like ours were like, oh this we have to figure this shit out. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, and we hadn't lived together yet. Yeah. I mean that was basically us like and also just were both only children. So like a little selfish. Well, I'll actually miss a yeah, but also like there's no Sibley like we kind of have to take on roles for each other's parents that are very like, you know, he also has his own business and like his own production. Company and it's like and it's thriving. Yes, but also working so hard and so like having that kind of way of like supporting each other and like sacrificing at times to be there for the other person and all that stuff. It's major. It's awesome though like Ides. I don't know if you can think about it that way and you can find another person who thinks about it that way like and you love them do it go for it. Go for it. I think it's so funny that people are so often surprised at your activism. Oh, yeah. You're the queen of the op-ed like got like four on my phone right now. Do you want me to read them all out really where you going to have them? I will I mean, we'll see. Okay, you're like little things. Where do you get the I mean, I know so now it's interesting to know that live way you decompresses through right? Yeah. And so which makes a hundred percent why I like the correlation between that and your op-eds how do you want to use your platform to amplify issues that you care about? I mean, you said it it's Like how is the tricky part for me? I think about the world that I grew up in as a young woman and I can't even imagine like when I become a mother especially to a daughter but also to a son wanting to make that world even better, but I'm so lucky to have these millions and millions of people who pay attention and like it's fun to share makeup. It's fun to share her bathing suits. It's fun to share all that stuff. But like I'm never going to not be political politics are for everyone. One that's what human beings we have to be thinking about politics because they affect our way of life. So you don't need to be a politician to be talking about things like that. I mean it was pretty badass when you got arrested with Amy. Yes. It's kind of an interesting thing though because there were a lot of female police officers who were doing the arrest and you know, we were protesting Brett Kavanaugh who has really had a history of being very awful to women and really what him being a Supreme Court Judge represented for me was the I was protesting and what kind of message it sends to women about their stories and their value and I was kind of like looking at these female cops, and I'm like, how do you feel like this is interesting. Like we're in this house of like white men and you're like arresting another woman for like kind of standing up for women. What's that? Like, you know, it was it was interesting was a very interesting experience and just seeing how politics work. It's nasty. It's amazing to see I think people get confused. I see this hot sexy girl who posts make Naked and swimsuits and lingerie and then she's like a feminist. Yeah, and she's an activist. Yeah. And do you find what does that feel like for you? Because I think on one side, you know how you feel? Yeah on the other side just people who are for you yeah as people who aren't about it. Yeah, what what has that transition from modeling and to activism been like for you. I mean, it was never transition for me like they were both consistent. Like they were always parts of me like I think as women were Multifaceted like I think that we may be more than men are trained to sort of like play many many different roles and I feel that way in myself. Like I feel like this like sexy mama who sometimes wants to like play it up and show the world and like own my body and you know for me like when I post a sexy photo and some way it feels like me taking like a reclaiming of the ways that I can't control the ways. My images are used, you know, So for me, it was always kind of I don't want to say that posting those photos is activism because it's not but it's certainly some kind of expression of being a woman right? So it's it's complicated but for me, there's no contradiction between how I dress or how I represent myself and having opinions like what like that's that's the problem and that's why I've gone so hard into that space because I'm like the fact that you guys are pointing this out. That's where the evidence is. That sexism is so alive and well, But if you see a woman who's a tall sexy or representing herself in that way you assume that there's nothing else there, which is just so crazy and like we cannot teach girls that if they want to be smart. They have to shut off that other part of themselves. They should be able to celebrate their bodies and like feel good and like sometimes how they feel good might be a response to misogynistic culture or patriarchal culture like wearing a lacy thong like that probably comes from some weird shit that I don't really want to think about right so it's / complicated but my point is that feminism is about choice and women shouldn't be constantly being shamed and I think we carry a lot of Shame with us. So for me, the one thing that women shouldn't have to worry about is like whether or not they're going to like show their tummy. Mmm to be taken seriously, you know. Mmm-hmm. There's so many people who just have issues with like a naked girl talking about social issues, but you just said like that's not your activist and that's also the point. Yeah, like, why do you An issue with that. What do you have any shooting of a show everybody? Let's talk about I'm gonna we have those feelings talk about this all day. I love that for years and years. I change I'm changing. My perspective is evolving as I change and evolve to what's your new perspective on feminism today. We've got a long way to go. I think that for a minute there when me to was really like happening and you know, you were talking there was all these conversations around representation and Hollywood. I was kind of feeling like wow like We really are living in an era. But then you you live it and you're like no we got a ways to go. I was just on set with a photographer. I really loved and he kept talking about like well these days got to be really careful gotta be really careful and it was like boohoo, you know, and then I have like a 19 year old model male modeling modeling with who like unnecessarily like kind of sides his hand down to low. Those are the kind of thing and I'm working with a client that like pays my bills right so I don't want to Difficult, but I also am like I need to stand for something right now. But the fact that it doesn't feel like of course like I feel like such an outspoken woman compared to so many people working in our industry, right and I still like had a minute of like do I say something, you know because you don't want to be difficult. You don't want to be don't want to have you feel like it's your fault. I'm sorry I do. I'm like well, I guess he felt like he could touch my butt and something I did must have made him feel like that. Right which is no way to think I still have moments like that. At to I think that at a certain point in my life, I calloused myself off and I'm sure you did the same thing like because that comes with wanting to work really hard. You're like, I'm just gonna put my head down. I'm going to deal with this bullshit. I'm going to like move on but eventually you realize that if you do that, you're allowing for them to repeat that behavior to other women and it really is coming out of a protective feeling. I have towards other women that I now want to be Outspoken about this stuff. Okay between modeling acting designing a dog mom a wife. What else are you doing? Well, I'm writing. I mean that's kind of the the other thing I'm doing I think that for me and I'm sure you feel the same way like all of these things don't feel like separate categories when you're really being creative and like happy and thinking and using your brain and strategizing. So yeah. Anyway that I can do that I do it. I love it. What? Big what's next? I mean the way that the company is expanding. I'm starting to produce my own film stuff, which I'm really excited about. That's cool with this amazing producer John killick you're in it or Anna and I'm producing so just trying to take the reins girl. I love this had to take the reins own it all. Yeah same to you. Thank you so much you're doing when we have to yeah, this is and you're going to be an actual mom. Not just about not just to talk about it now. So excited for you. Thank you. You're going to be such a good. Coffee. No, really? Okay. So at the end of every pretty big deal, we do a little bit of a lightning round. Okay, and I just want you to fill in the blank. Okay. Great. Okay, I pretty much always that's so General. This is hard. Okay. What do you do every day's drink black coffee every morning hot black coffee for me too every day. I love that all addicted. What's the biggest lesson you've learned this year. To trust your gut. Hmm. What's the biggest deal you've ever made? Like I made a big deal out of this or this is like a money to or I don't know biggest deal I've ever made is yet to come. I'm about to make real big deals out of lots of things. Okay. Amerada is a pretty big deal. But I want to know what is a pretty big deal to you the female friendships. I have in my life. I love that really close female friendships that I have are really big deal to me. Hmm. I get that and I love that night. I'm right there with you. Thank you. Emily Ratajkowski. This was so awesome. Yes, so good. You're so sweet just to come and sit next to you and your presence while you're riding in a Maraca. Thank you. So exciting. All right. Thank you so much for joining this pretty big deal with Emily Ratajkowski. We want to hear from you on Instagram and Twitter. So make sure to go to pretty big deal and you never know. We might just be reading your comments right here right now. Pretty big deal is produced by a pretty big deal Productions and obvs. sound
Ashley Graham sits down with the dynamic Emily Ratajkowski! Emily aka Emrata is a badass business woman and iconic sex symbol. After Emily burst on the scene in 2013, she capitalized on her platform and began building businesses. Outside of fashion, she’s an outspoken activist who educates her followers just as much as she flexes on the Gram. In this episode, they talk about her fashion career, sex appeal, and her insane work ethic. HOST: Ashley Graham GUEST: Emily Ratajkowski Executive Producers: Ashley Graham, Penni Thow, Scooter Braun  Executive Producers: Michael D. Ratner, Scott Ratner, Miranda Sherman Produced by: Pretty Big Deal Productions, OBB Picture & OBB Sound Co-Executive Producers: Kelsey McWilliams, Ava Coleman Directed by: Kaliya Warren Writer: Ava Coleman  Line Producer: Jess Vogel Associate Producer: Ilyssa Walker Researcher: Shahnaz Mahmud Social Media Manager: Natasha Janardan Director of Photography: Katherine Castro Post-Production Supervisor: Jess Vogel Sound Mixer: James Sparber Editors: Crystal Arnette, Lucy Tatiana Morales Main Title Theme by: Johannes Raassina, Lefteris Ioannou Title Theme Producer: Johannes Raassina Key Production Assistant: Julissa Ramirez Additional Sound Recordist: Deanna Williams Art Director: Laura Miller Production Sound: Kit Jirles Data Management: Melissa Bueno-Woerner Production Assistant: Catrina Kokkoris Production Assistants: Masha Zhak, Adam Duplechain, Nick Kaufmann, Christian Guinanzaca, Guy Mueller Additional Production Support: Raquel Dominguez, Jennifer Spottz Special Thanks: Mina White, IMG Models, Argon Props, Adorma Rental Company, YouTube Studios, YouTube Space NY 