Model Vincent Beier on Breaking Gender Boundaries in Fashion and Beauty
The Danish model talks about his personal style and using his voice to empower young people.
Hailing from Copenhagen, Vincent Beier made his runway debut in his hometown back in 2015 and has since walked for brands including Maison Margiela, Proenza Schouler, Coach and Moschino. He has the ability to command attention on the catwalk, but more than that, the Danish model is a force for change in the fashion industry. Whether on social media or through the way he dresses, Beier — an advocate of gender diversity — has been consistently using his voice to empower others to embrace their individuality. “It’s important to have someone to look up to, someone to see yourself in,” Beier told HYPEBAE. “I personally didn’t have that growing up and I needed it desperately.”
Ahead of Copenhagen Fashion Week, we caught up with the model at Hotel Alexandra to hear more about his career, his take on personal style and his view on beauty. Read our interview and see his makeup and skincare essentials below.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
Vincent Beier’s Beauty Essentials
Skincare
Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask: This product simply makes my skin silky smooth during stressed periods.
Petitfée Black Pearl & Gold Hydrogel Eye Patch: When I know I am lacking sleep, I will usually set my alarm for 20 minutes before I have to get up. I would put the eye patches on and go back to sleep. When I wake up 20 minutes later, I look fresh and completely ready for my skincare. I always keep this product on my nightstand so it’s easy to grab when I’m half asleep.
Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea: My sweet neighbor (the owner of beautyhero.dk) just gave me this spray. I completely forgot how nice it feels to apply a fresh face spray during the day. It really gives you an energy boost when you are tired and busy.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Crème: I’ve been really into eye cream lately and I am living for this one. Applying eye cream seriously makes me feel fresh and like a grown-up who has his life together, haha.
Ole Henriksen C-Rush™ Vitamin C Gel Moisturizer: This product freshens your face and makes you feel awake on those early mornings. Besides, I love the feel of a gel cream — the texture of gel is so satisfying.
Ole Henriksen Goodnight Glow Retin-ALT Sleeping Crème: When I use this daily, my skin becomes so nice and flawless. It’s one of those products you can feel is working on your skin, which I really like.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
Glossier Super Bounce Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin B5 Serum: This serum softens the skin and evens my skin tone perfectly. It’s only recently that I’ve started using serums. But wow, it makes a difference. I swear by serums now.
Glossier Futuredew Oil Serum Hybrid: This product makes you glow. It feels amazing on the skin and if I have to recommend one product from Glossier, it’s definitely this. It’s worth the money.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
Makeup
Glossier Lash Slick Mascara: Mascaras are hell to me. It’s impossible to find one that separates the lashes perfectly and makes them look pretty but not overly done. Lash Slick is a good everyday and natural-looking mascara. I’ve already gone through four of them.
Glossier Stretch Concealer: This concealer covers up whatever you don’t want shown and keeps your skin looking flawless. I especially love using it on days when I wear little makeup or want to look very natural.
Pat McGrath Labs Eye Ecstasy: Eye Shadow Palette Mini: First of all, it’s by Pat McGrath and anything made by Pat McGrath is major. These are very wearable tones and can make any look just a little better.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb: The amount of lipsticks and lip glosses I own is unbelievable. Nothing to spice up a look better than with a lip color. This Fenty Beauty gloss really completes any look and makes it look so put together. Rihanna has really changed the beauty game for me and I use an insane amount of Fenty products.
BECCA Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder: This BECCA setting powder, my god! It’s science on a high level. You put this dry formula on and it literally feels like putting water on your face. It feels way lighter than a lot of setting powders.
Haircare
Sisley Precious Hair Care Oil: This hair oil is expensive, but it lasts for a long time. I’ve bleached my hair for the past five years, so my hair is insanely damaged. It’s been such a challenge to get it to somewhere healthy, but this oil definitely helps a lot.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
Take us back to the beginning, when did you first develop a love of fashion?
I think it started very early. As a child not fitting into society’s norms, fashion was a getaway, a break from people’s judgement and hate. Fashion was a place where only your imagination was the limit, and nothing was wrong with you or what you created.
Since when have you been experimenting with your personal style? How does makeup play a part in your self-expression?
Since forever. I change my style according to my mood. I dress for my mood and what kind of person I would like to be on a particular day. Beauty is a very big part of that. Some days, I want to be crazy and wild, looking like a drag queen, and other days I want to seem as natural as possible. It all helps me express what mood I’m in, what I want to accomplish on the day or what signal I want to send to the world.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
It’s been five years since you made your runway debut. In what ways would you say that the fashion industry has evolved since you first started modeling?
I definitely see changes happening in many ways. People aren’t afraid of calling people or companies out for doing something disrespectful. Castings are getting more diverse, brands are becoming more aware [of inclusivity] and woke, but there is definitely a long way to go. And now, brands and people need to prove they aren’t treating minorities as a trend, because we are way more then just a trend.
“The young people that follow me need to see that we are there for them and there are people fighting for their rights to just be themselves. They need to know that we are determined to make a place for them within the fashion industry and every other industry.”
What has been the biggest and most memorable moment in your career so far?
Tough question. All the work I have done with Pat McGrath means a lot to me. She definitely is the queen of makeup and has always been so nice and respectful of me.
I was a part of a video for British Vogue about gender equality, which is also something that means a lot to me.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
You’ve been praised for breaking gender boundaries with your work. Have you ever faced any challenges along the way? Has it been important for you to use your voice to create change?
I’ve met many challenges and still meet them often, so from early on, I found out that it is important to use your voice. The young people that follow me need to see that we are there for them and there are people fighting for their rights to just be themselves. They need to know that we are determined to make a place for them within the fashion industry and every other industry. It’s important to have someone to look up to, someone to see yourself in. I personally didn’t have that growing up and I needed it desperately.
What does beauty mean to you?
People who aren’t afraid to be who they are, are extremely beautiful to me. It takes so much not to be afraid.
Who are some of your fashion inspirations and beauty icons?
I can obsess over anyone, to be honest. One day I am dying to look like Bella Hadid, the next Paris Hilton and then Amanda Lepore. Beauty-wise, I am — just like everyone else — obsessing over Alexa Demie.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
Are there any beauty rituals that you swear by for prepping your skin before Fashion Week?
I really wish there was time to relax and just be very calm before fashion week so you skin could be perfect, but it’s always hectic and skincare is the key to surviving. At the moment, I am using Sisley‘s rose mask, and it seems to do the job really well. I also keep my eye patches really close when I’m lacking sleep.
What is your go-to off-duty outfit to wear between shows?
I am extremely privileged and usually get dressed by designers during fashion week. So I will usually wear what designers send me. But anything that you feel beyond in, is a great off-duty look. Feeling comfortable is key, when the fashion week chaos hits.
Taby Cheng/Hypebae
You recently modeled alongside Lady Gaga for her beauty brand, HAUS LABORATORIES. What was that experience like?
Very surreal. I was obsessed with Lady Gaga as a child, so to stand next to her on a set was insane. She was so kind and the entire team took such good care of me, so it was only a good experience.
Do you have any advice for anyone who’s struggling to feel comfortable in their own skin?
Know that you are not alone. Remember there are people all over the world struggling with the same [issues] as you are. There is no shame in being insecure or uncomfortable with yourself, because everyone goes through periods like that. Try to speak about it. For myself, it really helps saying it out loud and take a long time in front of the mirror just looking at the things you like about yourself. Building yourself up is very important, because the world isn’t going to do it for you.
