The next name I'm going to call: Brittany Markert
By Lauren Duffy
Senior Brittany Markert is a "math major by day and model by night," a Santa Clara student whose modeling profile has skyrocketed since competing in "America's Next Top Model" last year. Markert returned to Santa Clara this spring after living in Mexico City for four months, which she described as "probably the best decision I could have made." In Mexico, Markert shot editorials for Harper's Bazaar, Nylon and Marie Claire, among other well-known publications.
Brittany Markert appeared on the thirteenth cycle of "America's Next Top Model," Tyra Banks' long-running modeling show broadcast on The CW. Markert was a frontrunner throughout her season and made it far in the competition, eventually placing fifth. Her elimination was surprising, considering that it was Markert's first time in the bottom two at panel.
"I was crying for days," said Markert of her unexpected departure from "ANTM." Markert said that she was "really, really shocked" and compared the experience to getting broken up with for no reason.
Despite the shock of her untimely exit from "ANTM," Markert ran with the success of appearing on a high profile show and has modeled extensively since the series ran in 2009.
"My life has changed drastically," said Markert. "Before the show I was (going to take) a job in finance in New York. Now, I'm going to move to Mexico to try to get into the creative industry."
Markert is returning to Mexico for the summer after she graduates from Santa Clara and already has a number of jobs lined up. Markert is the face of Intermoda, Mexico's premiere fashion festival.
This four-day annual event brings in designers from around the globe to Guadalajara, and Markert is going to open every runway show. Markert is the first image you see on the Intermoda website, rocking a crimson jacket, smoky eyes and massively teased, crimped hair.
Somehow, Markert manages to balance her international modeling career with her life at Santa Clara as a math major whose favorite class is Differential Equations. Since her return to Santa Clara she has thrown herself back into the life of a mathematician, and even tutors other students twenty hours a week. Markert's analytical mind and educational background have helped her as a model, and have allowed her to have more creative control. She recounted one incident in which her intelligence was a downfall, when a client told her agent that they would have liked it if she acted dumber on her job.
"I was shocked. That was a complete insult, and it makes me question the whole industry," said Markert.
Markert considers herself an artist and said that she loves cinematic elements within photography.
"I want my images to feel more like they're cutouts from a scene, or that they could be hung up in a gallery, rather than me just standing there looking pretty," said Markert. Markert cites Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch as two directors that she draws inspiration from, due to the lighting, colors and shadows present in their dark and twisted films.
Markert likes to portray characters and take on different roles within her modeling work as a way to unleash her creative side. "I try to push myself so people don't recognize me," she said. In a recent shoot with photographer Pete Thompson, Markert appears otherworldly, with bleached eyebrows and shockingly pale skin contrasting her dark mane.
Markert is self-described as a "dark, bizarre character" within the modeling world due to her edgy look. While in Mexico, Markert worked with photographer Napoleon Habeica, who is well-known in the industry for his raw photographic style. Upon seeing her portfolio, Habeica declared Markert a "vampire" and insisted on meeting her; the resulting vampire-themed photo shoot was published in Vice magazine.
Within the last year, a significant portion of Markert's artistic work has featured nudity, including the aforementioned Vice shoot. "When you think back to art in general, it all revolves around nudityâ?¦The body is an art form," said Markert. Markert's nude work is tasteful; while it is evocative, it is not vulgar.
Markert refers to her recent edgy photo shoots as part of the indie fashion world. "It's not about the fashion, make-up, clothes. It's more about being raw, goofing aroundâ?¦ being yourself, showing different sides of people." She described indie fashion as "a whole new world of moral standards."
Markert was on the season of "America's Next Top Model" featuring "short" models, and at 5 foot 6 inches, she is well below the average model height. Her height influenced Markert's decision to reach out to different countries like Mexico, where height requirements aren't as strict as in the American modeling industry.
Another difficulty of the modeling industry is the scrutiny placed on one's weight and the need for models to fit into small sample sizes. Markert said that she has a restricted diet and that it can be stressful, but that it is a necessary part of the profession. "If you want to go to Harvard you have to have good grades. If you want to model you need to have a good body. It's part of the job."
Markert described her "Top Model" experience as fun during the process but bizarre in retrospect. She compared reality stars to "puppets" and said that the lack of privacy and overall process of filming was nerve-wracking.
Markert said that her portrayal on "ANTM" was "very neutral, almost boring sometimes," and that she was never able to act fully like herself during shooting. She expected to be portrayed as "this really creepy, nerdy girl," particularly due to one never-aired sequence in which Markert did the infamous haunted crawl from the movie "The Ring" down the runway in the house.
Looking forward, Markert plans to step behind the camera and is in the developmental stages of starting a creative consulting company upon her return to Mexico. She has had an interest in photography from a young age, and plans to produce a coffee table book that focuses on the special realm between photographer and model.
"This modeling experience has given me the opportunity to travel and experience new cultures," said Markert. Beyond her return to Mexico this summer, she is planning to venture to Istanbul and Korea in the future. Markert is also applying to graduate school and hopes to attend a university in England.
For now, the sky is the limit for this model student.
Contact Lauren Duffy at leduffy@scu.edu or at (408) 554-1918.
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