You know her as the Golden Barbie but the German-American model is so much more than a social media personality. While modelling since she was 13, Jasmine Sanders was 29 before she landed the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover Model last year (she was named Rookie of the Year in 2019), making her the fourth Black woman to cover the annual issue since the magazine’s launch in 1964. While she recognizes it’s going in the right direction, she hopes the fashion industry will continue its diversity shift beyond the performative.
This confident authenticity is at the core of Sanders’ success and a message she hopes to spread to other girls coming up behind her. “I would tell any woman struggling with being authentically themselves that the world already has everyone else, what the world needs is you!” Hear, hear. Read on to learn more about Sanders’ career trajectory, how she defines success, and what keeps her going even on the most challenging days.
How did you make your first dollar and what did that job teach you that still applies today?
The first job I had was at Firehouse Subs, in high school. It really taught me how to be a team player and that no matter what my job title is, when things get crazy, you have to be ready to cover every position!
What career mistake has given you the biggest lesson and why?
I wouldn’t necessarily call them mistakes because I feel as though I made the right decision with the information I had at the time. However, if the decision didn’t lead to the best outcome, then I’ve learned to make another informed decision to keep going rather than focus on the “mistake.”
2020 presented everybody around the globe with new, unprecedented challenges. How did you #FindNewRoads + switch gears towards your new version of success?
We are living in unprecedented times, but the one thing I really learned in 2020 is that we have to persevere through this time, and really look at things from a different perspective.
Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. Does confidence come naturally to you or did you have to learn it? What advice can you share for women on cultivating confidence and going after their dreams?
I believe everyone has to work on building their confidence at different points in their life. My biggest key point is to be kinder to yourself and embrace all of the parts that make you unique. There might be some parts of yourself that you see as a hindrance but it can actually be an advantage to make yourself stronger and more confident.
When you separate yourself from your job title and the bells and whistles of your business or career, who are you and what do you like to do?
I’m very much a homebody. I love being home and working on things around my house. It’s relaxing for me. I love being around my friends and family whenever I can. I also love to cuddle up with my dogs and find a good show or movie to watch.
How have you remained true and authentic to who you are and what advice can you share for women who are struggling with that?
I try so hard to be as true to myself and be authentic. It isn’t always easy, and it’s hard work, but you can never ignore that gut feeling when you know something isn’t right. If something is making you feel like it’s the wrong thing to do, then don’t do it. I would tell any woman struggling with being authentically themselves that the world already has everyone else, what the world needs is you!
What is the biggest challenge to achieving success in life?
The biggest challenge to achieving success is defining success for yourself. Chasing whatever someone else wants you to, or what you think everyone expects you to, won’t feel like success because you’ll never be happy. Staying true to yourself and setting your own personal goals is the best way to achieve success.
With success comes opportunity, but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?
I really love what I do. Every single day is different and I get to work with some of the most talented people around the world to create something beautiful and exciting. When things get tough, I’ll try to remember that we’re all working together to achieve the same goal, and that helps me get through the challenging days.
If you could go back to the beginning of your career journey—with the knowledge you have now— what advice would you give yourself?
I would tell my younger self to make time for yourself. You can’t deliver the best product if you aren’t being the best version of yourself.
Fill in the blanks:
If I wasn’t in my job now, I would be…
Working in the medical field. My older sister is a nurse and I love helping people. Realistically, I would most likely be working behind the camera, producing!
Three qualities that got me to where I am today are…
Perseverance, to keep putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward. Openness to trying new things, because you never know how much it will benefit you. And resilience, to get back up when you fall down.
The change I’d like to see in my industry is…
We’re moving toward it, but I would love to see the fashion industry work towards being more inclusive, and to celebrate every different size and shape that we all come in!
My perfect day begins with…
Waking up and playing with my dogs outside while I check in with friends and family. I really enjoy listening to music and really taking the morning for myself before tackling my to-do list!
The craziest thing I’ve done for work is…
While shooting for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue they built an impromptu rope ladder in between two palm trees. It was the first time they ever built something like this, and while I was a little nervous at first, I did it. We got some amazing shots from it!
