The 16-year-old Danish model, who has already walked for the likes of Gestuz and Soulland, is the next-gen face to keep an eye on
Victoria Hjulmand's entry into the modelling industry was a classic scouting tale. In 2019, she was spotted by Scandinavia's top modelling agency Le Management when out and about in her hometown Copenhagen. At 15, she booked her very first modelling job, appearing in beauty editorials for renowned Danish makeup artist Nicci Welsh. And then a mere year later, in August 2022, Hjulmand booked the biggest gig in her fledgling career so far, aged just 16-years-old and walking for Rabens Saloner, Gestuz and Soulland at Copenhagen spring/summer 2023 fashion week.
"It was very exciting because it was the first big job for me," Hjulmand recalls of her catwalk debut. "I love meeting new people and experiencing [walking down] the runway – that was new for me, but it was fun." Though her nerves initially niggled away at her, soon the jitters disappeared, thanks to the support of the other faces around her. "When I came in and met the other models, it calmed me down. Everybody was so sweet, so I felt safe," she recalls.
Photo: Arda Sarper Eken
Photo: Arda Sarper Eken
But Hjulmand's is a story of much more than a young model on the rise. "I was born without the lower half of my left arm. There have been tough times where people have commented or reminded me of all the things that I am not able to do," she says. "But those moments taught me a lot about myself and how I want to be looked at as a person."
Never one to take the easy path, she immersed herself in dance since the age of two, it felt to Hjulmand as if she had found the perfect way to express herself. Her parents first took her to ballet school, soon Hjulmand was trying out all kinds of different dance styles, everything from contemporary to hip hop, the latter she enjoyed the most. "I have never asked for help because I wanted to prove to everyone and myself that I was able to do all the things the other kids could do. Through the years, it became more of a motivation for myself in my sport – I wanted to see how far I could go on my own," Hjulmand says.
Having never been treated differently by her peers or trainers is what has motivated Hjulmand to push her limits and work harder. And her love for dance has in turn helped her modelling career, boosting her love of movement. "I couldn't, and wouldn't imagine myself with both my arms," she says, "I love challenging myself. I never saw myself doing modelling and when I got scouted I was surprised. But I also took it as a challenge and now I'm more comfortable doing it."
Though she’s fairly new to the industry, Hjulmand feels like she’s learnt a lot in a short space of time. Some of which she wasn’t anticipating. "When I came into the industry, I discovered that it wasn't anything like what I thought and it's much more open to diversity," she says. "I love that after Copenhagen Fashion Week, I got contacted a lot on social media by people who have the same handicap as I have, and they told me that I was such a role model." For her admirers, seeing Hjulmand walk for major Nordic brands was a huge validation, proof that fashion is for everyone and that all kinds of bodies belong to the runway.
Photo: Arda Sarper Eken
Although her own experience in the industry has been a very positive one, Hjulmand is quick to admit that there is still work to be done when it comes to welcoming all kinds of bodies on the runway. But Scandinavia seems to be at the forefront of making changes in the industry. Case in point: Copenhagen SS23 fashion week, which made headlines with the diverse casting that spanned all of the shows, allowing models of all shapes and sizes to claim their rightful spot on the runway.
While Hjulmand says that dance will always remain a big part of her life, her dream is to conquer more runways, here in Scandinavia and beyond. What's certain though is that her journey in fashion is only just getting started. As she says: "It gets more personal when you see someone [represented] with an insecurity that you might have yourself, and then you see that everything is possible."