Ella Halikas: The CEO of Confidence on Breaking Barriers and Redefining Beauty
Ella Halikas is the embodiment of confidence, resilience, and unapologetic self-love. From a young girl with big dreams of modeling to becoming a trailblazer in the fashion industry, Ella’s story is one of passion, purpose, and breaking barriers. Whether gracing the pages of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit or fronting campaigns for major brands like Kopari Beauty, she has proven that beauty comes in all sizes—and that confidence is truly the key.
In this exclusive interview, Ella opens up about her journey, the turning points in her career, and her vision for a more inclusive fashion world. She also shares invaluable advice for young women looking to follow in her footsteps and why staying true to yourself is the ultimate superpower.
Let’s get into it.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the fashion industry? Was modeling something you’ve always wanted to do?
What inspired me to pursue a career in the fashion industry was the lack of representation of my body size I was seeing, and the need for more self-love and acceptance for women everywhere. I wanted to show the industry that you can be just as qualified as a model, and feel just as beautiful and confident as a size 14. Modeling was something I always wanted to do since I was very young, but the older I got, the more impossible it felt to achieve. That realization drove my passion and purpose even more to change the industry to become more inclusive.
What was your first break in the industry?
My first break in the industry was shooting for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in 2021, after becoming a finalist in the SI Swimsuit Search contest in 2020. Before this, I booked several commercials for bigger brand names like JcPenney and Snapchat, but I would say my big break was the Sports Illustrated shoot. This was such a personal breakthrough for me as well, because it was on my vision board for as long as I can remember– and I auditioned for three consecutive years before getting it!
What has been your favorite job so far as a model?
I would definitely say shooting for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit was a favorite modeling job of mine, because it was a life-long dream that came true. Although, my recent shoot with Kopari Beauty this summer would be another favorite job of mine, because my photo for them is displayed in all Ulta stores across the country this December! Go check out your nearest Ulta, it’s still so surreal for me. I loved shooting this as well because the Kopari team means so much to me, and have become my family– so it was super surreal to shoot my first modeling campaign with them!
What do you love about the fashion industry? What is something you wish changed?
I love that the fashion industry has come a long way with being more diverse and inclusive to all body types and sizes. I also love that the industry has become more about self-expression and personal style, rather than just following trends. Although we have seen some progress with inclusivity, I still believe there’s so much farther we need to go and accomplish. For starters, I would love to see extended sizes be the norm across all brands, and not just something we see with a selective few companies that are doing it for a trend rather than their core values. We are also seeing a lot of brands falsely advertise that they are inclusive, but never actually making those extended sizes available to their customers.
What platform do you believe is most important to be on? What platform do you enjoy the most?
I believe that TikTok is the most important platform to be on right now. It’s easier to be authentic, show your true personality, use your voice, and connect with others on this platform. It’s also the platform that I can be the most creative and fun on, and not care too much what others think or say. Aside from TikTok, I really enjoy being on Instagram! I love to create a more tailored aesthetic on my Instagram profile and cultivate a balanced image as a professional model and influencer.
Do you think having a social media following is an advantage or disadvantage in the fashion industry?
I believe having a social media following is an advantage in the fashion industry because you are able to use your voice and connect with a bigger audience to make a change. I believe I would continue to post and use my voice regardless of my following, which I did starting out– but it definitely does help to spread my message now that I have a bigger following. Also, having a social media platform elevated my modeling career because it exposed me to more brands. And I’ve noticed brands are wanting to book models as talent and personalities, rather than just models.
What is your biggest piece of advice for young girls wanting to become models or social media stars?
My biggest piece of advice for young girls wanting to become models or social media stars, would be to hone in on your ‘WHY’ and true purpose with wanting to pursue this. I believe it’s easy to get carried away or pulled in so many directions in this industry, so it’s vital to stay true to yourself and have tunnel-vision on your purpose and goals. Also I would say to work on your confidence every day and not compare yourself to others, because this industry can be cut through and leave you feeling unworthy with tons of rejection that we face daily. Stay positive, confident, surround yourself with good people, and believe in yourself– realize anything can be possible with a little delusional confidence! 🙂
credits:
Photographer: Max Bronner @maxbronner
Makeup: Samantha Vaugh @samanthajaene
