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EXCLUSIVE: Sunniva Ferri, Beauty Beyond Hair, Inspiring Change Through Activism

EXCLUSIVE: Sunniva Ferri, Beauty Beyond Hair, Inspiring Change Through Activism

  • The recent interview of Sunniva Ferri, a model and activist, by Alopecia Magazine sheds light on the idea of "Beauty Beyond Hair" with great assertiveness.

As the editor of the UK’s pioneering magazine focused on reshaping perceptions of alopecia, redefining beauty, and empowering individuals with alopecia, I am always on the lookout for inspiring figures within the alopecia community. These remarkable individuals not only challenge my understanding of the condition but also surpass limitations to showcase their vibrant and exceptional personalities beyond alopecia. Recently, I had the honour of engaging in a conversation with Sunniva Ferri, a catalyst for change who is making a significant impact through her activism. Sunniva is a multi-talented advocate for gender equality and ecofeminism and a model, photographer, and painter, amplifying her voice and creating ripples of transformation.

I found it incredibly inspiring that her incredible journey of self-discovery has motivated her to question social conventions and dispel stereotypes. Sunniva greeted me confidently and politely as the interview got underway. I was so enthralled by what I initially mistook for a captivating Canadian accent, that I couldn’t help but express my admiration. Curiosity piqued, and I delved deeper into her background, enquiring about her place of origin. To my surprise, she revealed that she hailed from the Netherlands, instantly adding an intriguing layer to our conversation.

Sunniva didn’t waste any time expressing herself after the formalities, immediately starting to speak with her thoughts on society’s stereotypes:

“I don’t want my alopecia to be a barrier, I prefer people to see my work, my personality, and what I can contribute”.

As our conversation progressed, her unwavering dedication to promoting ecofeminism and gender equality captivated me more and more. She demonstrated her individuality, her love for these causes, her unwavering dedication, and her inspirational drive, all of which left me with lasting impressions. It was hard to predict how the interview would go because of Sunniva’s fascinating self-awareness as she launched into it.

Her interview invites us into her world, in which she strives to change limiting beliefs and stereotypes that inhibit our growth and ability to achieve our goals. We broke the ice with a light-hearted girl’s small talk on beauty and tips, then proceeded to gain a deeper understanding of her viewpoint. As Sunniva opens up candidly in the scintillating editorial, here are some excerpts and answers to questions:

What does a typical Sunniva week consist of? What is your favourite activity?

The routine of my week isn’t too routine at the moment since I’m currently planning my next steps after graduating from university, so I’m not sure what my typical week looks like, but I’m mainly spending my time creating content for my online activism, modelling, and working for an organisation that advocates for international education. Nevertheless, I am most interested in writing down the good experiences I had during the week since I enjoy taking photos and sorting, editing, and printing them. I am currently working as a freelancer on various projects, my daily life is quite spontaneous and unpredictable. For me, being on the road with my camera is my favourite activity besides spending time with family and friends. I enjoy visiting places and exhibitions alone, strolling through bustling streets, or admiring the beauty of nature as well as being in good company.

What is your favourite moisturiser? Name the brand.

Due to my sensitive skin, I rarely use skin care products. However, I adore Weleda products, especially their “Coldcream”. I use this product every morning and evening. If one day Weleda knocks on my door for a collaboration, I’d be so excited to promote it 🙂

What is a beauty item you always keep in your bag, and what brand is it?

Can this be considered a beauty item? It’s a lip balm that’s made locally near my parent’s home, and I always carry it with me. In reality, I would love to be more into makeup and beauty products because I believe makeup to be an art, but I find it so complicated and time-consuming to do it myself.

My attention was drawn to your modelling work, Sunniva. Tell us a little bit about them, what brands have you worked with?

I was quite shy in front of the camera at first and had to get used to it, but now I absolutely love it! Having recently joined a sustainable model agency, the first of its kind in Germany, I hope to make bald women more visible in the fashion industry and model for companies that share my values. Having the opportunity to work with creative and empowered people is so enriching and encouraging. So far, my biggest shoot has been for Lemanjá Goddess Dress, a brand that designs beautiful gender-neutral silk dresses by collaborating with independent artists. I am also one of their brand ambassadors. We have worked on so many exciting projects together and plan to work on many more that I cannot reveal at this time.

What do you find fascinating about the topic of embracing change and breaking stereotypes, Sunniva?

I’ll briefly explain how I came to define myself as someone who embraces change and breaks stereotypes. After sharing more of my interests online, especially on Instagram and LinkedIn, people began asking me, “So, what do you do? What’s your job title?” I wondered if I should label myself or include a specific “job title” in my bio.

Rather than defining myself by the exact job I do, I thought I’d simply state the mission I’m on. No matter what activity or job I’m doing, the message I want to convey is that of embracing change and breaking stereotypes, which underlies everything I do. As someone who has experienced hair loss firsthand and firmly believes that change can be applied to so many other areas of life, I realized how important it is for me to convey that change is always an opportunity. Having a positive relationship with change and seeing it as an opportunity rather than a threat fascinates me about it. Realizing that nothing is as constant and certain as change has shown me how important it is to have a positive relationship with it. Aspects such as breaking down stereotypes, generalizing, and often unjustified preconceptions about oneself or others are also very important to me. What percentage of people have these misconceptions? There is a lot of work to be done.

Sunniva, you mentioned that you wouldn’t like to be identified by your alopecia; could you explain what you meant by that?

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It is my personal goal to normalize alopecia in the best way possible, without ignoring the emotional distress that can result for those who suffer from it. The main reason for this is that alopecia is still perceived as so “different”. It is crucial that we focus on education from an early age, strengthen the voices of marginalized groups, and move away from stereotyping in general in addition to raising awareness about hair loss. When it comes to communicating about alopecia, I always try to strike a balance since while I would like to highlight alopecia through photography and blog posts, I don’t want to draw too much attention to it because I am more than just my autoimmune condition. Although I have alopecia and am always happy to share my experiences and “story,” I also have other interests that make me who I am and need the same or more attention. Each of us is an artistic masterpiece shaped by our feelings, experiences, interests, and relationships, we limit ourselves and others when we pigeonhole and label ourselves or others.

What is the social media platform where our readers can find you? Do you see social media as a tool in your activism?

Mostly, you’ll find me on Instagram and LinkedIn, since being active on social media and speaking out has led to numerous opportunities and successes. In my activist work, social media has become a source of inspiration and learning for me since it creates visibility that is not possible offline. I am aware that it also has negative aspects, and I have seen that Instagram, for example, can be a very toxic environment where one feels inadequate, which is an area I could explore further, but it is beyond my scope. 

My way of dealing with it has been to follow content that is true of interest to me consciously and to remove accounts or people whose content makes me feel inadequate. Through consciously following and consuming while regularly cleaning up my feed, I feel like I am always improving myself. I am grateful for all the connections I’ve made via Instagram and I’m very grateful for them. 

Lastly, what is your favorite quote or advice about embracing change and challenging stereotypes in relationships?

When we feel like we don’t fit in at first sight: That’s our superpower. I feel secure by the fact that change is happening right now, everywhere, all the time, regardless of what we want, and it is up to us to deal with change, whether we accept it, whether we see it as an opportunity or as a threat.

My decision-making has been influenced and helped by knowing that we can choose how to handle change. Dealing with vulnerability and dealing with change can be one of life’s greatest challenges, but it can also be one of life’s greatest joys because it leads us to people who truly understand us.

Sunniva’s natural beauty and her self-assurance during our interview impressed me. It was a very positive and constructive conversation, and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to speak with such an inspiring individual. Sunniva’s confidence and candour throughout the interview serve as a testament to the strength that comes from staying true to oneself.

READ RELATED ‘AM’ ARTICLE: Christie Valdiserri recalls the moment she ‘lost everything’ including her dream job after losing her hair.

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