TIA MALLIA

HOW WERE YOU SCOUTED? AT THE AGE OF SEVEN, ON THE STREETS OF MARBELLA, SPAIN.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DEBUT AS A MODEL. IT WAS A TV ADVERTISEMENT FOR RENAULT SPAIN - BASICALLY JUST HAD TO PLAY NINTENDO IN THE BACK OF A CAR.

WHAT DOES A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MODEL AND AGENCY OWNER LOOK LIKE? EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE, THE ONLY CONSISTENT ELEMENTS ARE THAT I RISE BETWEEN 5 AND 6AM, TACKLE MY INBOX, AND THEN EITHER HIT THE GYM OR TAKE A LEISURELY STROLL. OH, AND IT WOULDN'T BE A TYPICAL TIA DAY WITHOUT A SLIGHT ELEMENT OF CHAOS DROPPED IN.

HOW DO YOU UNWIND? I DON'T DRINK SO READING, PUZZLES, TIME WITH FRIENDS...

ARE YOU A TRUE LIBRA BABY? ABSOLUTELY! I CRAVE EQUALITY IN EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE - AND IF THERE'S ANY IMBALANCE, IT'S CATASTROPHIC!

SPEAKING OF CATASTROPHIC, YOU'RE VERY ACCIDENT PRONE... YES, I HAD A NEAR FATAL JET SKI ACCIDENT ALMOST A YEAR AGO NOW, WHERE I WAS T BONED BY A SPEED BOAT. THE HANDLES LODGED INTO MY PELVIS, SHATTERING IT AND BREAKING MY L1 AND L3 VERTEBRAE - AND LEAVING ME WITH A  10% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. I HAD TO LEARN TO WALK AGAIN AND THEN TO TOP IT OFF A DELAYED BLOOD CLOT LEFT ME LEARNING TO TALK AGAIN.

WHAT DID THE ACCIDENT TEACH YOU? NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF MY HEALTH. IT WAS THE UNIVERSE'S METHOD OF CHALLENGING MY MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CAPACITIES; IT REQUIRES ME TO OCCASIONALLY SAY NO. MOREOVER, IT HELPED ME IDENTIFY MY TRUE FRIENDS.

ON THAT NOTE..FRIENDS...HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE TRUE FRIENDS IN SUCH A COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY? IT'S A HARD LESSON, BUT I'VE LEARNED THAT IN LIFE, YOU'LL ALWAYS ENCOUNTER THOSE WHO COMPETE WITH YOU AND THOSE WHO CHEER YOU ON. ONCE YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE, IT BECOMES SIMPLE.

MOST MEMORABLE MODELLING JOB TO DATE... BEING FLOWN TO THE MALDIVES TO SHOOT FOR A SWIMWEAR BRAND, AND A BAREBACK HORSE SHOOT IN MOROCCO.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE THROUGH THE EYES OF TIA? EMBRACING THE CHALLENGE OF BUILDING A BUSINESS THAT I CAN STEP BACK FROM IN MY 30'S TO BUILD A FAMILY, EXPLORE EVERY CORNER AND CULTURE OF THE WORLD, COMPLETE MY PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE AND DISCOVER TRUE BALANCE IN LIFE.

IF YOU COULD GIVE 5 YEAR OLD TIA ONE PIECE OF ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? KEEP GOING UNTIL IT'S ALL OKAY, AND IF IT'S NOT OKAY, KEEP GOING.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN? TO EMBRACE COPYING AS A COMPLIMENT!

PROS AND CONS OF MODELLING INDUSTRY EVERYDAY BRINGS A NEW ADVENTURE, A CHANCE TO TRAVEL AND CONNECT WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. BUT THERE'S ALSO THE UNSETTLE OF THE UNKNOWN - IMPROMPTU FLIGHTS, SOLITARY NIGHTS IN HOTELS, AND THE STEREOTYPES THAT COME WITH BEING A MODEL. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MODELS CAN BE CEOS TOO!

SPEAKING OF CEO'S - YOU RECENTLY LAUNCHED LONDON'S ALL INCLUSIVE AGENCY, UNDIVIDED. I LAUNCHED UNDIVIDED AFTER HEARING COUNTLESS STORIES OF MODELS BEING MISTREATED BY BIG AGENCIES. I REFUSE TO LET ANYONE'S MODELLING POTENTIAL GO TO WASTE DUE TO FIXABLE ISSUES, SUCH AS COMMON DECENCY. THE INDUSTRY IS ALREADY DAUNTING ENOUGH; YOUR AGENCY SHOULD BE YOUR SAFE HAVEN; A FAMILY.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE FUTURE ASPIRING MODELS? IN THIS CUTTHROAT INDUSTRY, REJECTION IS ABUNDANT. BUT IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH RESILIENCE, THE RIGHT SUPPORT NETWORK AND OFFER MORE THAN JUST LOOKS; YOU CAN PUSH THROUGH IT. YOUR APPEARANCE MAY SECURE YOU THE INITIAL BOOKING, BUT IT'S YOUR VIBRANT ENERGY AND CAPTIVATING STORY THAT WILL ATTRACT REPEAT CLIENTS.

ARE YOU AN INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT? AN INTROVERTED EXTROVERT.

ULTIMATE DATE NIGHT? THE BEST DATE EVER... A SURPRISE AND SOMETHING WILD... I'M ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN... ARCADES, HORSEBACK RIDING, YOU NAME IT...

LASTLY, YOU’RE A MUSE TO MANY, BUT WHO IS YOUR ULTIMATE MUSE AND YOUR STYLE MUSE? MY ULTIMATE MUSE IS MY GRANDMOTHER, WHO ABANDONED HER FAMILY IN IRELAND AT 16 TO RELOCATE TO LONDON, FEARLESSLY PERSUADED HER WAY INTO A SECRETARY POSITION, DESPITE LACKING TYPEWRITING SKILLS, AND AGGRESSIVELY CLIMBED THE RANKS FROM THERE. HER DEMEANOR EXUDED EFFORTLESSNESS, YET HER UNWAVERING DETERMINATION WAS UNMISTAKABLE. MY CELEB MUSE IS HAILEY BIEBER!

WITH LOVE,

ROBE LONDON