#BlogTour-‘Head Shot’ by Victoria Nixon

About the book…

From the epicentre of Sixties glamour to a double family suicide: how a Vogue model persevered and rebuilt her life in the face of tragedy

A girl from a Yorkshire mining town is barely thirteen when her father kills himself – her brother finds him dying. At sixteen she’s spotted by a rock star and becomes an international Vogue model. Seven years later her brother kills himself in her New York apartment and her mother dies too. With no family left, her life is now one of extreme choices. Fifty years later, Victoria confronts her past and takes her readers on an unflinching voyage through her experiences as a model and beyond. Speaking frankly about loss, love, friendship and ambition, ‘Head Shot’ is a book of inspiration and purpose.

Packed with astonishing images by the photographers Victoria worked with, and the defiant fashions she wore throughout her career, it also bears witness to a time of unparalleled cultural energy and invention; it’s a story in which bags and shoes can, and do, sit right next to life and death

”Dewy skin,pounding luscious lips,come-hither eyes-it is forever thus.Except that every new season enticing new promises are added.How long before we can buy every conceivable dream in a labelled jar,I wonder.”

Huge thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Unbound for my gifted review copy of ‘headshot’ by Victoria Nixon, it was a stunning read on so many levels. The main impression which I came away with is of resilience-this is a determined, impassioned and clever woman who has not just a tale to tell, but a lifetime to write about. Unlike many ‘celeb memoirs’ (mostly by people who haven’t actually lived) this is a serious autobiography by a woman who not only is a reare and sustained success in her own field, she writes beautifully in a no holds barred fashion which is immediately engaging. She doesn’t name drop left , right and centre-the anecdotes which she shares are often cautionary tales of the excesses of the late 60’s fashion scene that highlight the strange times that the world was going through.

”Real style has little to do with grooming and seasonal fashion.It’s an attitude-you can’t manufacture it.”

From her brutally honest failure to graduate modelling class-thankfully her mother insisted on her having a backup plan in typing-to being on the cover of ‘Vogue’,Victoria covers every single aspect of her life in frank detail. Her coming of age in the turbulent 60’s reflects the societal changes in the UK when personal freedom contrasted with her being told what to do, what to wear , how to look. One thing that comes out right from the start is that her background-Barnsley born and bred-gives her roots and strength to do her own thing even within the confines of modelling where so much is about being a conduit for other people’s ideas.

”It’s increasingly obvious to me that fame and what it entails is not all-desirable:it’s hollow,not real and this girl from Barnsley has to stay real.”

The inclusion of both black and white photos in the text as well as full colour spreads of major modelling campaigns are breath taking.You can absolutely see why Victoria was so in demand as a model as she strides chameleon like through the decades, taking couture and making it her own.Ethereal yet absolutely present in every picture, it is fascintaing reading about the shoots and then seeing the archived pictures of her to contextualise the story.

”Modelling isn’t brain surgery,but it can be a damn sight harder than it looks.You need more than a photgenic face to get to the top.And staying there is the true test of a girl’s character.It takes serious drive,determination and resilience to travel the world aone,to be a team player on set and to immediately understand what is expected of you in the bog picture.”

Her personal and professional life are heartbreaking as both contain unplanned deaths-suicide either by neglect through addictions or her father’s tragic death as a result of business decisions outside his control which ruined him. He was a casulaty of poor business models from a  company (British Leyland)who had little to no regard for the people whose lives were affected by their lack of foresight-financial ruin and shame that were not his fault led to his death and the start of her bother’s life long battle with mental health problems. It is incredibly dissarming to read so honestly about the effects of death from suicide and mental health problems, and frankly , I am not sure that we are any better now than we were back then in talking openly about this. This book goes a long way towards starting that dialogue-Victoria mentions that her father’s death was never talked about and so that is then turned inwards with the endlessly unanswered question of ‘Why?’

What I found so brilliant about ‘Headshot’ is how human and relatable Victoria makes modelling. She strips it bare and shows the reader just how much hard work is involved and how a strong sense of self is vital in being able to stay away from malign influences such as drugs and alcohol. Hers is a story of success from sheer determination and graft inherited from both parents along with a wicked sense of humour that has you chortling throughout. Rejection and being turned away from jobs for perceived ‘flaws’ could have life long effects and depression is a reality for Victoria. Worried about her mental health and aware of how fragile life is , abuse from a partner and depression strike hard and fast –

‘Depression is serious and very real.Feeling alone and scared of appearing in any way mad can strike anyone,however highly educated,intelligent and thoughtful.Many of the greatest,toughest people of all time have suffered from depression.Words help.Comfort helps.Support helps.The act of talking is in itself a therapy.Understanding your thoughts so that you don’t become them.”

Her ‘Lessons In Life” taken from her experiences is incredibly powerful and uplifting, challenging yourself to be the best version of you that you can be whilst acknowledging your shortcomings, so that you can settle for nothing less than you deserve,is inspiring reading.

Victoria’s life, her passion for change for the world is infectious and truthful-I absolutely loved her take on celeb culture and charity work. What she and her husband did for the people of Kashmir after the devastating 2005 earthquake there has absolutely turned on its head the way that I will think about, and move forward as a person in supporting charities in the future,

In stripping away the glamour and artifice of fashion, she has created a wonderful book full of pathos, meaning and a life well travelled and well lived. This is a book to be treasured, learnt from and adored. I am truly grateful to have read it and can see it being re-read many times in the future as well as recommending it as much as I possibly can.

About the author…

Victoria Nixon was eighteen when she was discovered by Helmut Newton, who photographed her for Vogue . This launched her international modelling career, which led to her being named the Daily Mail ’s ‘Face of 1968’.

After modelling, she went on to become an award-winning advertising copywriter, television producer and magazine editor. In the 1990s she opened the first deli in the UK to ban plastic packaging, and in 2002 her first book, ‘Supermodels’ Beauty Secrets‘ , was published, followed by ‘Supermodels’ Diet Secrets‘ in 2004. She is cofounder and managing director of a company which designs and manufactures humanitarian aid products used worldwide

Links-http://www.victorianixon.com/

Twitter @VictoriaNixon_