Will Jones
Most models pick a lane and ride it. Olivia Blais went the other way. Beauty, swim, denim, athleisure, e-commerce, and runway are all in a day’s work, and her client list backs it up.
She’s Canadian, based in Los Angeles, and she’s built a career on being hard to pin down. One day it’s a beauty campaign for Rare Beauty or Summer Fridays. Next, it’s SKIMS, Alo Yoga, or Gymshark. Then denim and fast fashion brands Guess, PacSun, Garage, Fashion Nova, ASOS, SHEIN. Add Fabletics, Yitty, Walmart, Adore Me, and a stack of swim work for Monday Swimwear and TA3, and you start to get the picture.
The runway counts too. Blais has walked Miami Swim Week and worked with photographers and creative teams whose names carry weight. Lately she’s moved into the digital side as well, with brand partnerships and events tied to names like POOSH and Revolve. Repped on both coasts of the continent in Los Angeles and Montreal, she’s stayed busy in two countries at once.
You’ve modeled across just about every category there is, beauty, swim, denim, athleisure, e-comm. Which one surprised you by becoming a favorite?
Athleisure, without a doubt. I grew up playing sports, played volleyball in university, and still spend a lot of my free time playing tennis and staying active. Because of that, athleisure always feels like the most natural category for me. I genuinely connect with the brands, the products, and the lifestyle they’re promoting, which makes those shoots especially fun to be a part of.
You’re Canadian, but you built the bulk of your career in LA. What was the hardest part of making that move stick?
Honestly, starting from scratch. I had already built a career in Canada, and then I moved to LA where nobody knew who I was. It felt like hitting reset. There were definitely moments where I questioned whether it was the right move, but I’m glad I stuck with it because it’s opened so many doors and pushed me way outside my comfort zone.
People see the finished campaign, not the twelve-hour day behind it. What’s the part of the job nobody really talks about?
People don’t really talk about how much consistency it takes. You don’t just wake up and do a campaign. There’s years of castings, rejections, travel, taking care of yourself, and showing up ready to perform no matter what kind of day you’re having.
You’ve worked with everyone from SKIMS and Rare Beauty to Alo Yoga and Guess. Is there a shoot you still think about?
I’d probably say the SKIMS shoot. It was a commercial style campaign, so I actually had lines, which was fun because it’s not something I get to do on every job. It felt a little different from a traditional shoot and gave me the chance to show more personality. The energy on set was great, and it’s definitely one that stands out when I look back on my career.
Walking Miami Swim Week is a totally different animal from a studio e-commerce day. How do you switch gears between them?
I think after doing this for so many years, you learn to adapt pretty quickly. Runway is all about energy and confidence, while e-commerce is a lot more technical and repetitive. Honestly, I like both for different reasons. I enjoy the challenge of switching between them.
What does LA give you, creatively, that you couldn’t get anywhere else?
The people. You’re constantly surrounded by creative, ambitious people who are building things. Whether it’s fashion, beauty, wellness, entertainment, or startups, everyone is working toward something. That energy is contagious and definitely pushes me to think bigger.
If someone messaged you tomorrow trying to break into modeling, what’s the one thing you’d actually tell them?
Be someone people want to work with. The industry is a lot smaller than it looks. Being reliable, kind, and easy to work with will take you much further than most people realize.