Runway: Hello Hope! So your claim to fame was shooting for the cover of Playboy in 2009, what was your reaction or first thoughts?
Hope: When I was asked to pose I didn’t make any phone calls, I wasn’t excited. I actually felt bad; I didn’t talk to anyone for weeks and didn’t give them an answer right away. I told my grandmother first and she said if she was my age she would have done it so I called them right away and told them I’d do it.
Runway: How was it working with Seth Rogen?
Hope: Seth was really funny. He tried making me as comfortable as possible. We shot many different covers, some were printed internationally, and only one was for the U.S. He just was really funny and he’s a comedian, so it was a fun shoot.
Runway: You have your own clothing line, can you tell us about that?
Hope: I’m designing for Tees by Tina under my name. They are kind of lux basics and I love them and wear them all the time. I can wear them under a leather jacket and to work out and do pilates. And they are so comfortable I wanted dresses out of the same fabrics and in different prints so we made a line of maxi dresses and shorter textured dresses for people who wanted to hide love handles or saddle bags on their hips. Really easy dresses for everyone to wear.
Runway: What designers influenced you?
Hope: Not really a designer, I just had ideas on what I want to wear. So I put them together, or they came from things missing in my closet that I never had a chance to buy.
Runway: Who is your favorite designer?
Hope: The person I buy the most often is Dolce and Gabbana because they fit so, so amazing. Their dresses are always really classy and edgy. And I can pull out a dress that I bought six years ago from them and it’s still one of my favorite dresses today.
Runway: So you walked the runway for Versace, Balenciaga, Miss Sixty. Which show has been the most fun to walk for?
Hope: My very first runway show was Versace. So when I’m asked that question I always say Versace because it was such a crazy experience. I toured six cities with them so I walked for them in New York, Tokyo, Milan, Paris. So that was probably the most exciting because it was the first show I ever walked in and stopping in all these cities that I had never been to, that was probably the best.
Runway: Did you have huge heels that were hard to walk in?
Hope: I remember the scariest thing was during a walkthrough for a show, and I was in a long dress and my heel got caught under a dress, because nothing is completely sewn yet, and it was a little long for me and I kind of tripped. I was thinking, “God, please don’t fall, please don’t fall”.
Runway: Are you dating anyone currently?
Hope: I am dating someone, yes.
Runway: Who is your favorite shoe designer?
Hope: I’m home now so I want to look in my closet, I have too many. I go back and forth. But I can always go to YSL. Or Louboutin has beautiful, beautiful shoes, but my YSL’s trump that any day. I have the same amount of both though.
Runway: What’s your fashion style like when you’re not working? Your street style?
Hope: I’m normally in a pair of jeans, flat boots, and a solid top. Maybe a blazer or leather jacket. It’s honestly really simple. Flat combat boots. Sunglasses. I have a collection of leathers I rotate through. Really easy for running errands.
Runway: So pretty simple, yet fashionable?
Hope: Completely low maintenance when I’m not doing events. I actually just bought a lot of wide leg, printed pants and I’m loving those but I wouldn’t wear them out to run errands.
Runway: Tell about your iPhone app “The Rating Game.” Did you come up with the concept?
Hope: I didn’t come up with the concept; the app company came to me and said they wanted to do an app. And I thought it was so awesome, I could show my favorite pieces and I thought people could people could upload their favorite things but it’s not what they wanted to do. They said games do really well, so they made an app where people send in photos and I rate them on a scale. They said if it does well then I can have my fashion and beauty app.
Runway: Do you have any pets that travel with you and what are your must have travel items?
Hope: I have so many must have travel items. I don’t have a pet that travels with me. My dog died four or five years ago, it was always such a headache traveling with her. I always have a pair of socks, my feet are always cold. I have a face masks with different sayings. Sometimes I feel four when I have a mask that says “Do Not Disturb” with sparkles on it. I travel with a moisturizer; I don’t wear any foundation unless someone’s putting it on me. My iPod and perfume.
Runway: What is your favorite place to shop?
Hope: Honestly, as far as day wear and what fits me really well is Helmut Lang. Dolce Gabbana and Helmut Lang. Dolce and Gabbana for dresses. But more than that probably what is a hobby of mine is vintage shopping. I love buying pieces and reworking it.
Runway: That’s great then it’s custom.
Hope: Yeah. And every once in a while I’ll shop online and I found a vintage Chanel dress with gold buttons down the front. I pair it with leopard lace up Louboutins and it was fabulous! So that’s another hobby of mine, finding pieces online and reworking them.
Runway: Any fashion predictions for 2012?
Hope: I think that wide leg pants are back, not like bell bottoms, but from the mid-seam down. Orange is really hot. Some people are really disappointed by that, like my friends who hate orange. Recently I’ve bought a lot of neon bags and pants. Pointy toe shoes are amazing right now, and they will be huge Fall and Winter. And Ivanka Trump has some great shoes as well. It doesn’t have to be high end though, I found a great pair of patent leather shoes by Aldo and everyone was complimenting them!
Runway: So I heard your agent and manager wanted to change your last name. Is it because a lot of people mispronounce it?
Hope: Yeah they butcher it. They wanted me to change it to anything I wanted. I didn’t know what I wanted to change it to, nothing felt right. So I kept my own. It doesn’t bother me if someone mispronounces it.
Runway: What nationality is your name?
Hope: Polish. My dad’s Polish.
Runway: So what is your life like now after doing so many TV appearances and fashion shows? How has it changed?
Hope: It depends. Sometimes my weeks are really busy when I’m traveling. I’ll be in New York and then Boston, then London. But then like this week and next week I’m home and I don’t have to worry about having to be somewhere. I have work in L.A. but it’s nice to be able to work from home.
Runway: What countries have you traveled to for work?
Hope: England, Japan, Italy, Moscow, Spain. And for vacation I just got back from Bora Bora and Tahiti. And I go to Mexico sometimes because it’s so close. And Dominican Republic, which I hated. It was a crazy flight schedule and a lack of communication between myself and the people there. They just don’t seem to care. I’ve been there twice for photo shoots and I’ve never loved it. If you have the chance to go, go somewhere else.
Runway: Which was your favorite place to visit?
Hope: Paris, maybe.
Runway: What’s your beauty regimen?
Hope: Because I’m home, I’m going to look. Cleanser, I use Avalon Organics from Whole Foods. Twice a week I use a glycolic cleanser that has glycolic acid in it and has an exfoliator in it. My moisturizer has been Le Mer, the lighter gel. I love Bio Oil from CVS or Walgreens. I spray it on after a shower. I use a collagen booster serum.
Runway: Do you have any advice for girls hoping to break into the business of modeling?
Hope: It’s not as glamorous as it looks. Don’t go into unless you know who are and have morals and values because it’s all set up to tear you down. That’s it.
Hope supports the Best Buddies Charity. Best Buddies creates one-on-one friendships with people with disabilities and helps them with jobs and to create better futures. Visit www.BestBuddies.org for more information.