Being selected as the next head model for one of the world’s most iconic fashion labels is one thing — but being handpicked by the brand’s co-founder and creative director is a whole other story. And it’s one that Danielle Knudson, model and Red Deer native, shares with a humble smile.

“The moment I found out I was the next Guess girl, I cried,” says Knudson, who was modelling at a smaller-scale shoot for the collection when she met Paul Marciano, a mastermind behind the Guess empire. Not long after, the 24-year-old got the call that he had selected her to be the leading lady for the spring campaign. “It’s a dream job —I grew up with the brand.”

And, might we say, it’s a role that she rocks entirely: Knudson’s sweet, small-town personality lends a hint of the girl next door to the risqué brand. Even dressed in the campaign’s famous red-and-white polka-dot frock, there’s something about her that tells us she’s not all girly girl. “Growing up, I was really into sports,” Knudson reveals. “I was a figure skater, and then I was a freestyle skier for many, many years — not so girly. But I love to do my job and playing this part, dressing up as a glam, super-pretty girl!”

The collection was shot on location at Laguna Beach, Calif., a place where the young Canuck, and the Guess brand, felt right at home against a roaring sun and hot, white sand. Waking up to shoot at the crack of dawn and wrapping just after sunset, it was an all-day affair that, Knudson says, was worth every hour of hard work.
“This has completely changed my life,” says Knudson. “I’m part of the Guess family now, so I’m busier than I’ve ever been — but I’m also having so much fun.”

Q&A with Danielle Knudson
Q: Favourite piece from the campaign?
A: There was a pair of black leather overalls that I wore. They’re so me. I’m definitely going to rock them this season!

Q: Your style in one word?
A: Tomboy.

Q: Fashion staples?
A: Black-on-black, and sneakers.

Q: Favourite movie?
A: Mulan, and anything Tim Burton.

Q: One person you’d love to chat with?
A: Marilyn Monroe.

Q: You’re stranded on an island, what’s one thing you need?
A: Hot sauce.

Q: Cupcakes or quinoa?
A: Cupackes. I have a sweet tooth.

Q: One fault?
A: I can be impatient.

Q: One good quality?
A: I’m trustworthy.

Q: Define happiness.
A: Being at peace with everything around you.

Q: Best thing about being female?
A: We’re so changeable. You can change your makeup, your hair — you can be a different person every day.

www.guess.ca