Irene Noren - Stop Worrying About People’s Opinions, Make Enough Time To Know Yourself, Have A Good Relationship With Your Soul And Body (Influencer, Spain)

 

I shot a famous Spanish movie with big actors and studied dramatic art for around 5 years so I actually enjoyed being a part of it

 

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

Well, it’s hard to summarise into a few words but I’ll do my best! Starting with my background I was raised by my mother and later on my stepdad in a small village from Spain. I feel like growing up without my father and in a small town was key in my life and I think that’s why I might have grown up being pretty naive and insecure. 

My journey hasn’t been an easy road, in my teenage years I was in an abusive relationship which my then partner ended up in jail for murder. This was all over the media and I suffered not only during the relationship but after it, since the media followed me to my school, home, etc, making me stay at home most of the time, losing friends and learning how life works in the hard way.

This was one of the big turning points in my life since all I wanted was to escape from my small town and be a new person, where no one knew this and where I could be whoever I wanted without being pointed. 

I started exploring fashion, music, the underground scene and I loved it. I opened my Instagram account and I started showing people my outfits and style. 

That same year I started to work for Brandy Melville, helping my account to keep growing! No that long after I decided to move to Barcelona with my ex boyfriend, who was a model and had to be there for work and I got scouted by an agency, and started my modelling career, allowing me to travel for the first time to the USA, ASIA and so many countries in Europe. 

For years that was my passion and my career until I had my awakening experience that made me realise my true purpose and mission and taught me so much about self love. Making me quit and start a different journey til we’re I am now.

If I can summarise the last few years, I will say that thanks to the role men have been having in my relationships pushed me to become the woman I am now, especially my ex parent who stole my savings and the brand I worked for a whole year. 

That actually made me start studying financial literacy, get into stock market and crypto and overall made me become a strong determined woman. I feel I finally became the person I used to dream about.

2. How did you become a model and reach this stage?

Like I said before, my modelling career was actually an accident, growing up I never thought of it. I shot a pretty famous Spanish movie with big actors and studied dramatic art for around 5 years so I actually enjoyed being a part of it. But after what happened with my first boyfriend when I was just 16 yo I became very insecure and introverted. 

Was not until I turned 20 that I started to actually feel good about myself and when I started to feel pretty. 

Actually, it was around that time when photographers started to contact me to take test photos and even though it took some time for me to agree, I started to enjoy it.

Then like I said I dated a model and he actually pushed me to feel more confident and take photos.

Like I was explaining before, the way I started in the modelling industry was unintentional and completely random, my ex and I moved together to Barcelona and I started working as a waitress in a restaurant, at the same time, the day after of being scouted my agency sent me to what it was my first casting which I got the job, making me actually believe I could take this as my profession. 

I worked quite a lot for the first year, I even made it to the streets of NYC for a sunglasses campaign, which was actually insane for me to do! Imagine from living in a 6K people village to having my face around the streets of Nyc!

Then after a few years I got negative about the industry, I just felt it didn’t fulfill me, I needed to love myself and I decided to quit and start a spiritual journey.

3. What is your opinion of body image created by the media and how hard is it to put up with it?

I think it's fucked up. I hate the fact that we are constantly being compared and manipulated into the idea of how important our image is, leaving on the side of the importance of having a beautiful soul. 

I have worked a lot on myself so I don’t get triggered by social media, but I suffer thinking other people might compare themselves with me and that’s why I actually try my best on social media to be real and to show that I’m actually much more than a body, which I express through my opinions and views I normally share on my stories. 

I also created a girls only club where girls around the world and I debated about these types of subjects. For me to help people find love within themselves and find their true potential is my ultimate goal and the direction I’m taking at the moment.

4. How important is social media validation in your profession?

It used to be important, especially when it depended on my rate when it came to deals with other brands. But it got to the point that it doesn’t affect me at all, I’m more focused on being a good person and helping others to feel loved than actually focusing my energy into external validation. I know my value and it’s not determined by how many followers, likes or positive feedback I have on social media.

5. How can one take care of their mental health in this high pressure glamorous field?

To be honest, staying away. It’s important to take care of your mental health and if I feel you feel you’re not being taken care of, the best decision is to step back.

Also what really helped me is to have strong bonds with friends and family and having always a place where you can be yourself, and not always need to dress up glamorous or behave differently than how you would behave at home.

6. What is the common misconception people have about modelling?

I think people think that the modelling industry it’s always glamorous and fun. Also people forget that models are normal people (unless they come from famous parents) and we deal with the same issues that everyone does: image distortion, loneliness, money, insecurities, etc.

Also another misconception I have faced being in the industry is that people underestimate you, constantly. I have heard many times things like “you’re very intelligent”, “I’m surprised how eloquent you are”, or just the fact that people rapidly assume I am superficial and arrogant, when it is actually completely opposite of who I am.

7. For a complete outsider with inroads, what advice would you like to give?

My advice is to stop worrying about people’s opinions. Make enough time to know yourself, have a good relationship with your soul and body and If you are going to spend a lot of time in your head make sure it’s a good place to live in!

Connect to your spiritual side, believe in Divine, be a good soul and trust the universe!

8. Throw some light on your company IN the label Who inspired you to start it and what is it about?

This is actually an interesting point I would love to talk about. 

So basically I’ve been struggling a lot when it comes to my entrepreneurial side. I have had a lot of obstacles with it. 

I built my brand, produced it, marketed it and when I was ready to sell my ex who had power in it disappeared, leaving me with a broken dream. It has taken me a lot of mental health and I have worked a lot for a year to start over by myself this time being my only investor. 

I’m actually in the designing process and even though it’s scary I’m excited to finally have control over it and be able to launch in the near future. The label is going to be a woman’s brand, made for strong women who don’t give up and embrace their bodies. 

9. What are some of your upcoming projects?

I’m actually translating a book I wrote a couple years ago and never felt motivated enough to work for and it’s going to be something that I expect will help a lot of people to become stronger and happier.

My other projects are going to raise awareness and keep fighting to be a better person everyday.

10. Which is your favourite book and why?

I love reading and every book had a positive impact on myself but The Power of Tao helped me a lot when I started to be spiritual and to have a better understanding of my views and religion.

- Irene Noren

- Interviewed By Pearlina Marie Rein