BELLO Style Larsen Thompson
written by Ariel Frankeny
At only 17 years old, Larsen Thompson has already made a name for herself in both the fashion and music worlds, bending the lines between each and forging her own unique path. With her fearless personality and endless ambition, it’s no wonder this fiery redhead dancer turned model is shaking up the industry and stealing spotlights everywhere she goes. For her Bello cover story, we asked her about her whirlwind adventure to stardom and what’s next on her epic journey.
Larsen Thompson may be a triple-threat now, but her career started off in one field – dance. “I started dancing at the age of 4 and fell in love with it from the start. Especially getting dressed in amazing costumes and entertaining people!”
Her love of dance blossomed as she grew, eventually skyrocketing her to fame thanks to a viral video filmed with dance partner, Taylor Hatala. “Dance allows me to be free and express myself through motion. Also, it gives me confidence to be comfortable in front of the camera.”
Through her work in dance, she caught the eye of company that then helped catapult her into the modeling world. “I was working on a commercial and the brand asked if I wanted to work on their national print campaign, too. It was another way to express myself, which is what I truly enjoy. After doing a lot of print work I auditioned with Next Management and was signed globally! From there I’ve been able to travel the world and work with some of my favorite brands and magazines.”
When asked how her dance has helped her transition into modeling, she had this to say. “At an early age, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to perform on live television and concerts. It is part of me and I’m grateful for the foundation it provided me to further expand my career into modeling.”
Speaking of being thankful, Larsen strives to maintain this attitude through all of her work. Her goals? “To be humble, continue to train/practice my craft, [be] thankful for the opportunities, and give back to others!”
When asked to recount some of her favorite campaigns to work, Larsen mentioned that her favorite campaign to date was working with Monica Vinader in London where she modeled their jewelry line. “I was blessed to work with Caroline Issa on this project, who I now consider a mentor and friend!”
Larsen has also been involved with brands such as Betsey Johnson, Target, and Gucci on a variety of projects, and is definitely looking for more. “I had an opportunity to work with Gucci on a Vogue Italia fashion short film project a few years ago. I would be thrilled and honored to work on a global campaign with them.”
Her most surreal experience so far? Dancing on stage as a backup dancer for the Janet Jackson during her tour visit in Los Angeles. “Performing live and meeting this music legend was a true gift and I’m forever grateful.”
So how does she balance it all with her personal life? “I’m lucky to have a very flexible school schedule and a family that supports me 100%. I challenge myself to dedicate time in acting and singing when I’m not working to explore other crafts.”
When she does have downtime, she makes the most of it by spending time with her boyfriend and family. In fact, whenever she works on projects that require her to travel, it becomes a family affair. “The whole family comes and we make an extended vacation out of it.”
When asked what she would be doing if she wasn’t a dancing, acting, or modeling, she had one answer – soccer. This was her second love growing up and she could definitely see herself playing college soccer if she wasn’t in the entertainment industry.
We finished off the interview with one of our favorite questions – if someone were to make a documentary of her life, what would she call it? “Driven, because I have learned early in life to work hard for your goals/dreams, learn from mentors to lift you up, and channel my passion in whatever I focus on.”
So what’s next for Larsen Thompson? We asked her and she gave us a sneak peek: “I was in my first feature film that wrapped in January which was a blast. I hope to drop a single at the end of this year stay tuned…”
We can’t wait to see what Larsen does next.
Photography Arthur Galvao | Creative Direction STEPHANE MARQUET
Styling AmbiKa Sanjana | Stylist Assistant Dani Novoa
Hair Sabrina Prosche
Makeup Grace Phillips
Production Bello Media Group x Maison Privée
