Aeyde: What is your favorite part of the day?

Sarah Batt: I love the morning—I’m definitely a morning person. I love waking up early and starting my day off when the world feels quiet. It feels like the day is longer if you start your day off this way. It’s very calming without all the commotion.

A: What’s a decision you’ve made that has defined your path in life?

SB: Getting out of my comfort zone and trying something new. Not being in the area I grew up in, for example, and moving to Berlin. I knew what I wanted to do within the fashion industry, and at the time most of the jobs were only around Berlin or in bigger cities, so I knew I had to move if I wanted to do this job. When making decisions I usually go with my female instinct—what feels most comfortable. If it feels right, it’s right. If it feels funny or feels wrong, then I try to listen to that and reevaluate.

A: Where do you draw your feelings of power and confidence from?

SB: Through my struggles! Any time I’m going through something and I feel down or things aren’t going my way, I always pick myself up and continue. With this mindset, I’ve been able to achieve my goals. Then I’m relieved, happy and can see this process of development, and know I’m growing stronger from it. When I first started out in modeling in the early 2000s, it wasn’t easy. I was starting to see diversity in advertising, but I wasn’t experiencing this myself, as many modeling agencies simply weren’t interested in signing someone “like me”. It wasn’t until around 2012 that I began to see a shift, and the shift is still happening now. I’m glad I persevered, but it wasn’t easy.

A: Is there a big difference between who you are publicly and who you are privately?

SB: Not necessarily. In my profession, it’s great that I don’t have to change who I am to do what I do. So I would say I’m pretty much the same person, and I think it’s important to stay true to yourself and not try to play a role or be something you’re not. I really just want to be viewed like any other person—like a regular human being. I don’t like being stared at in public or gawked at. I would like people to be more open—if you’re not used to seeing something you don’t see everyday, maybe be more open to it.