If there’s one thing Vivienne Rohner isn’t lacking in life, it’s the innate quality of a true supermodel: confidence. But, a much younger Vivienne might have proved otherwise. “As a child, I was extremely shy, up until I actually left home. [My family] was so shocked that I was the one that just packed her bags and left.” explains Rohner from New York City, where she currently resides. And since the last time the model was captured in the concrete jungle for V back in 2020 by Inez & Vinoodh as well, it’s safe to say that the Switzerland native has blossomed like never before.

“Last year, I signed Chanel’s first model exclusivity contract [in a while], which was a big deal because the last [exclusive model] was Claudia [Schiffer] in the nineties.” After gracing campaigns and catwalks for the house, Vivienne not only further developed her skill in front of the camera, but found her way behind the lens as well. “I [photographed] my own issue of Study magazine together with my friend in Paris and it was incredibly interesting to be on the other side,” explains Rohner.

“[As a model], you do have to become your own businesswoman. [Nowadays], it starts with the way you design your social media accounts and the way you present yourself. I don’t remember the last time I had to walk around with a book [for castings].” —Vivienne Rohner

“It opened my eyes to [the fact] that I don’t just have to be a model, I do have a voice.” Now with a refreshed perspective on the industry, Vivienne is only getting started. “I’m really enjoying this new door that has opened where I can become creative, people ask for my opinion, and it’s all up to me–what I shoot, what I write or talk about. I have all this freedom of just being myself, and it’s just a fun world. I want to take that into my next chapter in my life,” she explains.

“I’m [certainly still] hungry to work, but I do have a life besides that. My personal life has always been priority number one.” —Vivienne Rohner

“In a few years, I think I would want to do something where I can be my own boss. When you are 16, 17 [and wanting to model], you don’t really know who you are yet but in the end, you have to become your own businesswoman–that is very important because when you take it seriously, you become your own brand. It’s fun to take things into your own hands and realize that you’re in charge of your own life and nobody else’s.”

This cover story appears in the pages of V144: now available for purchase!

Photography Inez & Vinoodh

Fashion Paul Sinclaire

Makeup Sam Visser (Art Partner)

Hair Jimmy Paul (Susan Price NYC)

Model Vivienne Rohner (Heroes)

Manicure Deborah Lippmann (Home Agency)

Producer John Nadzi (VLM Productions)

Production manager Michael Gleeson (VLM Productions)

Lighting director Jodokus Driessen (VLM Studio)

Digital technician Marc Kroop (VLM Studio)

Photo assistant Joe Hume (VLM Studio)

Stylist assistants Coco Knudson, Timothy Cheng, Jesse Pickel

Makeup assistants Shimu Takanori, Micka Omura

Hair assistant LaMesha Mosley

Manicure assistants Bojir Hasanov, Joelle Rodriguez

Retouching StereoHorse

Location Pier 59 Studios