On the open road in Oman
Mackinley Hill, sister to Victoria’s Secret model Taylor Hill, jetted into Dubai on the red-eye from New York city to shoot our September cover story with Hermès. But, her journey didn’t stop there.
As quickly as she had landed, we hit the open road with the model and headed to Oman’s stunning Zighy Bay. Here, we would spend the next few days soaking up the Omani culture and shooting this beautiful cover story under the rising sun and against a backdrop of captivating mountains. In fact, Mackinley told us over dinner on the last evening, that this trip was her favourite travel experience to date.
So, who is Mackinley Hill exactly? As we discovered over the next adventurous few days, she’s a rock music star listening, super cool, down-to-earth girl who grew up in a “pretty normal” house in Arvada, Colorado, and, if we lived there, someone we would definitely love to hang out with. She admits, that it was in Colorado when she was growing up that it was her mum, who was a hairdresser, who encouraged her ambitions and creative freedom, and to “do whatever activity she thought looked cool”. From horse riding to ballet, Mackinley was always exploring the arts.
It’s no secret then, that the Hills are a creative bunch. Supermodel sister, Taylor, eldest sister Logan – a fashion photographer – and her brother Chase, also a former model. These siblings all have one thing in common: good looks and tenacious personalities. Mackinley tells us, “We all have really strong personalities, which means we clash sometimes but we are all really forthright in where we are going, and I think that has helped us find our passions.”
Mackinley confesses that she would love to become an actress, and her dream would be to work alongside Emma Watson. “Emma Watson is perfect” she says admiringly. To be honest, we think Mackinley is pretty perfect too. Green eyes, flawless skin, and long brown hair with a modest personality. What’s not to like? She also confesses that she “hates social media” and rarely use it, instead keeping an incredibly low profile for someone who is always on camera.
We took 10 minutes out of shooting to ask Mackinley a few more questions:
When you were younger did you know you wanted to be a model?
I think I wanted to be an actress. I don’t think I ever really wanted to become a model, (I know that sounds weird) so I just did it because I thought it could help me get into acting, but then I started to enjoy it and really love what I do.
If you could star in a movie and act opposite anyone who would it be?
Emma Watson, she is perfect, I love her.
How close are you with your sister Taylor Hill?
Pretty close. We grew up in the same room, we are pretty close in age, and I go over to her apartment in New York and hang out with her. I am as close as someone can be to someone that is related to you (she laughs).
Is it handy to have your other sister Logan Rae beside you since she is a fashion photographer?
Yes, she takes a lot of my pictures. She works with a magazine called Model East and it is pretty cool.
You and your siblings are a power house of creatives. What was it about your upbringing that encouraged you?
I guess we all have really strong personalities, like it’s kind of weird and that is why we clash sometimes. We were raised pretty normal and born with a personality that developed over the years. I think we get our creativity from our mum, because our dad is super mathematical. I don’t know, I don’t think there was a specific way we were raised but I was always encouraged to do lots of different things and was always involved in the arts.
Now that you’ve spent some time in Dubai, what are your initial thoughts of this region?
I think it’s really cool. I wasn’t sure what to expect. But I felt really safe, it’s really hot don’t get me wrong. I saw the world’s tallest building (Burj Khalifa) and it is pretty awesome!
What are your thoughts on sustainability in fashion? Do you think there needs to be radical changes made to save our planet?
I think sustainability in fashion is super important, radical changes do need to be made to save our planet. It all starts with the small things we can all do. Turning the lights off when you leave, turning the water off in between brushing your teeth, choose to walk if you can instead of driving, recycle, use paper straws, or bring your own reusable coffee cup to your coffee shop.
Can you tell us a secret that nobody knows about you?
Secrets stay secrets by not sharing! But I can tell you that I can make a clover out of my tongue!
Who has inspired you both personally and professionally, and why?
My mum has inspired me both personally and professionally because she is literally ‘super woman’. I don’t know how she learned all the things she knows, but I’m waiting for her to share them all with me.
Fashion Director: Carmel Harrison
Photography: Stephanie Galea for Emirates Woman
Model: Mackinley Hill at IMG Models
Make-up: Stéfan Jemeel and hair: Katharina Brennan, both at MMG Artists
Fashion Assistant: Meghna Mohan
With special thanks to Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman
