What it Takes to be a Member of Beyoncé's Girl Squad

Ivy Park model Sophie Koella explains.

Zoe Ghertner

Just before Beyoncé broke the Internet with an announcement that she and husband Jay-Z are expecting twins, the singer released her third campaign for her activewear line Ivy Park, which was newsworthy too for its own reasons. Photographed by Zoe Ghertner, the ads came with a blunt message about female empowerment. And for the first time-ever, Bey enlisted someone other than just herself to model her new gear. She chose three influencers: Bob Marley's granddaughter Selah Marley, actress Yara Shahidi, and Franco-American model Sophie Koella.

We caught up with Sophie, whom Bey chose for her long term commitment to health, fitness, and ballet (and presumably, for her good looks). Koella, a New Orleans native, is still fairly new to the modeling game, so her debut for Ivy Park is sure to be majorly career-boosting. After being scouted by an agent in Los Angeles, she picked up and moved to New York last year to make modeling her livelihood. Here, the up-and-comer gives us all of the dirt on the campaign shoot, what her 'cheat days' are like, and what we can all learn from a strong woman like Beyoncé:

How did you come to be cast in the Ivy Park campaign?

"I blame it on Zoe Ghetner, with whom I had shot with a couple of times before, but I'd much rather believe that Beyoncé has a huge crush on me and demanded that I had to be in the campaign."

Can you describe the day of the photoshoot?

"In many ways, it was pretty normal because I've been on shoots before, but I really liked the location. It was a huge empty airplane hanger in Los Angeles that I never knew existed. We also shot a a video which was something I'd never done before. I had to move and jump around a lot and record my voice-over in a minivan, which was pretty wild!"

Was Beyoncé on set that day?

"She wasn't, but her fit model was. I didn't catch her name, but she's like a living replica of Bey. It was pretty funny because I thought that she was Beyoncé for a good while until I realized that she was a stunt double."

What's your favorite look in the Spring 2017 Ivy Park collection?

"I'm a huge fan of the camouflage fishnet look Beyoncé wears in the last shot."

How would you describe Beyoncé?

"Hot. Also, I love babies!"

What does female empowerment mean to you?

"Confidence. Fearlessness. Knowledge."

Growing up, what did you want to be?

"To be honest, I don’t know. I loved building things, but I also loved art and Harry Potter. I think most kids grow up wanting to become a million different things and I still want to do a million different things. There's no age cap on female ambition."

Which strong women do you look up to and why?

"The smart ones who aren't perfect but embrace themselves anyways."

What does health and wellness mean to you?

"Whenever I'm active, my mental health is drastically improved. I think that fitness and happiness go hand-in-hand, so it's really important for me to try and maintain a balance at all times."

What's your workout regime?

"Ballet, yoga, and sometimes a run if my knees are feeling up to it."

What's your personal nutrition mantra?

"I believe that everyone should eat whatever they want to eat. Food can make us feel happy, but as with all things, it should be approached in moderation."

What do you love to eat?

"Love candy, hate mushrooms."

What upcoming projects are you most excited about?

"The Ivy Park campaign has been a huge thing for me. Next, it's Fashion Week and I'm hoping that I might walk in some shows. Aside from that, I need to figure out how to build a shelving unit from scratch for my new apartment and find a way to cancel Trump's presidency. I'm hoping that a lot of people will continue to share that agenda."

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