Deyn's name was apparently coined to further her modelling career after she consulted her mother's friend, a numerology expert who advised her of the most 'fortuitous' way to spell the name 'Agnes'.[10] It was reported that her mother Lorraine and sister Emily have both changed their surname to Deyn, while Lorraine has changed the I in her first name to Y.[11]
Deyn's working life started serving part-time aged 13, at a fish and chip shop in Hull. Even at an early age she had an eye for style and by 17 she had already had her head shaved. "I’ve had short hair since I was 13, and when I was 17, I had a skinhead."[12] In 1999, she won the Rossendale Free Press "Face of '99" competition, aged just 16.[13] She then moved to London, working in a fast-food restaurant during the day and a bar at night but admits: "It didn’t quite work."[14] During this time she says she was also at college in Hull, studying drama and music
Career
Modelling
Deyn's biography states that she was spotted while shopping with fashion designer Henry Holland in Kentish Town, London.[15] She then signed with SELECT model management.
In May 2007, she was featured on the cover of American Vogue, alongside Doutzen Kroes, Caroline Trentini, Raquel Zimmermann, Sasha Pivovarova, Jessica Stam, Coco Rocha, Hilary Rhoda, Chanel Iman, and Lily Donaldson as the new crop of supermodels.[16] She has also been featured on the covers of: UK Vogue, the Observer Woman supplement, The Sunday Times Style, Pop, Grazia, Time, Style & Life, Vogue Italia, and numerous other international publications.[17]
In May 2008, Deyn was guest editor of i-D magazine. The issue was devoted to her and includes articles written by and about Deyn, as well interviews she conducted with fashion insiders such as Vivienne Westwood. Deyn was one of the faces to land in one of the fourteen covers of V magazine fall issue. Each cover boasts a head shot of a famous model, either from the new crop of leading models or the supermodel era; it was lensed by duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.[18]
In June 2009, the Daily Mirror reported that Deyn had quit modelling to spend more time with her boyfriend. The newspaper quoted a source as saying that modelling had started to bore Deyn and that she had hired an acting agent to pursue an acting career in British independent films.[19]
Vogue Paris declared her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.[20]
Deyn is known for being something of a chameleon and constantly changing her looks. Her hair has been blonde, red, brown and black during her modelling career. Although usually she sports a boyish cut more recently she has been seen with a bob and a bowl cut. In April 2010 she caused headlines when she arrived at the Coachella Music Festival with her head shaved to a "skinhead" style similar to that of Sinead O'Connor in the early 90s.
Deyn has recently collaborated with her younger sister Emily to create a line of T-shirts and tank tops for high street chain Uniqlo.[21]
Deyn appeared in the May 2011 British Vogue editorial, photographed by Tim Walker.[22]
Music
Deyn provides vocals for the single "Who" by Five O'Clock Heroes as well as featuring in the video. The single was poorly received by NME, who gave it only a 2/10.[23] The single charted at #109 in the UK.[24] Until recently she was a member of the now defunct group Lucky Knitwear.[1] Deyn's voice can be heard at the beginning of Rihanna's music video for "We Found Love".Acting
In the 2010 film Clash of the Titans, Deyn played Aphrodite, Greek goddess of beauty, love and sex.In March 2011, Deyn appeared as an owl-bearing warrior in Woodkid's debut music video, "Iron".[25]
In 2011, Agyness Deyn has been cast in a remake of Nicolas Winding Refn's 1996 cult classic, Pusher, where she plays a strong minded stripper.
On 28 February 2012, Deyn played her first rôle on the West End stage, as Paula in François Archambault's comedy, The Leisure Society.[26]
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