Fearless

She’s not afraid to speak out on topics that most celebrities run a mile from and she’s resolutely comfortable in her own skin. Emily Ratajkowski is a dangerous woman and she’s here to change the world, one Instagram post at a time

- Tiffany Bakker

WHATEVER YOUR PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ARE ABOUT EMILY RATAJKOWSKI, you can drop them right now. “No matter what we look like, all women are put into stereotypical boxes really quickly. I’ve definitely experienced that. I mean, most profiles written about me are like, ‘We’re so surprised she’s smart!’” says Ratajkowski, rolling her eyes. “On one hand, I get that it’s natural instinct to have an idea about someone, but also, fuck you.”

On a recent chilly morning in New York, the 27-year-old model and actress lobbed in for lunch, pitch-perfect in wide-leg black pants, a camel coat and white tank top, at a favourite neighbourhood restaurant near the Tribeca loft she shares with her new husband, film producer Sebastian Bear-McClard. The couple, who married in a surprise ceremony in February after a whirlwind romance, split their time between New York and Los Angeles.

The night before, Ratajkowski had been on the west coast accepting an award for Model of the Year from influential fashion website The Daily Front Row. She does not look like someone who has only grabbed a couple of hours of sleep. “I have a team to get me out in public,” she laughs heartily, downing the first of many black coffees before ordering the restaurant’s signature niçoise salad.