In her 14-year modeling career — she began working at age 14, after winning a local modeling competition — Martha Hunt has built up a portfolio that includes campaigns of Hugo Boss and Miu Miu, covers of international editions of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, music videos including Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” and fashion shows for brands like Louis Vuitton and Versace.
What’s more, she’s been a Victoria’s Secret Angel since 2015 and has walked the brand’s fashion show three times. As she tells it, that partnership has been key to her long-term success. “It’s given me longevity and a family atmosphere in an industry that’s notorious for careers with short windows,” she said. “Plus, I’m more recognized on the street! The exposure will continue to allow me to have a platform for things that matter to me.”
Now with 2.8 million followers on Instagram, Hunt has seen the growing impact of social media on the industry.
“When I started, models were advised to ‘stay in their lane,’ so to speak. Plus, we were pigeonholed; we were either ‘commercial’ or ‘high fashion,’” she said. “With social media, the lines have blurred. Models can show their personalities and various interests, and we can be influencers and cross over into other aspirations. It’s an exciting time; models have more power than ever before.”
On a work trip in Boca Raton, Hunt shared the details of her day, which included a glam session, a morning on the beach, and an event and dinner with a new brand partner.
8:30 a.m.: I wake up and find that my sister, Carolyn, is already up and checking emails. It’s no surprise, as she is a working mom. She came down from North Carolina to visit me in Boca Raton, where I’m hosting an event at Saks Fifth Avenue. We don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like, so we took advantage of this opportunity in a warm destination. It’s a self-proclaimed “workcation,” with quality family time.
9:00 a.m.: I’m supposed to do an Instagram post of a video for V Magazine at 10 a.m., but the video is huge and I can’t get it to download on my phone. I reach out to them immediately.
9:30 a.m.: The bright sun is coming into our hotel room, and we decide to throw on our bathing suits and get as much beach time as possible. It’s still cold in New York City, where I live, and I’ve been craving some sun time. I just started getting into wellness and am trying to take better care of myself on the go, so I take NADH, a form of vitamin B3, before heading down to breakfast.
10:00 a.m.: We hit the breakfast buffet in the hotel. It’s nice to see so much fresh fruit! I pile loads of mango onto my plate. I also grab one cup of tea with honey, an omelet with spinach and cheese and a croissant with Nutella. Since spending time in Paris, I’ve been hooked on pastries. I sprinkle some Primal Defense probiotics over my fruit — it comes in powder form, so it’s easy to travel with.
11:00 a.m.: We set up by the water and both reach for a book. I’m reading “Invisible” by Paul Aster, about a love triangle in the ’60’s. Carolyn and I grew up going to the beach often and love getting into the water, but we decide to opt out this time to preserve our spray tans! We plan a boat trip for the following day and relax to the sound of the waves.
1:00 p.m.: Carolyn and I talk about the day ahead: We are going to a meet-and-greet at Saks Fifth Avenue to meet with fans of the fashion brand Ramy Brook. I’m featured in the latest campaign and have a lot of plans with the brand in the year ahead. At the event, we’ll do press photos and shop the collection. Carolyn has never seen me “in action,” so to speak — aside from walking the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show — so she is excited about the day. She is also a Ramy Brook fan, and thrilled she gets to have her hair and makeup done. I’m so used to it, but it’s a luxury for her. We discuss what hair and makeup looks to request, and decide on glowy and fresh with an emphasis on the eyes and tousled hair.
2:30 p.m.: We head inside to order room service: Cobb salads with a side of guacamole and chips. We shower off and throw on a robe, then chat over lunch while we wait for the hair and makeup artists to arrive.
3:30 p.m.: The stylists arrive and get to work. We both get fresh, smokey eyes with glam individual lashes, and then we give specific instructions about our hair: not too curly, no perfect waves. We both end up with loose, beachy waves — perfect! We chat about spring break going on in Boca and the relaxed Florida lifestyle.
5:30 p.m.: We get dressed. Carolyn wears the Ramy Brook Libby dress, and I wear the Portia sweater and the Melinda skirt. I put on silver hoops and white heels to complement the outfit. We take some selfies and get excited for the event.
6:00 p.m.: We arrive at Saks. We drop our bags off in a private room and head out to the shopping floor to meet the crowd waiting for us. I hug Ramy, the brand’s founder, and greet all of the fans. One of the girls makes a point to tell me she’s had spinal fusions, a surgery to correct scoliosis, which is a cause I’m a passionate advocate for. We take a photo together, and I encourage her to stay strong.
7:00 p.m.: The bar is open and serving cocktails! Everyone is trying on clothes and having a good time, and Carolyn and I make a beeline for the 360-degree video booth. The camera spins around us as we throw confetti in the air. Fabulous! I hug my sister, so happy to be spending time with family, and post some snaps to Instagram Stories.
8:00 p.m.: The event wraps, and we head back to the hotel. I change from my heels to Roger Vivier slides to get more comfortable, and we meet Ramy and her team at the hotel bar to grab a drink before heading to dinner.
9:00 p.m.: We arrive at a nearby steakhouse and order the works: steaks, an overflowing seafood platter, onion rings and vegetables — oh, and champagne! We talk about what it means being women in the workplace today and how it pays to be kind to everyone. Good food, good company — what better way to end a workday?
11:00 pm: We head back to our hotel, exhausted. I FaceTime with my boyfriend, have a magnesium drink — it relaxes me! — and call it a day.
Martha Hunt, Ramy Brook and Carolyn Byrnes, pictured.
