Niki Taylor defined the 90s, her image burned across the billboards, magazine racks, and living rooms of America. Her smile sold out magazines she was on the covers of, the industry's darling who had the versatility to sell a fragrance, a lifestyle, the decade.

Long before “brand ambassador” became a job title, she was every brand's smartest choice: luminous, approachable, unstoppable.

Now, decades after redefining the Supermodel, Taylor stands at a curious crossroads — a world where AI can fabricate the perfect pout, and print, once her empire, fades to nostalgia. Yet, she remains unconcerned. “The job’s the same,” she says. “We’re still here to connect people to people.”

That authenticity feels almost radical in this current time of machine rendered realities. But Taylor knows the business of image better than nearly anyone, and she also knows that what endures can’t be manufactured. As she talks openly and candidly, laughing about her “Disney princess” shoot and her inability to master Blue Steel, one realizes: her secret was never just "that" smile. It was the sincerity that lives behind it.

You've been in the industry for quite a while now.

Yes, I certainly have...

With the decline of printed magazines and the rise of digital images and platforms, has that impacted your work?

Definitely. Budgets for editorial shoots have dropped-or in some cases, disappeared entirely-which means less travel to exotic locations, which is a bit sad. But I think creative teams, like the one that worked on this editorial, are still pushing boundaries. Even though something has been lost, the ability to get published and share work online has definitely opened up more opportunities.

How has the business changed since you first started?

The job is still essentially the same. The people doing it have changed-models, celebrities, influencers. But the core of what we do hasn't shifted. We're still here to promote products, build relationships between clients and customers, and bring attention to what we're hired to sell.

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AI is advancing rapidly, especially in image creation and is now creating lifelike models. How do you think AI will change the modeling industry?

I think the term "lifelike" is important here. An AI-generated model is not alive. AI can definitely create incredible images at a much lower cost. I remember doing a shoot where I played a Disney princess, interacting with animated characters that weren't even there-it was a complicated shoot, but the end result was so much fun. Today, that kind of work could be done easily and cheaply. That might open up some artistic possibilities. But, honestly, I do worry about AI replacing a lot of the traditional modeling jobs. Studios, locations, makeup artists, models, and photographers-those all come with a cost. But eventually, clients will have to decide what kind of relationship they want to build with their customers. Do they want a human touch, or a perfectly crafted, non-human image?

Do you think AI will take over entirely?

It's hard to say. AI will definitely disrupt many industries, including advertising and fashion. But as long as people still want to experience live fashion shows, attend events, and interact with real people, I think there's hope for us humans.

How important is personality in the role of a spokesperson or model?

I think it's incredibly important. Our job is to be in people's feeds, homes, on TV-whether they want to see us or not. We're selling something, whether the audience is interested in it or not. For me, I want to be nice and  polite so people don't roll their eyes and think, "Ugh, not HER again!" (laughs)

Speaking of personality, when you graced the covers of magazines, they often sold out. You were always smiling, while many other models were giving those serious, almost distant looks. Was that intentional?

Not at all! I was just having fun and trying to keep things interesting for myself and the creative team. I never really mastered "Blue Steel" like Zoolander. Smiling was just easier for me.

It seems like every celebrity now has a product line. Do you ever see a Niki Taylor Taylor product line in the future?

I definitely have a lot of ideas for products I wish existed and don't.

What kind of products, and will we see them anytime soon?

The majority of opportunities out there are "white-label" products, which means a manufacturer makes something and puts your name on it. You can tweak things like packaging or colors, but the bulk of the creative work has already been done. I want to be more hands-on in the creation process, especially now that my kids are older and I have more time to invest in that level of involvement. As soon as I have something concrete, I'll let you know!

How do you feel about social media?

I see social media as just another platform. It's fun and useful for sharing moments with friends, but I'm not about that competitive, algorithm-chasing lifestyle. As long as it's enjoyable, I'm in. The minute it feels like a soulless chore, I'm out.

Photographer: Genevieve Charbonneau

Stylist: Randy Smith‍

Hair & Make-up: Steeve Daviault

Producer: Fahad Ali at Book Management

Digi tech:Pascal Frechette

Lighting Assistant: Xavier MacDonald

Retoucher: Marie-Michele Hayeur‍

Fashion Assistant: Emmanuelle Neron

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