[Exclusive] 'Model Squad' star Hannah Ferguson opens up about her traditional upbringing and the importance of strong morals

Sadly, we’re almost at the end of E!’s newest docu-series ‘Model Squad’ with just two episodes left. Through the eight-episode journey, audiences have gotten a peek behind the curtain exploring the real-life challenges that models face in their careers, which many assume is the most glamorous job in the world.

Hannah Ferguson, the 5’9 blonde stunner, is much more than meets the eye. Receiving her big break thanks to the 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, Ferguson has never let the limelight distract her from her values. She spoke exclusively with Meaww, talking about her big family and even shared a model horror story.

With parents who met while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Ferguson had a very traditional upbringing that taught her the importance of hard work and integrity.

“I was actually one of five kids. I had a strict upbringing, but looking back now I admire and appreciate what my parents taught us. They gave us morals and values and encouraged us to be strong, hardworking people.  Because of my morals, I know how to stand my ground on something I feel firmly about. If you don’t believe that something is right, even though someone is trying to convince you otherwise, just stay strong. Our parents actually had us do a lot of manual labor at a young age, and that taught me that nothing comes easy and you always have to work hard.”

With such a strong moral compass, Ferguson seems like the perfect friend to have, and that’s certainly portrayed in the series. Besides exploring what life as a model is truly like behind the scenes, ‘Model Squad’ also focuses on the importance of female friendships and comradery. Some may think that because modeling is such a cutthroat and competitive industry these women are not friends. However, this assumption doesn’t apply to the stars of the ‘Model Squad’, who support each other through thick and thin.

“We support each other and go to bat for each other. It’s a really special relationship that we all have. It can be hard to find that in the industry, but we have found that with each other.”

 

What’s also important to remember about models is that they are human, just like us! Sure, it’s their job to strut down the runway, but sometimes it's a lot harder than some may think. 

After asking Ferguson to share a runway horror story, she laughed and said, “how bad of a story do you want?” Clearly, a woman that doesn't take herself too seriously, she shared one of her most embarrassing (yet relatable) model mishaps.

“So one time I fell right when I was about to go out on the runway for Dolce and Gabbana. It was dark, obviously, because the show hadn’t started yet, and I was one of the first girls to go out. We were shuffling out, and of course, I was the only one that missed the step leading to the stage. I didn’t fall all the way to the ground and awkwardly caught myself…let’s just say it could have been a lot worse.”

Don’t forget to catch the rest of ‘Model Squad’ at E! this week at 8/7pm CST!