Twin sisters Daphne and Marielle Meyer do everything together. Their sibling dynamic is always present, whether driving to a hidden beach, squabbling in a hardware store or play-fighting between the camera flashes of Brandy Melville photographers.
Daphne Meyer, a second-year world arts and cultures student at UCLA, and her twin sister, Marielle Meyer, a second-year organizational studies student at Pitzer College, are models for clothing company Brandy Melville.
Though the twins had been recruited by a modeling agency in the past, originally, they were hesitant to commit to the ambitious and time-consuming career track of a top model.
It was not until a chance encounter in January 2015 that the twins returned to company modeling – this time in a more casual setting that suited their student schedules better than the competitive, high-fashion market. Marielle Meyer was caught off-guard while shopping at Brandy Melville in Santa Monica when a stranger approached her and acted as if they had already met.
“He had already talked to my sister, like, five minutes before,” Marielle Meyer said. “I think he thought that (Daphne) was me, but it turns out he approached me very normally.”
Jessy Longo, the manager of the Brandy Melville USA branch, hired the sisters on the spot. A week later, the pair returned to the Santa Monica location for their first official photo shoot as Brandy Melville models. Daphne and Marielle were photographed together, modeling different outfits.
Though the twins attend separate colleges, their parents’ home in Los Angeles provides a convenient rest stop for Daphne and Marielle to convene before a photo shoot. On the morning of a photo shoot, the sisters wake up and make each other breakfast at home before driving to Santa Monica for a shoot that can take up to six hours with travel time.
Both Daphne and Marielle described the atmosphere in the Brandy Melville Santa Monica studio as casual and collaborative. They walk into the studio to a rack of clothes showcasing the latest seasonal merchandise, and after a session in hair and makeup, the shoot begins in the studio and the alleyway adjacent to the Santa Monica store.
Christina Skilbred, a Brandy Melville social media photographer, said photo shoots in the alleyway focus mainly on new outfit arrivals Longo selects for the models.
The twins and the other models are photographed in a variety of clothing, typically mixing and matching items at Longo’s request. After posing in certain items Longo wants the brand to highlight, Daphne Meyer said the models are often allowed to style themselves, choosing items from the rack that appeal to their individual fashion senses.
Marielle Meyer said she was particularly drawn to some pairs of sweatpants she modeled for one of the twins’ more recent photo shoots, which she later added to her personal wardrobe.
The twins also have input in where they shoot. Backdrops typically involve three locations: the studio white backdrop, the brick alleyway and a third location of their and the photographer’s choice.
Skilbred said choosing the third set always begins with a concept. For their most recent shoot, Skilbred’s theme of choice was “sleepover,” which featured the twins jumping on a bed and attacking each other with pillows while modeling some of Brandy’s more casual items. Skilbred’s bedroom served as the backdrop for the slumber party scene.
Because they grew up together, Skilbred said the twins bring a dynamic energy to photo shoots that other models cannot. While Skilbred often must direct other models to build on each others’ ideas, she said one sister will usually pick up on the other’s cues instantly.
“The shoots are very action oriented,” Daphne Meyer said. “I get to basically hang out with my sister, and people are photographing it.”
Whether referring to their acting, modeling or blogging, both sisters said their main satisfaction is derived from creating art together.
“I would describe our relationship as pretty much the ideal relationship I would wish any of my friends to have,” Meyer said. “I honestly can say we’re as close as any two people can be.”