Mandy Moorish

Age: Ooh look, something sparkly in the corner…

Born: I was born in London, England. My mum says I was born within earshot of the Bow Bells, making me a true Cockney, but I think that’s poetic license because I was born in North London.

How long have you lived in Vancouver? I have lived in Vancouver for 12 glorious years and counting. I also spent six years in Bermuda because I am half Bermudian.

Occupations: One of my first careers was as a professional model, an image of me taken by Mario Testino for a Vogue campaign was eventually exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery. I also worked as a runway model for the designer Helmut Lang. After my modelling days I have had jobs that involve working closely with people, such as assisting unemployed people to find volunteer work and teaching ex-offenders how to read and write. Since coming to Vancouver I have worked mostly within the nonprofit sector. I currently manage an organization that assists people living with intellectual disabilities.

Passions and Interests: My secret passion is to combat sex trafficking. I am not sure why I refer to it as a secret, I have “writers block” about it, perhaps because it is so important to me and it is an overwhelming issue. I need to find the right organization to work with, a lot of them are religious and I just can’t go there.

What do people know you for? Dressing up and being an ex-model; although that was back in my London days, it seems to be something people remember.

Thoughts on Vancouver? Vancouver has a softness; life is so much easier here than in London. I love that we can easily have picnics on a sunny Sunday afternoon or, on a whim, jump in the car to go camping. The scenery is heavenly, it really doesn’t get better than this. The people in Vancouver are all about that West Coast vibe: healthy, outdoorsy, eating and chillin’. We need to do more work to meet our aboriginal brothers and sisters half way, but ever so slowly that process in beginning. I also love the gold-mining history. Oh, and of course we are the burlesque capital of the world!

Tallulah’s Musings

Mandy Moorish is charismatic; in her presence you get caught up in her passions and vitality. She is a woman who is beautiful, dresses up, dances, but has a very deep and thoughtful side regarding many of the problematic aspects of society, the inequalities that exist, women’s rights and the issue of sex trafficking. For our portrait, we recreated a timeless vintage feel inspired by memories of arriving in Vancouver for the first time. The Lions Gate Bridge was a strong memory, so we featured it in our background.