Agyness Deyn (/ˈæɡnɪsˈdiːn/; born Laura Michelle Hollins; 16 February 1983) is an English model and actress. She is best known for her successful modelling career in the 2000s, and has been called one of the decade's top models. Since her retirement from modelling in the 2010s, she has pursued acting and design, among other ventures.
Deyn's name was apparently coined to further her modelling career after she consulted her mother's friend, a numerology expert, who advised her of the most 'fortuitous' way to spell the name 'Agnes'.[9] It was reported that her mother Lorraine (a nurse), and her sister Emily both changed their surname to Deyn, while Lorraine has changed the I in her first name to Y.[10][11]
Deyn's working life started at a fish and chip shop in Stubbins, Rossendale, where she was a part-time server at the age of 13. Even at an early age she had an eye for style and by 17 she had already had her head shaved. "I've had short hair since I was 13, and when I was 17, I had a skinhead."[12] In 1999, she won the Rossendale Free Press "Face of '99" competition, aged just 16.[6] Deyn had her first modeling experience for Sunday Best, a local Rawtenstall boutique.[13]
When her close friend Henry Holland moved to London to study fashion, Deyn would stay with him at his university halls.[14] She worked in a fast-food restaurant during the day and a bar at night.[15]
In May 2008, Deyn was guest editor of i-D magazine. The issue was devoted to her and includes articles written by and about Deyn, as well as interviews she conducted with fashion designers such as Vivienne Westwood. Deyn's was on one of the fourteen covers of V magazine autumn issue. Each cover employs a head shot of a famous model, either from new models or established supermodels; it was photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.[19]
In June 2009, the Daily Mirror reported that Deyn had quit modeling to spend more time with her then boyfriend, singer-songwriter Miles Kane. The newspaper quoted a source[who?] as saying that modeling had started to bore Deyn and that she had hired an acting agent to pursue an acting career in British independent films.[20]
Vogue Paris described her as one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.[21]
Deyn appeared in the May 2011 British Vogue editorial, photographed by Tim Walker.[22]
In October 2012, Deyn once reiterated that she had retired from modeling in an interview with The Independent. She stated, "I suppose I have stopped modeling officially. I've not done any for a good long while now. I think it was about four years ago when my feelings were changing towards the industry. I didn't hate it, but I was yearning to do something different. I was on a gradient. It was a gradual thing." She intends to focus on her acting career.[23]
Deyn provides vocals for the single "Who" by Five O'Clock Heroes as well as featuring in the video. The single was poorly received by NME, who gave it only a 2/10.[28] The single charted at No. 109 in the UK.[29] Until recently she was a member of the now defunct group Lucky Knitwear.[30] Deyn's voice can be heard at the beginning of Rihanna's music video for "We Found Love".
On 28 February 2012, Deyn played her first role on the West End stage, as Paula in François Archambault's comedy, The Leisure Society.[34] After receiving excellent reviews[by whom?] for her role in that play, Deyn was cast to play the main female role, Chris Guthrie, in a film adaptation of the Scottish-set novel Sunset Song.[35]
In 2013, Deyn played the lead role in Electricity, a film adaptation of the novel by Ray Robinson, about the journey of a young woman with epilepsy.[36][37]
In 2015, she starred in the fantasy-horror thriller film Patient Zero.[38]
In 2018, Deyn appeared in the Netflix original movie The Titan as Dr. Freya and starred in Alex Ross Perry's Her Smell as Marielle Hell, bassist for the fictional band Something She.[40][41][42]
Design ventures
In 2010, Deyn collaborated with her younger sister Emily to create a line of T-shirts and tank tops for high street chain Uniqlo.[43]
In 2012, Deyn began a design partnership with Dr. Martens called Agyness Deyn for Dr. Martens,[44] a line of accessories, shoes, and clothing. In spring of 2014, she planned to release a third collaboration with the brand.[45]
