They say the best things in life always come in twos. Time and time again history has proven that this statement is not just foolish gibberish. There would be no Steve Jobs without Steven Wozniak, no Bill Gates without Paul Allen, no Nike without both Bowerman and Knight. What makes these partnerships successful is how they play onto the strengths of one or the other. It’s a powerful indicator of how far along you can come when someone nudges you in the right direction and nurtures your growth, helping you evolve in the process. As human beings we rely on that connection, because we’re aware that even though most of our successes depend on our drive, determination and pure will, the engine that drives these components goes faster when someone else supports and lifts you up, especially if that someone’s a family, like a sister. Such is the power of the twos.
Desirée & Jennifer Selmanović, 30 year old powerhouse Viennese duo are two sisters behind the desnjen Instagram account, a delightful treasure trove, whose creative partnership have catapulted them to reach the highest heights of fashion’s Olympus. With modeling gigs ranging from industry’s heavyweights Tiffany & Co., L’Oreál Professionnel, Fendi, Swarovski, Dolce & Gabbana, RED Valentino, Fendi, Range Rover, Dyson, Mac Cosmetics, Swarovski, Calzedonia and Hogan this powerful sister couple is the definite proof of the power of the twos. So for the latest edition of cool faces of Bastet Noir, they describe their path to turning their hobby into a fully fledged business, what it means to be an Instagram influencer and the women who inspire them constantly. Read on to get your daily dose of sisterly love.
Who is Des and who is Jen?
D: I am open, spiritual and always motivated to see and learn something new. I am curious about nutrition and beauty products/treatments.
We both love music, reading books and traveling — we love the sea and nature, that’s why we spend every summer in Croatia on the sea side.
What’s your morning routine like?
D&J: Our morning routine usually starts with a healthy, nutritious breakfast. Between 8 and 10 o’clock, we post the first photo of the day on our Social Media Channels. After that, we get prepared for meetings, photo shoots, etc. Our skin-care routine in the morning is very important to us which consists of a serum, moisturizer, eye-cream and sunscreen.
The best thing about being influencers
We have the chance to get insights from the newest collections that haven’t been launched yet. We also have had the chance to see big fashion shows as well as be in the backstage area and get to know famous designers, models and other influential people in the industry.
The worst thing about being influencers
D&J: You basically work 24/7 as you have to be present/active all the time. It’s a multi-task job and shouldn’t be underestimated.
Things you wish you knew when you were starting out and advices you would give to anyone who seeks a career as an influencer
D&J: The job of an influencer includes many different tasks. You have to work hard and every day in order to grow and gain a name in the industry (being consistent and persistent). It is important to have an authentic content, talk/write about topics that you are really interested in and fit to you.
How do you go about planning your visual content and how are you coping with creative blocks?
D&J: We usually try to create a lot of content in advance, which takes a lot of time and preparations. We are constantly in touch with brands/showrooms/agencies around the world in order to get our looks for our photo shootings. We always try to be diverse and stand out from the mass. When it comes to creative blocks; we try to make regular breaks in order to clear our mind. We also do sports, yoga and meditation in order to balance our life/work.
Favorite female empowerment speech
D&J: There are many female empowerment speeches that we really love.
Michelle Obama’s Let Girls Learn Speech
Oprah Winfrey — Variety’s Power of Women luncheon speech
Maghan Markle UN Women’s speech
Strong female figure that keeps on inspiring you
D&J: Michelle Obama has been an inspiring woman until today. She is such humble, compassionate and grounded person. She is a great role model for many people, especially for us women, as she raises awareness on many important topics/issues, such as on education and health. As the first African-American First Lady of the United States, she was always confident about embracing racial equality. She did a brilliant job holding everything down with grace, ease and pure elegance.
Proudest moment to date
D&J: There were many moments that made us very proud of our achievements:
Winning an award for a contest in Austria
Being reposted by many big brands on Instagram.
Being on several covers of magazines.
Being invited to exclusive launches/events/parties and getting to know many influential personalities from the fashion industry. We had the chance to meet & talk to Rihanna and Naomi Campbell at a private event during Paris Fashion Week.
We had amazing collaborations with brands such as Tiffany & Co. in New York City for the launch of their new fragrance, with L´Oréal Professionnel in Paris for the launch of the new products and had the chance to interview Hailey Bieber (former Baldwin), went with Range Rover to London for the launch of the new EVOQUE, etc.
What’s in your Bastet Noir cart?
We love strong, confident and self reliant women, so if you think you got what it takes, send us an email with your Instagram account and the story you’d like to share and you might just become Bastet Noir’s next cool face.
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The support system we get and regardless of how self reliant or self loving you are, your victories are always sweeter and your failures are less bitter when you share them with another person.