NORA KRYST SURRENDERS
Words: Amy Mazius + Molly Rose Apple
Beauty: Nora Kryst
Model: Nora Kryst
Studio: metahaiku
Photo: Diego Antorveza
AM: I met Nora Kryst at a party in Malibu and knew immediately she was IT. This isn’t a unique experience though. Anyone who meets Nora knows this.
Nora wears her silvery hair down with 2 bits braided in front; she’s in some form of a cool, loose, borrowed-from-the-boys fit. These days. 40 years ago in Berlin, Nora was also IT, but dressed as a Teddy Girl (1). Then in Berlin and London, she was IT as a makeup artist for musical artists and many shoots at i-D magazine. She was so IT that she was the first full body cover of i-D.
But what makes you stop when you meet Nora is something else. We sat together at a fire getting to know one another after the sun melted into a very starry night – talking about what it means to be a witch, being on tour, living in LA, motherhood, creating the perfect no-makeup makeup look, all the while laughing.
Nora is, without question, a witch, something I say with all the love and weight that it holds. She holds the secrets to aging, self-love, and plugging in with the universe.
(1) A subculture influenced by both Edwardian style and the advent of rock and roll. Defiantly gender neutral, Teddy Girls favored cuffed pants, tailored jackets, and elegant clutch bags. Their style wasn’t just for aesthetics but was a way to reject the austerity of the post-war society they were living in. - Iconic Style: Teddy Girls, No Kill Magazine.
Entire look: REWEAR vintage
AM: Hi Nora! I’m going to ask you a few questions. I just lit some palo santo - because fire is very important to both of us. What do you have burning today?
NORA: Today I am burning beautiful little OEM incense - it is japanese hinoki. I really love all my Japanese incense, which i get when I’m in Berlin, from the coolest witch called RYOKO. If you are ever in Berlin, it is a must to go there. She has the best oils, parfums, incense, skincare…and she creates it all herself. Really pure magic ! And so much joy.
I adore grounding smells, woody, earthy onss. My soul & my nervous system get so happy & relaxed, when I burn them or wear them.
AM: You’ve told me about your morning routine of meditation - I’d love to hear how meditation found you, what it does for you, why you practice it daily. Anything else you want to tell me about meditation in general. I’m shit at sticking with mediation, so I could use all the inspiration you have.
NORA: ha ! … i used to be pretty shit myself … meaning keeping up with a daily routine & to understand the importance of practicing. Life becomes amazing when it clicks. I always meditate at 6 am. Sometimes I try for 4:30 am too, but I find it hard now in autumn & winter, when it is still so dark outside. I meditate with a sweet little yoga place in new york online. I prefer to be in a room with humans to do it, but sadly it is not around my corner any more. Sometimes I meditate just with myself, not being guided, which is a different experience. Nice too. Everyone needs to find their way they feel drawn to. There is so much out there.
“My life made the coolest turn, when i really really understood the meaning of setting intentions and being intentional.
”
Slip dress: KkCo, Shirt: vintage GANT, Hat: Bravest, Shoes: Onitsuka Tiger, Socks: models own
NORA: I love the feeling of becoming accountable for myself … and as we all now know .. that we attract the same vibration that we are oozing out, so my life has become really accountable and so beautiful with my daily meditation and yoga practice.
AM: From what we’ve talked about in the last few months, it seems you’ve had a huge energy shift recently. Like you’ve broken out of limitations or boundaries - and you’re ready to surrender. That word, surrender, can you tell me about what it means to you and how its changing you?
NORA: Surrender is the coolest thing. For me, surrender goes hand in hand with acceptance. And letting go of control.
Mostly I surrender to my own stubbornness. Oldschool stubbornness still hangs around at times. So, when I choose to surrender, I give up my fight. Even if it is a fight for wanting lovely things. It is still a fight, which equals stiffness to me. So with having a stiff attitude towards anything that I need or want to do … my awareness kicks in … & i choose to surrender. Sometimes I of course forget to surrender … that’s when life becomes more difficult. So it is either pain, or discomfort, or old sadness that gives me a great push for my willingness to surrender. And beautiful feelings too, they are just not so dramatic somehow.
The beauty exists as you go through your shit … is the most beautiful thing there is, because that process is what leads to getting to know yourself on such a deep level. I am charmed by myself–and super proud. There always comes the loveliness of a more meaningful life. And it never stops.
Dress: KkCo, Shirt: vintage
“I don’t want to feel ‘oh no I wish I would have. There’s nothing worse. It’s either on my deathbed or now. I choose now.”
I was stubborn for 31 years. I always said I would never ever go back to modeling, because I never really liked it when I modeled in the 80’s and the 90’s. I was too young –it robbed my self esteem and fucked with my spirit.
But - this summer, I was on helping my best friend Johnnie [Sapong] on set with Hair.
Nora doing makeup on set in the ‘90s
They asked if they could shoot me - and I was like “ what?” because that day it was Collier Schorr shooting that campaign and I kept tripping over how cool the photos looked. So I of course modeled! And i bloody enjoyed it too, which was the interesting part of the whole thing. This day led to getting signed by an agency that felt aligned with where I’m at - and they have the coolest old school models from my times with fantastic silver women. I feel right at home.
Which is exactly the wonderfulness that I reap from my surrender.
Being an older model makes me so happy and I absolutely love it. It feels SO healing and I feel so free. The fact that these days I’m wanted exactly for who I am and am celebrated for my wrinkles!! I always loved my wrinkles and my grey hair and getting older. It’s like a cycle closing and beginning at the same time. That is surrender.
Tshirt: REWEAR Vintage, Headscarf: Agnes Baddoo, Long sleeve: Vintage Moschino Treasures of NYC
AM: Tell me about how it feels to be on set creating with friends–modeling and doing makeup.
Teenage Nora Kryst as ‘Teddy Girl’
NORA : I love being on set making art with great people who do things they love doing. Creating together gives me so much joy. To get inspired by others’ ideas and trying to figure things out and make them come alive is so very cool to me.
I still get such a kick out of doing my kind of makeup– the kind of makeup you can’t really see but enhances everyone's own beauty. Or the next-day makeup look, the kind that looks like you woke up in last night’s makeup. It’s sexy and fun. Perfectly imperfect makeup is my favorite.
AM: Whenever I ask you about being a Teddy Girl you light up. Can you tell me a little more about that time? How did you cultivate the look?
NORA : I was only a teddy girl from 14 to 15. I just loved the style and I loved going to second hand shops or flea markets to look for the perfect retro look. I did like Rita Hayworth, sleeping with the rollers and all that. I was very particular about it all. Even down to my first love being a teddy boy from Berlin. and the music … i loved doo wop a lot.
While looking for treasures at flea markets I found a lipstick from the 60’s. A little black metal case with stars engraved in it and the coolest beigey lip color. That set me off for my entire life. I actually used to look like a black and white photo for years, with my little eyeliner, no mascara, and light lips. I even put it on, when just getting my Brötchen (bread) from the top of my street in Cologne where I grew up.
“I loved being a teenager.
”
Utility Vest: KkCo, Long sleeve: Vintage Moschino, Treasures of NYC, Cargos: Vintage, Headscarf: Agnes Baddoo
AM: What is a piece of advice you would give now and a message you want to tell now?
NORA: Don’t hate yourself, love every bit of yourself. Everyone should have a rebellious touch. It is so damn rebellious these days to love yourself. Even if there are things you don’t like about yourself, what is the point of hating ourselves? I spent a long time doing that. It was my saddest time ever. Now I choose not to get sucked into these old thoughts or these crazy norms out there in the world, which make us poor humans feel so sad and unloved. What a waste of life.
“So again, let’s be rebellious and like ourselves. ”
(left) continued - Shoes: New Balance Joe Freshgoods 992 valentines edition
NORA: Let’s not give a fuck what other people say or think. Waste, waste, waste. Life truly is so very precious and short. Let’s get a kick out of getting older. It’s truly such a wonderful trip when you embrace yourself, your journey, and the way you change inside and out.
When I was 15 I wanted to surf through life. Now, I’m choosing intention and love. At the moment, I don’t know exactly where everything is going, but I do know that I really love where I am right now. I love modeling and I love doing make up. It feels beautiful to have two careers going on at the same time. I deeply feel that i am in the right place. It is a good feeling, a peaceful feeling. I want to be exactly where i am.
“I’m done being precious. ”
Nora Kryst is a makeup artist and model living in Los Angeles. Her work has been featured on covers for Rolling Stone, i-D, on talent including Hugh Grant, Fiona Apple, Mark Morrison, Craig Daniels, and more. @norakryst.makeup 
Nora on the cover of i-D, 1992
Nora in the inside cover of i-D, 1992
Nora’s beauty work on Shirley Manson, cover of Rolling Stone, 1996