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A Gentle Rhythm

Camilla Deterre

A Gentle Rhythm

The environments we build inevitably shape the way we see and create. For Camilla Deterre, that relationship has developed naturally across photography, modelling and design, with each experience informing the next. For Fall 2026, the model-designer reflects on the different paths her work has taken, and how her creative perspective has evolved along the way.

Born and raised in New York, Camilla initially made her mark in front of the lens as a model while cultivating an interest in visual form and photography. Her work later expanded into interior design, with projects including the mid-century-inspired Primo’s at The Frederick Hotel in Tribeca and the nostalgic Mimi in the West Village.

You started in modelling and photography before establishing your own design practice. How did moving between these disciplines shape your overall approach to creative projects?

I mostly move intuitively between the two worlds and do things based on how they make me feel. There is more tangible control in design, which I appreciate. The more experience I've gained across different disciplines, the more confident I feel in each.

Many people feel pressure to follow a linear career path. Looking back, did you always know where you were headed, or did you simply follow what interested you along the way?

I've always been hesitant to subscribe to a single path because things begin to feel mundane when they become too formulaic. I don't really know where I’m headed, but for the most part, I enjoy the unknown.

Every creative medium operates on a different clock. Modelling can be fast and immediate, while spatial projects can take months or years. How has moving between these different rhythms changed the way you approach your own process?

I do get a bit impatient with the pacing of some design projects, as I tend to move on from my ideas relatively quickly. But ultimately, it’s a good practice to apply the rhythm and timeframe of one to the other. It's a "take your time, but don't overthink it" kind of mantra.

How much does your environment influence the way you think and work? Has a particular place ever changed the way you see the world?

My environment influences everything. I am pretty calibrated to the New York perspective of observation. It is definitely the place where I feel most aligned, and it affects my thoughts the most. I've travelled quite a bit through modelling, but I don't know if there is a particular place that has changed me so much as every place existing in contrast to New York.

"I've always been hesitant to subscribe to a single path because things begin to feel mundane when they become too formulaic."

New York has been a constant backdrop throughout your life and work. What has living there given you as a creative?

New York is busy and frenetic. As much as I appreciate the beauty of stillness and nature, it’s definitely within the city's chaos that I feel most engaged and excited.