Candice Huffine Dishes On Her Ideal Valentine’s Day

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Whether February 14 is a day that fills you with dread or puts hearts in your mushy eyes, either way you’ll want to read what Candice Huffine has to say about self-love, confidence, trusting your journey, and appreciating your individuality. We caught up with the supermodel recently to hear about her appearance in the new Victoria’s Secret Valentine’s Day campaign and, of course, to get the lowdown on her adorable Jerry the Dachshund who makes a surprise appearance in the ads too. (Love that for him!)

So tell us about the backstory to getting cast in the campaign, and what was shooting like?
Well I keep using the word iconic, but really theres nothing more special than being part of a Victoria’s Secret Valentine’s Day campaign!

Is it your first one?
For Valentine’s Day, yes, but I’m also part of their collective so its an honor to have been cast based on this incredible group of women that are the faces of the brand. We’ve all come together to be a part of this new change that they’re implementing. So, to be a part of this campaign, specifically, on such a day that feels very synonymous with Victorias Secret.. I mean you think Valentine’s Day, you think lingerie.. you think Victoria’s Secret! It was such a pleasure to be a part of it.

What was the shoot like itself in terms of the energy that day?
It was so fun, because everything you see in the campaign were real parts of the set—oversized flowers, oversized hearts, and lights and sparkle and decadence. It was almost like a playground of love.

Speaking of love, we need to talk about your dachshund and his appearance in there!
I know!! You know also in the Christmas campaign, the black and white dog at the end that drops the Christmas ornament.. that’s also my dog too!

Wow do they have an agent?
Both of them yeah! [Laughs.] That was Dolly at the end, my beautiful baby girl, and then Jerry [the dachshund] was in the still photos staring at Bella Hadid. They’re still humble! They’re still very sweet!

Is Jerry good on set?
He’s a little bit diva.

I have a Dachshund and would never bring him to work.. he’s wild.
It’s tough! He actually just barks a lot at the craft services table because he’s a dummy. And the other one [Dolly] is just kind of like, ‘What is this life? I’m new here and this is cool and I’m really goofy.’ They shot their part separate, in a separate studio from us. Jerry just gives you a few clicks of the camera, whereas Dolly gives you more of a performance!

Jerry said I’m only being paid by the hour. 
An icon like Jerry, and as a lover of Dachsunds you know, he just thinks, ‘They got it. They got it in the first shot.’

We’ve been wondering, with such a diverse group of women in this campaign, what do you think is the one thing that unites everyone in this new era of Victorias Secret? What’s the new message that everyone wants to put forward?
To me, I’m feeling that I believe in my heart that our way forward is a celebration of women, a celebration of the love that we have for ourselves, and a celebration of beauty and diversity and all the things that make us unique that we can share openly with the world. That really does unite us in the end: the beauty of our differences and the pride that we have in that. So I think for me to be a part of The Collective, and what The Collective stands for, it’s about unity in everyone. Celebration of everyone and all the things that make us super unique, which is the most beautiful.

Love. Lets talk about Valentine’s Day. How do you feel about the day as a whole? Are you into it?
I’m super into it. I love a theme—I live for a theme!—I love a holiday, and love being on brand with a color story. Even if there’s no theme at a dinner party, I want to create a theme! So of course Valentine’s Day is right up my alley. I also love love. So, I’m here for it and I think we should all have more fun with it. I think that notoriously it’s connected with being in
a relationship and what that means for how you’re going to dote on someone for the day. But the truth is you can totally flip the script and make it about yourself and put yourself as number one and love yourself a little harder that day and treat yourself to something special and really honor who you are. So if we can look at Valentine’s that way, I feel like everyone will be for it!

Campaign stars Candice Huffine and Devyn Garcia (Getty Images for Victoria’s Secret)

Not that we ever need an excuse to treat ourselves particularly well but, given Valentine’s Day is on the agenda, what’s your ideal treat yourself day?
Oooh! It would be full of red and pink, because like I said I like to stay on brand and I love heart-themed things. I think that you should have a lot of fun. I think you should do something out of the ordinary, maybe like something out of the box. Treat yourself, wear something sexy and thrilling for yourself, even if there’s no intention for anyone else to see it! Look at
yourself maybe on that day for the first time and say, ‘I love you’ in the mirror. I think it can be whatever you make it and if we do things outside of the ordinary, then the outlook is refreshed. Get a tattoo on that day if you want…might I recommend a heart [points to tiny heart tattoo.]

Oh I just got a new one on Sunday, a little diamond!
I love it! You’re a diamond!

Did you just get this little heart one?
I didn’t. I’ve had it for a while now.

It continues into the theme of the outfit…
I know! I told you, I love love! I looooooove love!

Do you know your fashion week plans yet? Does casting happen very last minute?
Yes. Sometimes even the night before a show. Sometimes when it’s the last fitting! And that doesn’t even guarantee that you’re walking in the show the next day either.

I’m curious to know what you do with Jerry…it takes a village!
Totally, a lot of hands on deck. He has a great walk too!

I’m sure one of these days we’ll see him walk down the runway and think, I knew it.
Yeah! I knew it!

So you love love, what else are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about the future.. for myself personally. I’ve experienced a lot of change in the last year. Some very scary, some very necessary, some very exciting. Either way, a lot of big things all happened at the same time and this is the year where I can breathe, be myself, and celebrate who that is and really live this new chapter.

What would you say to anyone who is going through that kind of change? What do you wish someone would have told you when you were at another point in that journey. What would help someone who is going through a lot of change?
I think things to remember are that everything happens when and how it’s supposed to, and let there be some freedom in that. And if it’s hard, it will pass and there will be light at the end of the tunnel and to just know that, or to keep always at the forefront that you’re doing what’s best for yourself and if it feels right for you. Follow it and brighter days are always at
the end.

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