"I feel like the best way to introduce myself to somebody is just having them meet me.” This is how Ivy Getty balances preconceived notions attached to her last name. I agree, as she responds to my questions earnestly. And for the questions that media training teaches you to elude, Getty softly comes back to, showing more interest in me than sharing about herself.

The double Sagittarius, Cancer moon loves to use the word “lucky,” and has a fondness for psychics and fake pink flocked Christmas trees. She’s had the same best friend since girlhood. At 29, Getty has emerged as this generation’s face of the famed oil fortune built by her great-grandfather.

Most recently, Getty made headlines for marrying photographer Tobias Engel. In an opulent three-day ceremony, she wore a John Galliano custom dress made of broken mirrors. Embroidered into her custom veil were nods to her late father and grandmother. For John Gilbert, guitars,and walnuts from Ann Getty’s childhood home, Wheatland. Nancy Pelosi officiated. Anya-Taylor Joy was the maid of honor.

Vogue covered the event, congratulations included. Town and Country and People Magazine fawned over the fashion, and New York Magazine’s The Cut gave a snarky play-by-play. The comment sections were stacked with calls for wealth redistribution and taxation of the one percent. Less than two years later, they crowned her an “It Girl” and gathered Getty and her friends at famed it- restaurant Lucien to discuss the label. When asked by reporter Sasha Mutchnik if she identifies as an “It Girl,” Getty responded “No,” then said, “I guess...” given that the term seems to have expanded in its definition in the era of social media socialites. “But,” she added, “I wouldn’t say the world knows who I am.”

Following their nuptials, Getty and her husband relocated to New York. Getty grew up in San Francisco and went to college at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. “I’m happy I got to be in the beach area, I grew up surfing and skateboarding,” she says, telling me that in college she was on the snowboard team. But, she adds, “LA was such a culture shock for me. I’m happy that I had that experience, but I’m definitely more of a New Yorker.”

She’s currently balancing a burgeoning modeling career, home renovation, and several philanthropic causes. “And I’ve started working on a song,” she adds. “That’s something that I always wanted to do. I’m so excited about that.” During our conversation, we got into her inspirations, aspirations, and ideals.

How would you introduce yourself to someone with zero pre-existing associations with your name? What are the attributes and ambitions you want to lead with?‍

I definitely had so many points in my life growing up that I felt like I needed to prove something to people. I realized that it was just such a waste of my time because there are always going to be trolls. But I think that my personal interactions with people are way more meaningful, and that is where people can learn more about me.

You’re working with Ford now as a model. Did you always know that was something that you wanted to do?

‍Not really. My mom was such a stage mom growing up, so Isigned to an agency when I was eight, and I was in an outside theater program. My Saturdays and Fridays after school were just completely booked with auditions. And then Sundays were modeling classes and acting classes at the agency. It was not some major agency. It was the type of agency people go to at the mall.

I loved theater and acting. As I grew older, I started experimenting more with fashion. I loved playing dress-up. It felt like modeling was kind of a mix of acting and fashion. I’m so lucky, I was moving to New York last year and the day before we were taking the flight over, I got the call from Ford. I didn’t reach out to them, and it was so exciting and it felt serendipitous. When I was a kid, I was a babyGap model. I should probably mention that. I’ve been doing a lot of modeling, I guess my whole life, in a weird way.

Do you have plans or aspirations to act now?

It’s something I don’t close off. In college I took acting. But I’m also trying not to force anything. I’m trying to see what is right in my life, at the time that it’s right.

I was looking at your Instagram before this and wondering how you feel about image-based social platforms. Do you love them? Do you hate them? Are they tools or more for fun?

I mean, if I could I would choose to have Instagram gone for everyone. But there are some benefits to it. I guess I just haven’t decided if there are more benefits, or if there are more negatives. I try to have fun with it. I try not to take it too seriously. But now that I’ve gained more of a following, I’ve realized that I definitely need to have more of a voice and show more of my philanthropy.

How do you feel social platforms have changed the role of modern philanthropy?‍

I think it’s really benefited different charities and whatnot because so many people are able to be reached and it’s more accessible. My awareness has been raised about so many things that way. I mean, the captivity of marine animals in SeaWorld and places like that. There’s also the carriage horse situation in New York.

Your grandmother, Ann Getty, was a highly regarded interior designer. Did her aesthetic sensibilities influence your interest in fashion?

I was raised by my grandparents, and I feel so lucky for that. It was kind of a first-time experience for both me and my grandma. My grandma raised four sons and they all went to boarding school. So she had never dealt with a teenager, and I definitely gave her the hardest time ever, but it was the most loving relationship. After she passed away, I found myself wearing her clothes all the time. And I dress way more like her. Growing up, I was always interested in her interior design business. I had these business cards made that said I was a junior designer. After school, I would go to her office every single day and have a fake desk and answer phones. It really made me secure in who I’m becoming and what I prefer. 

‍

I’m curious about the background in your room, the pink Christmas tree. Is that yours?

I’m obsessed with Christmas, always have been. Just everything about it. My birthday is also December 20th, so I guess it’s always felt like a warm and fuzzy time of year. And when I moved in here last year, I felt so excited to have seasons and feel like a Christmas town type of vibe in New York. But I didn’t feel a magic feeling at all. Then I realized that when you become an adult, you have to put up decorations. You have to create the magic because otherwise it’s just not going to come. So I’ve started decorating my house like an insane person.

Similarly to Christmas, here we are on the precipice of a new year. I’m curious what you’re looking forward to in 2024?

This morning a friend reminded me of what a psychic told me a while ago, that 24 was going to be my year. And I was so excited to turn 24. It was a whole thing. I talked about it to all my friends. I would say 24 was actually one of the worst years ever. Today my friend was like, ‘What if the psychic was talking about 2024?’ And I was like, ‘We have to go with that.’ So, I’m looking forward to this year already because I’m thinking it’s supposed to be my year. 

You go to a lot of psychics?

I wouldn’t say I’m a 100% believer or that I’m a 100% nonbeliever. I leave room for my mind to be shocked one day. But there have been times where I’ve made mistakes with psychics, for sure. I was so lonely as a high schooler. I had a lot of friends, but literally not a single guy had a crush on me. And I wanted a boyfriend so badly. So this psychic told me that the love of my life is going to be at the botanical gardens in San Francisco on a date that was like six months ahead, probably hoping I’d forget it. Obviously I didn’t. So six months later I pick up [my friend] and we go to the botanical garden. We were there for like twelve hours, just sitting on a bench, pondering if any guy could be the guy. It’s such a great story to tell. We laugh about it all the time. And it’s really sweet because I actually believed.

Photographed by Agata Serge

Styled by Ana Tess

Written by Allie Rowbottom

Produced by Michael Kirkland

Hair: Riad Azar at The Only Agency

Makeup: Eric Polito at Art Department

Flaunt Film: Pierce Jackson

Location: The Paul Rudolph Institute For Modern Architecture

‍