How often did you travel ?
A : I traveled constantly . Paris was my so-called “ home base , but I wasn ’ t there that much . I always wished I could sleep on airplanes , because of the many overnight overseas flights I used to be on .
Did you ever dream of becoming a supermodel ?
A : Nope ! When I was a little girl I never even thought of that . However , once I had begun , I did dream of making it big , walking the big shows and working with amazing artists . That dream came true , and I will forever be grateful for it .
What was your favorite cover you ever shot and why ?
A : My favorite cover was an Italian Vogue cover shot by Mario Testino . It was with a beautiful Valentino blouse with these gorgeously shaped sleeves . The funny thing about that shoot is that it literally took 5 minutes ! Once I was on set with hair and makeup , the fashion editor told us that we had no time left to shoot this one , because another editor was waiting there to pick up the clothes . Those shoots were really time-crunched and straight off the runway with every editor trying to get their hands on the best pieces . Mario took one roll of film , and it was my favorite cover ever .
Tell us about the favorite place you visited during your career ?
A : I went to the Seychelles for a shoot once , and it was likely the most beautiful place I have ever seen . One of the smaller islands , named La Digue . It was so serene and untouched . Those type of baby powder sand beaches you see on postcards , without anyone else there …
What was your favorite runway show ?
A : Oh , I loved them all !!! I would have a very hard time deciding which one was my favorite , but I guess I loved the very dramatic Haute Couture Shows , like Dior , Chanel , and Balmain . The outfits were so incredibly intricate , handmade and just pure luxury . Dramatic classical music also added to the flair and drams which I always enjoyed ! I also loved the grungier , funkier shows of the 90 ’ s , such as Marc Jacobs who paired evening dresses with Pumas ! I loved all of it .
Can you tell us a little about your first photoshoot ?
A : My first photo shoot was actually a test shoot , nothing fancy . The Munich agency that discovered me , asked one of their test photographers to take images of me , to see how I would photograph . Talk about needing to know your angles ! LOL .... I had NO idea !!
What photographer excited you most to work with ?
A : I think I was most excited to work with Steven Meisel , and also the most nervous . It was early on in my career , and I remember my agent telling me to “ let him create the look and shoot whatever he wants .” That resulted in my eyebrows getting almost entirely shaved off , but the images were amazing .
What advice would you give to young models who want to chase the dream ?
A : Be professional , be on time and absolutely no diva behavior ! Photographers and clients could always count on me to show up on time , to be prepared , well rested and ready to shoot . My day rate during the 90 ’ s was pretty high , so I think it is absolutely essential that people get what they pay for . The same counts for editorial , or a fitting . Be respectful of other people ’ s time and effort has always been my motto . People always laugh when I say that and tell me “ that is so very German of you .”
I know you have your own cosmetic line and I would love to know how that came about ?
As I ’ ve mentioned , I ’ ve always loved makeup , and by that , I don ’ t mean hiding behind it , but how it makes you feel . I drew a lot of my inspiration from the talented artists I ’ ve worked with , and more recently from the creativity in the social media makeup community . I launched “ Runway Rogue ” just this past December , so it ’ s fairly new . I decided to start with lip products because an amazing lip color or even a great gloss can make you feel like a million bucks in a flash ! Currently , my products consist of a classic line of matte and satin lipsticks , rich glosses and long wear gel liners . I also recently launched “ Pearl Glam ” a long wear shimmer liquid lipstick that is out of this world , because it doesn ’ t dry out your lips the way so many other formulas do . The metallic shimmer reflects the light beautifully , so you never get a flat , one-dimensional lip . Can you tell me how you came up with your name for your cosmetic line ?
I ’ ve always loved the “ doing the catwalk ” aspect of my modeling career . I no longer strut down the actual runway , but still , love to wear makeup and now I rock my own runway called life . We all have our own runway , whether it ’ s a dinner date or a child ’ s soccer game . As women , we may as well feel and look great while rocking out our daily runway ! During my career , I had somewhat of a “ the-good-girl-that ’ s-always-on-time ’” reputation , and I feel that “ Rogue ” gives me permission to break some rules , push some boundaries and express my creativity . That is how the name “ Runway Rogue ” was born .
What were the hardest obstacles in your career and how did you overcome them ?
A : I think that the modeling industry is viewed as very glamorous by a lot of people and that models have it all . People that aren ’ t in the industry think models have beauty , perfection , and that life is easy but we are humans too with feelings just like any other person . In my experience , models are incredibly insecure , because if you are making money due to your looks , people feel free to criticize openly . I was always so afraid of the dreaded measuring tape when I was young ! If your measurements just changed one cm the agency would tell you to “ take it easy on the food ” especially before the shows . Things have changed a lot since then . Although I work very hard on staying and remaining in good shape , experiences like that take a toll and can affect your relationship with food or any other aspect of your appearance . Nobody is perfect , and I ’ m beginning to think that the industry might be catching on to
that , portraying “ real ” women more and more .
What was your most memorable situation in your career ?
A : Strangely , it was getting my hair cut off as hair has a very emotional connection for most women . I ’ ve always been very feminine and girly-girl at heart , so watching my long locks hit the floor was definitely memorable and it changed the course of my career and put me on the map with the ‘ Twiggy ” look .
If you can go back in time and change something , what would it be and why ?
I think I would have started my entrepreneurial efforts a little sooner . I absolutely love having my “ Runway Rogue ” line of cosmetics , and there is nothing I enjoy more than thinking up beautiful colors and textures , gorgeous finishes and amazing formulas . However , I did enjoy the time I took off to raise my beautiful children .
Your skin looks amazing , what are your beauty secrets ? A : Thank you ! The most important beauty advice I can give is as follows .
1 ) Use sunscreen ALL the time ! My favorite facial sunscreen is Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-free UV Protector SPF 42 . It absorbs completely and works beautifully under makeup . 2 ) Exfoliate , Exfoliate , Exfoliate !!! Cell turnover slows after the age of 40 , so it is absolutely essential to trick your skin into renewing that top layer as much as possible . This can be done with serums , cremes , and lotions , or in a mechanical way , such as microdermabrasion treatment . I like to do both and I recently discovered an at home microdermabrasion tool that is absolutely amazing ! I was skeptical at first , but after using it a few times , I noticed a great difference in my skin . It ’ s Trophyskin Rejuvaderm MD Microdermabrasion System , and I absolutely swear by it !
3 . Another great way to exfoliate your skin ( and get rid of peach fuzz before photo shoots ) is the new ‘ Dermaflash ’ device , which is basically a way to do an expensive Dermaplaning treatment at home . It is quite amazing how your skin reflects light differently when it isn ’ t layered with peach fuzz . It makes a huge difference even with if you just have minimal peach fuzz because it just gives your skin a gorgeous dewy look . I only use it once a week , therefore , it ’ s quite doable as part of a beauty routine without requiring a lot of time . As women , we are quite busy and we don ’ t have an hour every night to dedicate to skincare , therefore , I save at home microdermabrasion and the at home Dermaplaning for once a week , which works beautifully ! I recommend doing these skincare regimens on different days .
Do you have a specific beauty routine ?