Can you remember when and where you were scouted? How old were you?

The first time I was scouted was when I was 14 years old, it happened whileI was shopping in Amsterdam. At the time I was at the Dutch National Ballet Academy working hard to become a ballerina. It was tough to be dancing so many hours a day at the academy and also trying to start up a model career with my agency. When I was around sixteen years old the ballet academy ended for me and so did modeling. I started studying photography and at the same time I became an intern for the photographer Jasper Abels. I assisted Jasper for about a year till he told me that I should go by a model agency and try modeling one more time. We went by Ulla models together and when I turned 18 I got launched on the website of my recent agency Ulla models.

What is the earliest memory of a model  burnt into your mind?

I remember as a little girl finding the work from Richard Avedon was a revelation. Amber Valetta, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell were so mesmerizing.

Can you tell me an iconic model whose work you got very fascinated by? — What did you feel when looking at images of them?

Linda Evangelista in Peter Lindbergh’s editorials. I couldn't stop studying the facial expressions of Linda haha.

Do you think the “male gaze" is a myth?

I do think there is a tendency to objectify women but I’m also very happy that times are changing and we can see a lot more work and perspectives of female photographers/ art directors in the industry.

What was your first fashion shoot?

My first fashion shoot was for Balmain hair couture in Paris.

What do you love most about being a model?

It never stops being exciting seeing so much of the world.

What do you most hate about being a model?

Sometimes the traveling towards a place can be tough, for example long flights or loneliness during traveling.

How do people react when they find out you are a model?

Usually people get very curious about what it’s like!

What is the most common question you get asked as a model?

The most common questions are wether I’m on a strict diet or how much I earn. (Which to me always seem like kind of funny questions to ask after you've just heard what someones job is).

If you would start out now what would you be doing, how would you go about // who would you work with and where would you be aiming?

I would definitely take Instagram very seriously haha. When I started, Instagram didn't exist and a I had no idea how important it was going to be for a career in fashion. 

Statistics show that only 1 in 10 of the big money jobs i.e. womenswear- beauty and perfume campaigns are shot by women. Is there just no qualified female fashion image makers out there?

It’s a shocking statistic to hear that only 1 in 10 female fashion photographers ares hooting big campaigns. All around me I see women making great images! I’m looking forward to the day when it will become more equal.

How does it feel to be shot by a female photographer vs a male photographer — is there a difference, if so how?

In my experience there is no difference between the two. It all comes down to personality.

What makes you feel comfortable in front of a camera?

I think it’s very important to have a bit of a connection with the photographer you'll be working with. Or at least have a chat about the mood of the shoot with the team, so you know what you're doing and what you want to portray together.

Besides modeling what do you do?

Besides modeling I do fashion photography. I try to plan in personal work projects around my model career. So I can stay active and creative at all times.

One says it takes 10’000 hours to become a master of a craft, how long in hours/days/years did it take you to feel like a master of a craft?

What worked well for me was doing a lot of e-commerce in the beginning of my career. You learn a lot in a short amount of time since you have limited shoot time foreach product. You get to know how to move/pose well. And when an editorial or campaign option pops up you can't wait to get creative with the team! I wouldn’t call myself a master, but after a couple of years of doing that, I began to feel confident in what I do.

Who is your female fashion image maker icon and who is your the one to watch?

A female fashion photographer who makes very iconic work is Annemarieke van Drimmelen. And the one to watch is Julia Noni, I love her beauty photography. She has a very refined aesthetic. With both I love their color scheme choices.

Who is your female designer icon and who is your the one to watch?

Ann Demeulemeester is for sure an iconic fashion designer. And the one to watch is Iris van Herpen, she has the most unique style. She takes materials and techniques that no-one else works with and creates pieces of clothing that fully come alive.

What do say about the charge that all fashion imagery is predominantly sexist?

It’s very encouraging to see that times are changing.

Besides modeling I do fashion photography. I try to plan in personal work projects around my model career. So I can stay active and creative at all times.

There is a big surge of feminism at the moment - do you think that will affect fashion image making?

I think it will. I feel like we can see a lot of feminism in the work that’s being made right now. I’m very excited where it will take us too!

When I look at your work as a model, one of my favorite images is the one with you full wild curls shot by Tim Verhallen. What is yours?

Thank you! That sure was a fun shoot and it was nice to work with my naturally curly hair! One of my favorite jobs was working for Tiffany & Co modeling together with my boyfriend who works as a (film) director in fashion. It was such a lovely shoot in a beautiful house in the Hamptons in New York.

What was your relation to design/fashion prior to modeling? Has it changed?

Prior to modeling I wasn’t very aware of the fashion industry, mostly because I was fully focused on becoming a professional ballerina. But when ballet stopped, my relation with fashion grew really fast, I wanted to know everything about the industry.

What qualities do you value in an agent or booker?

I think it’s really important to be open and honest with your agent, so you can reflect together on your career and achieve your goals. It’s great when your booker can listen to your opinion and also advise you.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you were ever given and what advice would you have wished for earlier on in your career?

-“Stay true to yourself, to your own standards and values.”

-“Don’t overthink the comments you've heard about your appearance at a job.”

Is what I would give myself as advise at the start of my career.

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