For me it’s form of bizarre, this query of ‘How do you’re feeling about doing that at a sure age?’ I really feel tremendous good about my age and I really feel younger. Some youngsters I work with are 17 or 20 and so they appear a lot older than some girls of their 60s; it’s all about how you’re feeling inside, what you worth, and what you need to specific. I don’t like to talk a lot about my actual age, I wish to hold a form of thriller round it; I can inform you that I’m in my forties. I additionally do plenty of issues—[equine therapy, maintaining residences in Costa Rica]—in order that’s why I believe age is so not important, however for some motive individuals are nonetheless into this blockage of [age], weight, pores and skin shade pores and skin—although it’s nonetheless a lot better than once I started modeling. I like to be a part of Marine Serre and Ester Manas’s exhibits as a result of they push about inclusivity. It’s nice to be a part of this new period the place individuals are increasingly more aware about [representation]. I want individuals may very well be extra like Yves Saint Laurent or Balmain that actually understood the significance of representing all girls as a result of they’re those who really purchase the garments.
Just a few years in the past one in every of my first brokers, Akim, contacted me and mentioned “It’s now the time of the women that had been well-known in 2000, 2001. Do you need to return to modeling? And I used to be like, ‘No, I’m doing my horse factor and stuff.’ He contacted me a number of instances after. He mentioned, “There’s this superb designer, Marine Serre, who’s into inclusivity; taking previous garments and making one thing else with it.” That goes fully with my philosophy. Marine Serre is the explanation why I got here again.
I had a very good season in Paris this 12 months. I did Vivienne Westwood for the primary time since I ended modeling. I believe Andreas got here again actually sturdy alone. Vivienne was actually, actually in love with him. They had been actually linked; Vivienne was the picture, however he was additionally at all times there.
Marine Serre and Ester Manas are actually about household. I really feel like within the early ’00s was extra about individuality; it was all about me—let’s not communicate an excessive amount of with different ladies as a result of perhaps they need to steal your spot or one thing like that. Now it’s extra about inclusivity but additionally getting collectively and utilizing this sturdy household energy to create one thing so the fashions really feel protected. They select me due to me, it’s not solely in regards to the bodily half, but additionally what you stand for, your ethics and that’s what I actually like. I’m very proud that girls can discover themselves in me.
I’m Belgian and Congolese and it was very troublesome to be additionally a mannequin, a coloured girl in trend [in the ’90s.] I used to be a primary 12 months trend design scholar and one in every of my associates was chosen to [present her graduate collection] and she or he requested me to be a part of her present. Two brokers, Jean and Akim, discovered me there and mentioned, ‘Kina, we love you however it’s a must to depart Belgium as a result of solely blond ladies with blue eyes can work.’ I used to be actually feeling all that at school and in all places; the colour factor could be very heavy in Belgium nonetheless, however a lot better than earlier than however nonetheless. [Eventually] I went to Paris the place I received my probability with Elite. My first Huge present [in 1997] was Vivienne Westwood and that was actually what actually opened my profession.
