We caught up with supermodel and mother of two Doutzen Kroes, chatting about her exercise regime, why having children has made her "less arrogant" about modelling and her new campaign with Mercedes Benz...
Grazia Daily: You are in incredible shape, how do you stay in shape?
Doutzen: "Thank you. I am in Amsterdam at the moment and as I was biking I thought maybe this is why, because we have the canal and the bridges and I bike everywhere. It’s a lot of cardio when you go fast. I do that and pilates and I run around with the kids all day so I’m on my feet all day long. I go to pilates three times a week."
Grazia Daily: You had your daughter recently, how did you find getting back into shape?
Doutzen: "Almost a year! It was hard to find the time to work out, but for my job I have to. I would work out, but I would also have my teacher come to my place so I could do pilates at home. I gave birth end of July and then I had the Victoria’s Secret show in November, four months later, so I started around the beginning of October because you can’t start too early because of your abs and you have to be careful. I was doing exercises from October, and did a lot with LA Beautiful in New York and mixed in pilates and biking.’
Grazia Daily: You're not doing Victoria's Secret any more, are you sticking to the same fitness regime?
Doutzen: "Yes because what I thought the other day was, if you have a Victoria’s Secret picture it’s retouched, but paparazzi don’t retouch so it makes it even more pressure when there are photographers on the beach. Basically nothing has changed and I have to be in the same shape!"
Grazia Daily: What are your favourite bikini labels?
Doutzen: "The other day I wore Agent Provocateur which was given to me from a L’Oreal shoot. Normally I like simple triangle bikinis, because it’s nice to have a good tan. On holiday I like big flow things and dresses. When I go out I like to just wear shorts and t shirt and sneakers."
Grazia Daily: How do you balance modelling with being a mum?
Doutzen: "It's a lot of planning and scheduling. We look at my husband's schedule and my schedule and work out the jobs I should and shouldn't do. I try not to be away for more than three nights. I am in the position now to schedule more with my clients and tell them days that are more convenient for me a little bit. I am not a model at the beginning of my career who has to do everything that comes up. I work for three days and then am back for 10 days and don't do anything - so it's actually the perfect job to have children."
Grazia Daily: Has having children changed how you see modelling?
Doutzen: "I've started to appreciate it more, because I grew up. When you're young you think you know everything and I was a little more arrogant back then. Now when a job comes in I appreciate the fact I have this job and enjoy it a lot more than before. I know I'm doing it for them."
Grazia Daily: What would you think if your daughter wanted to go into modelling?
Doutzen: "I want to teach her that she can be whatever she wants to be. She has all the freedom to do what she wants to do and we will guide her, but if she really, really wants to do this then what I would say is 'I have the right connections!'
Grazia Daily: It’s exciting about your campaign with Mercedes
Doutzen: "I did it with Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele (stylist) and I have known her for many years and it was such a treasure to work with her. It made the shoot so much easier because she gets that energy out of me. I was in a trapeze and was swinging from the roof on top of the car, and that was fun too. I was flying all day."
*** Watch Doutzen Kroes in the Mercedes-Benz campaign below... ***