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Wonder bra's Wonder girl
Eva Herzigova
AN
INTERVIEW WITH EVA
Her smile is
huge, her courtesy is great.
Eva Herzigova, is one of the stars at Metropolitan agency in New York and Paris,
has a lot of class. She arrives molded in a very 1950s dress, atop her spiked
high heels. Sexy, but barely made up.
She answers our question with great openness while sipping her champagne
("I absolutely love it!"). Her parents, whom she's invited to join her
in France, stop by to see her, and they smile too.
Since 1989, when she left her native Czechoslovakia, Eva has been very
successful. The Guess? campaign where she succeeded Claudia, the ads for Studio
Line, and the Wonderbra billboards ("Look me in the eyes") reinforce
her image as the new Marilyn. A Marilyn of the '90s, strong and uncomplicated.
HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF
YOUR SKIN?
Every night I massage my face with a cream that I remove with a sponge to
thoroughly clean my skin; then I apply a lotion and a moisturizer.
I rarely do masks because, if I have any extra time, I'd rather spend it with my
friends than on myself.
DO YOU EXERCISE?
No, I don't have time for the gym. But I was very much into sports when I was a
child. I was very good at them; I enjoyed winning! I did gymnastics, basketball,
track and cross-country skiing.
That's what gave me a good body. I'm going to have to be careful to keep it this
way!
DO YOU WATCH YOUR DIET?
I'm lucky, I don't like sweets, not even chocolate. But I love fish, cheese and
meat, and I eat everything, but only in small quantities if it's rich. I
especially love French, Italian and Japanese cuisines.
You know, I'm fascinated with cookbooks; I buy lots of them and leave them in
the bathroom (it's the only time I have to read). But for the time being, I've
only learned one cake recipe and how to make scrambled eggs. Later, I'll get
into more complicated dishes.
WHAT IS EVA HERZIGOVA'S
STANDARD BREAKFAST?
Lots of tea and fruit.
WERE YOU A GOOD STUDENT
IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA?
Yes, I was really good in physics and in math. But I regret not having liked
history. History is the key to everything: politics, religion, even fashion
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED
IN THIS PROFESSION?
By chance. I lived with my family in a mountain village. Litvinov is in northern
Czechoslovakia. One day, my parents took us to Prague. We were walking around
town when I ran into one of my girlfriends.
She said, "Eva, there's a French agency that's organizing a modeling
contest! Come along " I hesitated. My sister, who was 19 at the time, was
much more beautiful than me. So, why me? But my sister didn't want to go. I
ended up accepting and I won the contest. Six months later I was in Paris. I was
16, and it all started to happen.
WHAT KIND OF
TEMPERAMENT MUST ONE HAVE TO BE A MODEL?
You have to be open and kind. We never work more than two days at a time with
the same people. We are very isolated, far from boyfriends and friends, so we
have to be strong, smart and very professional. If you have these qualities,
then you can succeed. Because beauty isn't enough, there must be something more.
DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR
FIRST PHOTO SESSION?
Oh yes, I was so embarrassed! I had never been to a modeling school, and I had
no idea what the job was about. At the time there were no fashion magazines in
Czechoslovakia. All of a sudden, I found myself on a runway, blinded by the
lights, and everybody was watching me: the photographer, the stylist, the
photographer's assistant, the stylist's assistant, the clients, the hairdresser,
the makeup artist. I said, "Why are you looking at me like this?" And
the photographer answered: "We're not looking at you.
We're looking at your hair, your clothes; we're checking the lights."
It didn't help me to relax, and I felt uncomfortable throughout the entire
session.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR FIRST
SHOOT FOR ELLE?
I remember it, of course. It was in Saint-Tropez, with photographer Steven
Silverstein. I was wearing a pretty and very long white petticoat.
I was really cute, with my hair all curled up. It was very pleasant.
That's when I discovered Saint-Tropez, and I just fell in love with the place. I
love its outdoor cafes. I love the life there, the way people speak. In fact, a
little later, my parents and I vacationed there.
They loved it, too.
WHICH DO YOU PREFER: A
PHOTO SHOOT OR A FASHION SHOW?
I love photo sessions. I'm alone, I'm the queen, everyone's taking care of me
(she laughs). A photo is a creation. I see my face change and, suddenly, I'm
someone else. I like it a lot.
SO THE SEXY YOUNG WOMAN
IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS ISN'T YOU?
I play a role in front of the cameras, just like in the movies.
Actually, I don't really like being confused with my image. I'm even embarrassed
at times when my friends come upon my pictures.
AND YET YOU ARE
COMPARED WITH MARILYN MONROE.
Is it because nature was good to me? I have curves, I have breasts.
I didn't have to undergo reconstructive surgery. For me, it's a compliment to be
compared with Marilyn, the unforgettable actress, the most beautiful one of all.
But, curves aside, we have very little in common.
DO YOU HAVE TOP-MODEL
GIRLFRIENDS?
We rarely see one another, only twice a year, in the spring and in the fall,
during the collections. But it's nice. It's our chance to share girl stories:
who's dating whom, who's doing what.
YOU EARN A LOT OF
MONEY. DOESN'T IT ALL GO TO YOUR HEAD?
I'm very serious; I don't waste my earnings. I put my money in the bank: I have
to think of life after modeling, when I'm not famous any more. But I also like
to shower my parents with presents. I bought them a beautiful car and a house. I
don't think I ever had a swollen head: I remember where I come from. I talk to
my parents every day on the phone--they still live in Litvinov. Speaking with
them keeps me firmly grounded: I know how much money they make. My mother's a
secretary; my father's an electrician in a mining company. The gap between our
incomes is so enormous!
YOU TRAVEL A LOT BY
PLANE. HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO LOOK GOOD WITHALL THESE TIME DIFFERENCES?
I'm lucky, I can sleep from takeoff until we land; so I'm fresh, rested and
ready to work on arrival.
YOU'RE WEARING A
GORGEOUS RING ON YOUR LEFT RING FINGER.IS IT AN ENGAGEMENT RING?
[the interview took place before the wedding]
Yes, it's a present from my fiance (Tico Torres, the drummer with Bon Jovi).
We are officially engaged. Like me, he comes from a very ordinary family, so we
understand each other perfectly.
DID YOU SET A WEDDING
DATE?
No, not yet. But we'll get married, for sure! I want a couple of kids.
YOU ARE VERY BUSY AND
SO IS YOUR FIANCE. WHEN DO YOU SEE EACH OTHER?
We're constantly buying airplane tickets; we travel on the Concorde.
On my birthday, I was in Milan for the collections. He came from New York to see
me. And as soon as I can, I'll fly to New York to be with him. And we spend our
vacations together.
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?
My main residence is in Monaco. I own an apartment in a modern building.
Otherwise, I spend a lot of time at my boyfriend's home in the country, in New
Jersey. My dream is to have a beautiful old house in Monaco.
And later, an apartment in Prague which, for me, will always be the most
beautiful city in the world.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
I do pottery. I love it. It's very relaxing; it takes me to another planet.
I also love horseback riding in New Jersey. And I read and go to the movies.
YOU MADE YOUR FIRST
APPEARANCE IN A MOVIE.
With Gerard Depardieu, in a film by Jean-Marie Poire titled "Guardian
Angels", which will be released in France in August. Depardieu was
wonderful;
he gave me lots of advice.
DO YOU WANT TO BE AN
ACTRESS?
Ever since I was a very little girl, I've dreamed of acting. You can't be a
model at age 60, but you certainly can be an actress. So I'd like to be in that
profession.
DO YOU
HAVE ANY OTHER FILM PROJECTS?
Yes, a very big project. But hush, it's still a secret.
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Zubair Riaz ,All rights reserved.