Here's an interview with Antonia from
FMD
How did you get started in the modeling business?
Antonia: I was in the zoo of Hamburg (Hagenbecks) with my little cousin, watching the lions in the cage when Jan-Eric and Yannis came up to me and asked me to become a model and to work with them. I was kind of shocked in the beginning, but when we started a nice conversation and because it was such a strange coincidence I thought I have to try it.
Did you ever think you'd be doing this?
Antonia: No never...Now and then I was asked if I was a model, but I never thought seriously that I was able to become one.
What do you like most about modeling? What do you like least?
Antonia: I love the possibility of travelling to many different places of the world (some I never even heart of before). And of course I enjoy it to meet so many different people from various countries with different mentalities, people you can learn from, people that sometimes really impress me... Another fact that I like or more the people who know me is the big development from my character that I'm going through from travel to travel. I got much more self-confident, open-minded and ambitious in a very short period of time. There are a lot of nice and positive things I can tell about modeling but some points still make it hard: It's great to travel around, but it would be so much nicer to do it together with somebody you like, then I would even enjoy it much more...that's the hardest thing for me, to miss my family, friends and my boyfriend, to be separated from them for long terms, but everybody supports me a lot and that really helps.
Have you encountered any surprises along the way?
Antonia: I found really good friends throughout the time of modeling, in the beginning I was really surprised how nice all girls were...
The prejudice that models are just arrogant and touchy is really just a bad prejudice!! Believe me.
Ever get tempted to get pulled into the party scene?
Antonia: I don't like going out with many models and the strange guys who get paid for bringing the models into clubs.
If I go out I prefer to stay with a small group of people I like.
Have you developed any new interests since you started modeling?
Antonia: To learn different languages...the best thing, something that makes you proud of yourself, is to be able to make yourself understandable in the language the local people used to talk... Another thing I really like is to learn about the different mentalities in other countries.
What are your favourite things to do in your free time?
Antonia: Reading, sports, contact people I like (via internet or the phone), sightseeing, shopping.....
Out of all the places your career has taken you, where was the most memorable?
Antonia: I've been to many beautiful and impressing places (Bahrain, Lompoc, Beirut...) but for me it's always important to have nice people around me to really enjoy it.
Do you have a mentor? Who? What is it about them that affects you? Why?
Antonia: There are many people who can affect me, some more some less... The most important thing for me is if I can trust this person and if he/she really knows me.
Where do you see yourself in ten years? What could be your next career?
Antonia: That's obvious: I will be the next top model!!:-) No, seriously I have no idea what I will do or where I will be in 10 years...the only thing I wish for myself is to be healthy and happy...so we'll see!
What are your beauty secrets? How do you stay in shape?
Antonia: I love good food and I'm unfortunately not one of these girls who can eat what they want (what a shame, then my life would be nearly perfect). So I work out a lot in the gym, go running etc. If I'm travelling I have a small program I do (nearly :-) every day). The other thing is to eat healthy, not so much meat and no fast-food and Cornflakes with fibres (you'll see it's really good :-) just try)
What would you want people to know about you?
Antonia: I don't want to tell all my secrets now! If you're interested just find it out by yourself, I'm not such a complicated character.
Any advice for new models? What advice would you give other models starting out?
Antonia:
*Search for a real good mother agency, that's the most important thing...you have to trust them and they should be like your second family or really good friends, this is how I feel with Place models.
*Take the job of being a model serious, work on yourself but don't let it control your whole life
*Don't set yourself a too high target that you can't reach (targets are good but it all takes time)
Favourite kind of food:
Antonia: Sushi.
If I were trapped on an island I'd take:
Antonia: I think everybody would take those people who he/she loves and likes most...so would I.
