April 24, 2012 i-Profile: Lieve Long and lean like a gazelle, Lieve Dannau is the 5’10″ blonde-haired, blue-eyed Elite beauty whose name in Dutch means ‘kind’. Click images to enlarge. Her jawline is blade sharp, her hair like golden honey kissed by the South American sun, and it’s impossible not to notice those cute little freckles spread across her perfectly proportioned nose. Oh, if looks could kill, 16-year-old Lieve would already be serving life. Raised between the blazing hot Chilean coast and the countryside, and with French parents, Lieve has an exotic heritage and a certain ‘je ne sais quoi.’ Even though it’s still early days, she’s kicked off her modelling career with a loud bang. In her first season, she stormed the catwalks for powerhouses Burberry, McQ, Chloé and Calvin Klein. Part of the New Faces Roundup in The Royalty Issue, i-D online caught up with the Elite Model Management signed Lieve to find out a bit more about her sky rocketing success and the laid back Chilean lifestyle. When/ how were you scouted? I was often told when I was little that I should be a model because I was taller than the other girls my age. And last year, when I was just fifteen, a friend decided to enter me on Elite Chile’s website, and so they contacted me and told me to come and see them. There they said I should enter the elite model look competition of that year, which I did, and the rest is history! Describe yourself in 5 words… I guess I’m down-to-earth, creative, honest, absent-minded and joyful. Where do you go to have a good time in Chile? I like to hang out with my friends either at night in the good neighbourhoods or at the nice promenade in downtown Santiago. What was it like growing up in Chile? I lived for a long time in Vina del Mar, a town by the seaside, but I also lived in a house in the countryside, where I spent a lot of time playing in the woods with my brother and sister. My parents are French so I received a very diferent education to most Chilean kids, but I cannot say whether I feel more Chilean or French!! When did you start singing? In the shower when I was a little girl
I’ve never taken clases or anything, but I really like to sing! What was it like taking part in the Elite Model Look competition? It was an incredible experience, I made so many good friends, all from different countries, making it such a surprising mix of cultures. Thanks to the Elite Model Look competition, we could spend two weeks living in Shanghai! I will always remember the things we saw together, the moments we shared and emotions. It was my very first time in China, so it could not have been more special! What did it feel like being an exclusive for the Calvin Klein show? There were so many amazing girls at the casting, I didn’t fancy my chances, so it was even more amazing when they told me I was confirmed! It really was an honour for me! I really enjoyed everything about that experience! This was my first fashion week, and I was very happy with how it went, the people I met and shows I was lucky enough to walk in. What’s your beauty regime? I try to eat healthily and do a lot of sports. I play volleyball and I like to go running. I was very much into athletics when I was younger. How do you define beauty? By personality. What do you get up to when you’re not modelling? I work hard at school, I’m in my last year. But if not at school, I like normal teenager things, like going to the cinema or to my friends’ houses, or spending time with my family. What’s the most played song on your iPod? It’s always changing but for now ‘Lonely Boy’ by The Black Keys. What are your friends like? Strange, funny and always ready to do crazy things! What’s your first thought when you look in the mirror? I think about pulling funny expressions. Are you in love? Not yet! elitemodel.com
Text: Rebecca Arts Images courtesy Elite Model Management Final Image from The Royalty Issue, photography by Nick Dorey, styling by Hanna Kelifa. See our i-Profile series in all its glory right here, right now!
