Rianne ten Haken knows how to wind down after a hectic day in the City. An NY-based Dutch model, Rianne has seen more than a decade in the fashion world. One of personal favorites, she’s twice adorned the cover of The WILD. After having been shot by Steven Meisel for the cover of Italian Vogue, Rianne was featured in the likes of Numero, W, and GQ, just to name a few. As a runway model, she’s walked the catwalks for legendary designers Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior, Chanel, YSL, Gucci, Prada, and that’s just the start. In her entrepreneurial spirit, Rianne is working on the launch of a new site dedicated to the practice of yoga. Just after the sun set on a spring evening at a tapas bar in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, The WILD shared a martini with Rianne for an early evening aperitivo moment as we recalled her career how she balances life as a multitalented woman on-the-go.
How did it all begin?
I got discovered on the street in Utrecht, Holland when I was shopping with my mom. I was 14 years old and they asked me to compete in the annual Elite Model Look. I won the international finals, and two years later I went to New York for my first fashion week. I was lucky to get picked up by Marc Jacobs and Versace in my first season. And then Steven Meisel shot me for Italian Vogue right away, and the rest is history.
What’s something unexpected you’ve learned during a career in fashion and modeling?
Life is unexpected! I never could have dreamed of the career and life I’m living now. You have to stay open to all those unexpected experiences.
What are you working on now?
Last year I finished my yoga teacher training, since then I have been very busy teaching yoga, organizing workshops for new faces in the industry, and still traveling the world for my modeling gigs.
How did the practice of yoga become a part of your life?
My life as a model is pretty intense, I travel a lot, always on the go, and there is no routine. A lot is expected of you, and at one point the pressure became too much. I realized I needed to take a moment for myself to get grounded and get back to who I am without all these people telling me what to do/what to wear everyday. So I took some time off and immersed myself in yoga every day, and then came back feeling brand new!
Where do you escape to clear your head?
Kundalini Yoga studio Golden Bridge in NYC. I love kundalini yoga because there is a lot of meditation involved, always feel so centered and revived when I leave.
Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Authenticity is the only thing that lasts.
Who is your style icon?
Cate Blanchett.
What is your cocktail of choice?
I love a very dirty Martini with olives!
What is your WILD Wish?
Being a Bond Girl!
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