Heidi Klum: “I wouldn’t do Germany’s Next Top Model like that again”

More than 30 years ago, in 1992, Heidi Klum was in the spotlight for the first time and after a seven-year break from the catwalk, she returned at the L’Oréal Paris “Le Défilé” show.

The star met Heidi Klum the day before her comeback. But the supermodel doesn’t seem upset. Relaxed and warm, she asks me to sit next to her on the couch in a hotel room. She is wearing a floor-length evening dress, her hair and makeup are in place. She asks if I want something to drink. You quickly get into a conversation with her about her children, the fashion business, her values ​​and also about “Germany’s Next Top Model”, as if we had known each other forever…

Ms. Klum, you have two daughters. In times of female empowerment: What advice should you definitely give girls and women?
Female empowerment begins in childhood. You should convey a certain level of self-confidence right from the start. My daughters have always heard positive things about me from an early age. Just like that, in everyday life. And of course they copied a lot from each other. It is important to model self-love and self-confidence.

How important is it as a woman to be able to say no?
My oldest daughter is 20 years old and already on the job market. I told her early on: If there’s something she doesn’t want to do, if someone asks her to do something she doesn’t want to, it’s completely okay to refuse. It’s important to say no, especially as a woman and especially in this business. But it’s also important for boys. I try not to raise my daughters any differently than my sons.

What is important to you in parenting?
I make sure my children have manners and treat people the way they would like to be treated. Every person has the same value, you shouldn’t be particularly nice to someone just because they seem important, while rejecting someone else who seems less important. But here too, what is important is what people set an example for. I don’t actually have to tell them, they observe it in me and how I behave.

What exactly do you think you have set an example for your children?
Nothing comes from nothing. You can see how I juggle everything – working and raising four children. You see how things go – whether we’re cooking at home or I’m cleaning up on the floor after the dogs, which is equally popular. I like to stay down to earth and lead a normal life. At the weekend we have a barbecue and your friends can come over. That’s important to me. They should have a home where they can hang out with their friends. Our house is not a museum. You can sit on the couch.

And where are the dogs sitting?
Even on the couch, even though I didn’t really want to. But they manage to sneak onto it secretly. Especially Uschi, she squeezes herself in between, no matter how little space there is. At first Tom didn’t want the dogs at all, but I just got them – two of them. Now he loves her. They are one year and four months old. Even in the bully era. Really little teenager, but very cute.

Back to the topic of female empowerment, I don’t want to unburden you yet. What does this term mean to you?
That no one tells us women what we should do or wear, what job we should have, who we should be with or what we should eat – whatever we want to do, we should be allowed to do that. And it also means that we women support each other instead of putting each other down or being jealous. Here at this L’Oreal Paris event, diverse women from all over the world come together, from young to old, and we give each other high fives on the catwalk. That’s what it’s about. It is a symbol for all women out there. When we high-five each other, it’s like all the women out there are high-fiving us and seeing themselves in us.

You have to explain that. How exactly does Heidi Klum walk the catwalk in front of the Paris Opera support women around the world?
I think there are women in their 50s who might say: “Oh yes, Klum is doing her thing, even at 51 – that’s me too.” Or maybe someone sees Helen Mirren, who is also taking part here, and thinks: “ That’s what you do when you’re in your late 70s.”

Or Jane Fonda at 86…
I met Jane recently, she was great. Her dress was torn and we sewed it back together. But she was so friendly and a very confident woman, involved in different areas and excited to talk about them.

You have walked on many catwalks around the world. What do you associate with tomorrow’s walk on the catwalk, which is in a different place every year?
This year we walked in front of the Paris Opera and last year the show was under the Eiffel Tower. These are iconic places where people can watch on the street. Normally you are more “locked in”, in a great building, yes, but no one sees you unless there are a few photos in the newspaper or someone has filmed something. Sure, here too There are invited guests and a front row – but it’s not just invited guests. The event is more diverse. And I like that.

The modeling industry needs time to learn about feminism and diversity. Where do you think it stands today?
Yes, definitely. Me too with my show “Germany’s Next Top Model.” If you look at the shows I did 20 years ago, I wouldn’t do them the same way today. I come from a time when it wasn’t good for my bottom to jiggle – it had to be firm. If a man ran in lingerie, a man shouldn’t have cellulite. That’s how it was back then. But now it’s okay to have dimples on your thighs and your butt can be round too. We have all learned over the years that we are different and that is okay. I think GNTM is now ahead of many brands when it comes to diversity.

What do you mean by that?
There are a few plus-size models in the fashion industry that you see in rotation everywhere, and that’s often it for diversity. I think there is more that can be done – there is currently a lot of talk and little action.

The slogan of the brand you are walking the catwalk for is “Because I am worth it”. Are there moments when you don’t feel like Heidi Klum and need to be reminded of your worth?
I think I’ve had this feeling of “I’m worth it” since I was a child. I wasn’t the best at school, but I was good at other things. For example, I have been dancing since I was six years old. And I drew a lot and was generally very artistic. My parents always supported and cheered me on, I was always praised for what I did. I think that’s why I had a sense of self-worth from an early age. Otherwise I might have made different decisions in some places…

Have there been moments in your career where your self-esteem was truly tested?
Throughout my career, people have told me I was too fat and suggested I take pills to curb my appetite and lose weight. I didn’t do that. If I had no self-esteem at that moment, I might have said, “Oh really? Okay, give it to me.” But I didn’t do it because I had this inner confidence. It’s so important to build that confidence and self-esteem early on.

Have you had a female role model in your life?
In any case. The people around me: My mother and especially my grandmother Leni. My first daughter is named after her.

Was your grandmother honored?
My grandmother Leni lost her husband in the war. She always told me stories about the war, about how she raised many children alone – some of whom unfortunately died. She told me about the bombings, how they hid in the basement and how their house was destroyed. Only the sewing machine remained. When my parents were on vacation, I often stayed with her and I loved it.

What else has she taught you?
She taught me a lot. For example, how to cook from leftovers in the fridge instead of buying new food straight away. From her I know how to prepare hearty, traditional German dishes, potato salad, dumplings, sauerkraut and bean soup.

And what was her personality like?
She was really tough and cool. She didn’t have a car or a driver’s license, so she rode her bike everywhere with me on the back. She took me to school for weeks while my parents were away in Asia or somewhere else.

Finally, an important question: What is your beauty secret?
A positive attitude. Of course, it’s good to eat consciously, get enough sleep and drink water. All these things definitely help. But I also believe that you can see the attitude towards life. You can tell when someone has been unhappy or even spiteful for a long time, right? I think so too. This is reflected in faces more broadly.