Jamilla Hoogenboom from Micha Models belongs to the new generation of Dutch top models who will once again uphold the honor of our country for a month. She has already been photographed by Mert & Marcus, did campaigns for Céline and McQueen, and walked shows for Alexander Wang, Marni, Moschino, Balenciaga, and Dsquared. Among others, of course. At the moment, she has already been in New York for a week where she is ready to rock a month of catwalks.

We always start this column with the question; what time does your Thank God It’s Friday start and what’s in your glass? But you probably don’t have a Friday or a weekend coming up, do you?

“Haha, this is indeed going to be a hectic month with castings, fittings, and of course shows (I hope!). I’m also very curious about how this season will go, because you never know. Every season is different, there are new designers for the big brands, but also new casting directors. Let’s hope for the best!”

And having a drink probably isn’t on the agenda at all? Although we did have after the Alexander Wang show a little piccolino of champagne together with your agent Micha (from Micha Models)... Do you treat yourself to a glass every now and then?

“Yes, of course I do! It has to stay fun, I always think. And if a drink is offered after a show, I don’t say no, haha. And on Fridays or Saturdays, I always try to do something fun with friends (if we have a gap), just to be ‘out’ of the modeling life and have something else on my mind.”

Before you worked professionally as a model, you studied fashion. That must be double nice now, because as a model, you can also peek at all those designers. Who are your favorites and why?

“I think I have two favorites. Those are Céline and Alexander Wang. Two totally different brands, but oh so cool. Alexander Wang is super edgy and Céline is very feminine. With these brands, I would definitely want to fill my closet.”

How did you prepare for this fashion month? Did you walk a big curve around every carbohydrate and stretch a lot?

“Occasionally, I went running. If I was lucky, my boyfriend joined me. That gives a bit more motivation. But mainly, I ate healthily, which was quite difficult with all those holidays. A oliebol and an appelflap definitely went down well with me, haha.”

What are you looking forward to? 

“That would be walking shows. That always remains a bit exciting. What I’m also looking forward to is the day when all the fashion weeks are over and I’m sitting on the Thalys from Paris to Amsterdam. Thinking about the shows I walked, my boyfriend I can cuddle, seeing my friends and family again, and of course, plopping down on the couch in my pajamas with a piece of homemade apple pie and being lazy.”

Which show is super high on your wish list?

“I would really love to walk for Alexander Wang and Céline again, of course. But what else is on my wish list are Dior and Chanel. That’s probably the dream of every girl in the fashion world. Whether that will ever happen, I don’t know. But you never know!”

Sunday then just chilling...
Pizza, Netflix and chill

Is your boyfriend coming to visit you while you’re in Europe?

“We don’t know yet. Last season, I was already very early in New York and thus away from home for a longer period. That was also my first fashion week. My boyfriend came to visit me in the middle of the fashion weeks. That was a weekend in London. I was super happy to see him and fall asleep next to him at night. But the castings, fittings, and shows continued, which he went along with. This season, I’m away from home for a shorter time because I didn’t have to do the pre-castings in New York. But if I can’t stand it anymore, I’ll have him fly over to Milan or the last days in Paris, because then we’ll be together for two years! We will see :-).‘

Which fashion week is your favorite and why?

“Those are definitely the ones in New York and Paris. New York is an addictive city, wonderful to walk through, because there’s always something to see and do. It’s also super easy to get from one place to another, because the subway is super easy and the castings are usually close to each other.

Then Paris, that’s where it all started. When I just started my modeling career, I was here very often and also found for longer periods. I know the way by heart by now, haha. Paris is just a very nice city and close to home. That’s also where the last fashion week is, which is very nice at that moment.”

What does a model read and listen to in between?

“I must admit: I don’t read, haha… But I definitely listen to music! That’s wonderful, walking to the casting with my earbuds in and listening to my favorite songs. It’s also handy to have music with you at castings when you have to wait a long time. Music is definitely something I really need during the fashion weeks.”

What’s in your bag during the fashion weeks?

“Labello. That’s really necessary, because with this weather my lips get very dry. Furthermore, hair ties, because during castings you often have to put your hair in a low ponytail. I always have more with me, since they disappear one by one anyway. Showcards, also very important! You have to give these at castings. It has your name on it, a photo, your height, and all your measurements. Phone (plus earbuds): always handy. This way you can look up how to walk or which subway to take to your next casting. But your modeling agency can also reach you if you have a new casting. My wallet is also in my bag, to buy something to eat or drink in between. And all my cards are in there, including my metro card. Then perfume, gum, an extra battery for my phone, and I have a photo of me and my boyfriend in my agenda. So he’s still a bit with me.”

Dutch girls are often very close-knit, who are your friends in the industry?

“That’s right. All Dutch people know each other, and that’s super nice. Wherever you are at a casting, you’ll always run into a Dutch person, so you almost always have someone to chat with. Vera van Erp, Romy Schönberger, Maartje Verhoef, and Marjan Jonkman are the Dutch models I often run into at castings. Of course, I also have friends from other countries, and I really enjoy meeting new people.

Here in New York, we booked an Airbnb together with Agnes Abma (Dutch), Isabell Andreeva (German), and Maria Debicka (Polish). So it’s a fun crowd.”

When the fashion month is over, what does your weekend look like?

“Physically, the fashion week is still doable, but it’s especially mentally very challenging. There are always people around you during fashion week; you’re never alone. All those people touching you during fittings and shows… So the first thing I’m going to do when I’m home is what I mentioned earlier: just hang on the couch and spend time with my boyfriend. The next day, of course, I’ll visit my friends and then we’ll see where we end up that evening, haha.

Sunday then just chilling... Pizza, Netflix and chill.”