Because you should be proud of who you are

And that is exactly the message of the new ‘My Beauty My Say’-campaign from Dove. They encourage women to be the best version of themselves and to be proud of it. And for that campaign, they asked me the following questions.

Kiki, you travel from Milan to Paris and sit front row at Amsterdam Fashion Week. Every week you are at parties where only lettuce and champagne are served, and it seems like there is a scale at job interviews in the fashion world. Appearance is important, so being slim is too. What do you think about that?

“Every, every woman has her insecurities. I do too. But do you really feel better by thinking negatively about yourself every day? I did that for quite some time. I might be a bit fuller and rounder than the people in the fashion world and have thought more than once: now I’m really going to lose seven kilos. I have succeeded at times, but in the end, I’m just a bon vivant and I just want to eat that red velvet cake and enjoy fondue sometimes. And I think that should be okay.”

Why have you stopped dieting now?

“You know? I’m just the girl with the taxi. In my heels. And I’m just finishing off those last macarons. But last year, I suddenly had enough. This is who I am, and I just have a certain build. When I started writing about how annoying it is that your thighs rub together when it’s warm and you’re wearing a skirt, my pieces on Amayzine were only read better. Women recognized themselves in this and liked me more because I was honest about those macarons.”

Was there a moment when you thought: goodbye, this is who I am, even if I’m in a size zero world?

“I can’t really name a specific moment. I think it was a period when I stopped looking at what could be better in my life, but mainly saw what was good. I have a super fun job, I’m moving in with my boyfriend, I have a slim waist and beautiful skin. At one point, I wrote a piece about the advantages of not being a fit girl and that I’m never going to be one. I received a lot of positive responses from readers. Being a bit fuller than most women in fashion editorial makes me unique.”

Has it always been like this?

“No, not in the past. In my teenage years, I was quite insecure. Everyone is, of course, but I once received a comment in gym class from a boy who shouted: ‘There’s Kiki with her thick thighs.’ And I really didn’t like that. Now I think: oh, I’m happy with my body. So yes, it has been different before. But I do notice now that I’m getting older, that I feel better in my skin and more confident.”

Yet you move in a world where people judge you on your appearance.

“Yes, that’s true. And I want to look good too. I love clothes, love beautiful heels, and I regularly check with a mirror if my bangs are still okay. But in terms of figure, I have decided to embrace who I am. I’ve stopped comparing myself to others, and since then I feel more confident than ever.”