Image Source: News24, The Independent
Model Naomi Campbell appeared for the British Vogue cover story and opened up about her motherhood.
As Naomi Campbell arrived for her interview, she arrived with her nine-month-old daughter and said with gleaming eyes about her, “I’m lucky my little one loves to travel like me – no whimpering taking off or landing. She’s a good girl: she sleeps very well, she hardly ever cries and I’m told she’s very alert for her age. She’s just started waving, which is fun. She laughs a lot. She’s almost talking. I think she might walk before she crawls. And she’s got six teeth already.”
In May 2021, the model took to her social media to share the news of being a mother and wrote, "A beautiful little blessing has chosen me to be her mother. So honoured to have this gentle soul in my life. There are no words to describe the lifelong bond that I now share with you my angel. There is no greater love." During the interview clarified the rumors by shutting them down with, “She wasn’t adopted – she’s my child. I can count on one hand the number of people who knew that I was having her. But she is the biggest blessing I could ever imagine. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.” Naomi did not give out many details about her daughter (not even her name) and mentioned that she is saving them for her book.
Naomi Campbell shared during the interview, "I always knew that one day I would be a mother, but it's the biggest joy I could ever imagine. I'm lucky to have her and I know that. I'm like a kid again. I'm reliving nursery rhymes, playing and discovering how many great new toys there are out there in the world! And dolls! Things I couldn't even dream of." Naomi Campbell mentioned that her daughter comes first for her and everything she does is for her. Asking if she wants more children the model said “Why not?"
During the interview and cover shoot, Naomi Campbell also reflected on walking the ramp for designers like Versace, Alexander McQueen, Balmain, and Lanvin and said, “I still enjoy it but it’s nerve-racking! Because I’m 51 years old walking with girls who are 18!” Naomi although admitted that it was definitely fun back then and remembering models Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, and Christy Turlington, said, “It’s great to be with these young ’uns at my age, but I have to say, at one of the shows I was like, ‘Come on, girls! Pick up your feet! Why are you walking so slow?’ I definitely feel like my time was more joyful. We smiled. We got to show off our personalities.”
Recalling her time, Naomi Campbell said, “It was an incredible time, but we worked hard. And no matter how many outfit changes, how many shows, we never said we were tired. We all loved it and we kept each other’s energy up. We did eight shows a day and then we would go and celebrate with the designers in the evening. I wonder sometimes if models now could have kept up with us.” Naomi Campbell who is working on upcoming docuseries for Apple TV+, ‘The Supermodels’, which is being directed by Barbara Kopple, and the series is going to look over the 1990s reign. She said, “It’s about our life and times together: our friendship, careers, our womanhood, our motherhood. As models, we don’t have any rights to our image, so it feels good to be partners on our legacy – and in our own words.” Naomi Campbell mentioned during the interview, “I come from a family of strong women. Between that and my school, I learnt early how to fend for myself. I learnt how to stand up for myself”, which showcases the powerful and strong woman she is.
The model who is considered as an icon, models today look up to is also a force of change in the industry starting with Black representation in the modeling industry and has criticized the same for lack of diversity. She shared, “I would call anyone who would pick up the phone. It wasn’t about making a complaint but it was about making people aware.” Naomi Campbell added during the interview that she has a Black agent, Akeem Rasool at Women Management with whom she intends to work to support young creative talent in emerging markets from Africa to India to the Middle East.
Naomi Campbell is not only a model, young girls look up to but someone very important in the modeling industry that she has almost become like a mother figure to the young generation of models especially Black models. Talking about being a mentor and looking at the diversity now in the industry, the model said, “Everyone’s journey is written. This is my journey, this is how it’s written. But yes, there were lots of times when I would walk in the fashion shows, but I was never picked for the ad campaigns and it would hurt – it really hurt. I would have to suck it up and keep moving. Of course, it would have been great to have had that support around me back then, but I’m proud to see it happen now, I’m proud to see the diversity now. But I say this with all sincerity: we’re not here for a trend. There are so many companies who are in this only because they don’t want to get called out. No. Don’t do it from that place, do it because you understand that it’s the right thing to do. There is still a long way to go.”
Naomi became a global ambassador for The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust in September and her role involves supporting the charity’s fundraising efforts and promoting the young advocates’ work. “I support Black Lives Matter and I support anything for positive change, but I’ve been saying this longer than these things have been around – this isn’t new for me”, she added.
