She’s taking off. Only 17-year-old Vanessa Hartog from Basel is the shooting star of the Swiss model scene.
From school to the runway, Vanessa Hartog (17) is in a hurry. In just six months, the 1.79 meter tall high school student from Basel conquered the Paris model world. And she now presents the new collection of the Spanish clothing multinational Zara in front of the camera. "It's crazy what happened in the last few weeks," she says.
Karl Lagerfeld? Done. Dior, Givenchy, Valentino? During school holidays
Vanessa walked her first fashion show for one of the biggest designers: Karl Lagerfeld (84). The German fashion czar booked her for his impressive Chanel show in December. After that, things went quickly: Vanessa walked the runways for Dior, Givenchy and Valentino - and always during school holidays!
"Sure, modeling is a dream," she says. "But I'm not dropping out of school for it." But this job is too uncertain, adds Vanessa. In addition, she had to promise her parents, before her first modeling job, that she - whatever happens – will finish the high school.
Early approached by model scouts on the street
Vanessa's father is Dutch, her mother is Polish. Vanessa was born in 2000 in Switzerland. She recalls having been approached by model scouts a couple of times in the streets as a young teenager. "At that time I was not interested in such a career. Maybe I was a bit scared of it. "
One year ago she wanted to know it anyway - and contacted an agency. They were so excited that they sent her straight to Paris. And once in Paris the young woman with the measurements 79-58-84 was hardly allowed to to return to Basle.
About modeling she likes that she gets to know the world without effort, explains Vanessa. Also, she feels pretty grown up here. "Quite different from school, where I'm still a young learner." But she also likes this contrast. "At the moment I do not want to do without one or the other," she says.
September 05, 2018
