Heidi Klum has opened up about the bias she was subjected to as a pregnant woman within the fashion industry.
Looking back on her earlier career as a model and host of hit reality show Project Runway, she recalled a number of challenges she faced while visibly pregnant on-screen.
Speaking to Paper, the businesswoman and mother-of-four said during that time, she ended up losing a client who believed she was “not sexy anymore” due to the natural bodily changes she went through.
“I remember I had one client. When I was pregnant, they did not want to work with me anymore,” the German model said.
Klum did not name the client, however she revealed their refusal to continue working with her post-pregnancy was a pivotal moment that spawned a popular business venture.
“So that’s why I started having a pregnancy line because of that, because it’s like, what am I gonna wear? I’m not hiding in the house pregnant,” she continued.
“I was pregnant with all my kids always on the show, and it was a challenge for me, because pregnancy clothes were really hard to find at the time.”
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“I’m on the stage, I’m on TV, and it’s a show about fashion, I need to have good things!”
She refers, of course, to Lavish by Heidi Klum – a maternity line with a focus on elevated, trendy pieces, and Loved by Heidi Klum – which featured more comfortable, everyday wear.
According to Klum, the industry’s perception of a model shifts when they venture into motherhood – and are often labelled as a mother first, and model second as a result.
“I was defined before children as being a sexy woman, and now with a child, as being a mom,” she admitted.
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And while Klum considered herself a pioneer within the model-turned-mom space, being visibly pregnant in that line of work in the ’00’s came with more than its fair share of associated stigma.
“I have to say… you didn’t see a lot of pregnant women on television. It was a big thing at the time,” she admitted.
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But thankfully, according to Heidi’s daughter Leni Olumi Klum, 21, the perception within the industry has seen a shift in recent times to a more inclusive, receptive stance.
Leni, who is now a model in her own right, discussed her own experience within the industry as part of the newest generation of models.
“I think there’s definitely been a major shift,” she told Paper.
“Before, with my mom’s generation, it was a stricter kind of criteria you needed to fit into.
“I think a lot has changed now, and it’s given many different people an opportunity to be in the industry.”
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