Julia Stegner (date unknown)

She's a control freak and someone who always has to think first "what would be if...". Thats why it's not astonishing, that todays Topmodel Julia Stegner had to finish her school first after her discovery through the agency "Louisa" at the munich oktoberfest . A matured decison for a 15-year old. Only 4 years later Julia tried her luck in Paris during the summer holidays: just after a few weeks she adorned the cover of the french ELLE and had been photographed by Steven Meisel for the Italian Vogue. The bavarian girl turned into the star of the runways and had been booked for campaigns such as YSL and Boss. Now the 21-year old is living in New York and is one of the desired faces of the scene.

You've just been on the fashion shows in New York, Milan and Paris again. Do u still enjoy the turbulences?

I find it wonderful at the moment. I can travel, meet the most different people and earn well. The job nerves certainly in stressful phases, for example when I just can sleep a few hours - as probably any other job does.

How many shows do you do a day?

Luckily i can also say no from time to time now. at the beginning of my career I did 6 jobs a day 4 weeks long. Afterwards you felt as limp as a rag. Walking over the runway isnt that stressful at all. But the preparations are hard: the fittings that mostly are taking place at night, and the styling. The constant hair washing, drying, back-combing, make-up and removing it is straining alot. Sometimes the skin is really sored and burning enormous.

That doesnt sound very glamourous...

The most models are working very hard and dont enjoy such extravagant lifestyle as Cindy, Linda or Naomi did. That was a complete different era, where the girls run over the red carpet with their boyfriends and became celebrities. Any time in the mid-ninties, the actresses reconquered their status as Glamouricons. Since then they wear High Fashion, busy the stylist and make the red carpet into a runway. Now the Designers enlist Hollywood-Celebrities for their campaigns more often. There's less work for models.

Did models and actresses changed their image?

If its about naturalness and relaxeness surely. In the past you got to see much more shots from careless dressed Hollywood-Celebs and extremely well-dressed Supermodels. Now we sit on the floor with Jeans and a T-shirt before the shows and play at cards or talking. But I also know all the other stories from earlier with lots of drama and drugs. I could never take drugs, because i would be afraid of not looking good anymore and that I cant work reliably.

What do you think of Kate Moss?

Without wanting to play down her consume, I have to say that I think that the press is overdoing it a lot without knowing the background. I met her once with her daughter on St. Barth and I think she is a very nice women and a lovely mum. Probably she lives more exaggerated as most think. Could she otherwise look so fresh with 30 and be there for a child?

How do you personally handle the public interest in you?

Carefully, also when theres not much to tell about me. As I began I told about my boyfriend at that time - a politician from Munich. Meanwhile were splitted. My new boyfriend is an assistent of a Photographer and is living in New York - and thats all I wanna say.

Who do you meet when youre going out?

For example my best friend Luca Gadjus, also a very successful german model in New York. When I am in Munich I am looking forward to my old junto. We're playing basketball and eating pizza like in older days. The most imagine that I am meeting famous persons all the time. Once I've got ot know P.Diddy in a club and he asked "Hey, how ya doing?". And I answered "Good thanks! And you?" That was our meeting. I am not a big networker or party girl. Sometimes I wish I wouldnt be that well-behaved. But what am I supposed to do? I cant get out of my skin, right?

Why should you so? Youre life's gonna be perfect!

Destiny is good to me, but I always have to call everything into question - since ever. I am to sceptical and always afraid something could go wrong. Besides it drives me around the bend that it comes to modelling-orders from one second to the other and so you can't plan anything, Chaotic persons can handle that better than a controlfreak such as I am.

Do you feel to be at the mercy of beauty?

In some degree yes, because i am dependent on others opinions, if they like me the way I am. If someone says "Julia is a classical beauty" I dont take it unconditionally as a compliment. You have to seem surprisefull and exciting. Indeed I am convertable with styling but certainly could never dye my hair because i am allergic to the products. Thats why I am happy to have a sloping mouth atleast - my trade mark.

Are you proud of your success?

I am very grateful. Its easier for me to be proud of someone else, for example of my father. He succeeded to become an inquired manager with a junior high school finish. Or of my sister, the youngest production manager of the history of the UFA.