Eva Herzigova: My life could have taken a very different path

The Czech native was scouted in Prague
“I am who I am”: Eva Herzigova in the latest issue of Tatler
Simon Emmett
Alistair Foster25 January 2019
The Weekender

Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for exclusive competitions, offers and theatre ticket deals

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Eva Herzigova went on to become one of the highest-paid supermodels in the world after winning a beauty contest when she was 16.

Now the Czech native has admitted she often wonders what life would have been like if she had not had that break and been scouted in Prague.

Herzigova, 45, who found global fame as the face of Wonderbra’s Hello Boys advertising campaign, told Tatler: “On the one hand modelling has taught me so much I would never have learnt in school.

“I speak five languages fluently [Czech, English, Italian, French, Russian], I’ve travelled the world and I’ve built up a huge visual library of knowledge through my work.

Empowerment: Eva Herzigova has also teamed up with Wonderbra
Simon Emmett

“But a little part of me wonders what I could have done if I had worked with my mind, not just my body.”

After her heyday on the social scene, Herzigova now lives a quieter life in Italy with businessman Gregorio Marsiaj, and their three boys, George, 11, Philipe, seven, and Edward, five. The couple announced their engagement in 2017 after 16 years together.

Cover star: Eva Herzigova on the cover of Tatler
Simon Emmett

While Herzigova will not reveal when they plan to get married, she hinted that the ceremony would not be conventional. She told Tatler: “I find traditional weddings such a cliché. They are so impersonal and always the same. The white dress, the bridesmaids, the big party where everyone gets drunk and you’ve spent a fortune. Marriage is such an intimate thing, but it’s become such a soulless template.”

Herzigova also spoke about the new Wonderbra advert, which comes 25 years after the Hello Boys billboards which reportedly caused motorists to crash when released in 1994. The current campaign has the slogan “Hello Girls”. She explained: “It’s a catchphrase for the #MeToo generation because it speaks of confidence and inclusiveness. Hello Boys was very provocative ... it was also a very powerful statement and one I always defended against feminist accusations because I think it had a very empowering, liberating effect on women.

“What women are saying now is, ‘I am who I am. Take it or leave it’.”

Read the full interview in the March issue of Tatler, available via digital download and on newstands Thursday January 31

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in

MORE ABOUT