Angela“I don’t think it’s fair to start a BMI ban, since many girls are naturally skinny and perfectly healthy while having a low BMI.” International fashion model Marieke (De Boekers) got scouted when she was only 13 years old. In this interview the blonde, angelic beauty tells us how modelling has made her become very independent and how much she enjoys meeting new people at work.
Marieke: “Travelling alone at a young age has taught me to take care of myself and rely on myself a lot.”
Q: Hi Marieke, you got tagged by your friend Patty Luijt for this interview. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
My name is Marieke and I’m 21 years old. I’m born and raised in Amsterdam and still live there. I’ve been modelling for about five years now.
Q: De Boekers (Amsterdam) is your mother agency. Which other agencies are you represented with?
I’m also with Uniko in Barcelona, Fashion in Milan and No toys in Dusseldorf.
Q: Why, when and how did you start modeling?
I got scouted when I was about 13 years old, but didn’t do much with it back then, because I was really young. Also: I didn’t think I had what it took to be a model, since I’m not that tall. A few years later my boyfriend sent pictures of me to an agency and when they were interested I figured I could give it a shot.
Q: So far, what have been the biggest milestonea in your modeling career?
The shoot I was most excited about was the one I did for Dutch Elle with my boyfriend. Those are my favorite pictures ever. Moneywise I was most happy when I got a campaign for Wella. Since they used it worldwide I got a lot of money for it.
Q: And what are the biggest milestones in your personal life?
My biggest milestone was a year ago when I got my doggy Benji. I’m crazy about him, take him with me everywhere I go. Also, being with my boyfriend for 7 years already (since I was 13 and he was 14) is quite a milestone as well 🙂
Q: What’s your bucket list modeling job?
Work has been going really well for me lately, so I just hope I can continue this way. Mostly I’d like to do many more Dutch editorials, since it’s always the most fun to shoot for magazines you can just buy in your own grocery store.
Q: And what’s on your private bucket list?
My private bucketlist is superlong! There areso many things I want to do like buy a house together with my boyfriend, get more dogs (about 10 more please … ok and maybe a little goat too ;), travel all over the world, study, sky dive … I’m still young so I’ll hopefully have plenty of time to do it all!
I love how every month/week/day is different and how you always work with new people and at new places.
Q: What do you enjoy most about modeling?
I love how every month/week/day is different and how you always work with new people and at new places.
Q: What have you learned from your work as a model?
Modelling has made me very independent. Travelling alone at a young age has taught me to take care of myself and rely on myself a lot. It also helped me to get social and open up to new people, since you meet new people at every single job you do. I met a lot of good friends through modelling.
Q: You know that society focusses a lot on the appearance of models they see in magazines and take their looks as an ideal. Is there anything you would like to say about beauty ideals and the appearance of models in fashion magazines to young, adolescent girls reading your interview?
I feel like agencies shouldn’t send girls under 16 or 18 abroad by themselves.
Q: Do you have any dislikes about or desired improvements regarding modeling?
Agencies/managers don’t always help you and guide you as much as I feel like they should. As a young girl they just put you somewhere in a model apartment in a strange country and no one really guides you through it. I feel like agencies shouldn’t send girls under 16 or 18 abroad by themselves.
Q: If you wouldn’t be a model, you would be a …
If I never started modelling I would have probably finished my communications study and have a job in marketing or pr.
Q: What do you think about NY’s BMI 18 threshold?
That’s a difficult question. I would love it for agencies and clients to book more girls in different shapes and sizes, so I think it would be a good thing if they stopped being so strict about girls’ weight and sizes. It sets a way better example for society. On the other hand I don’t think it’s fair to start a BMI ban, since many girls are naturally skinny and perfectly healthy while having a low BMI.
Q: What’s your advice for girls that want to start modeling?
Send some basic photos (no make-up, filters, duckface or whatever) to as many agencies as you want and hope for an invitation. If you don’t get a reply don’t worry too much and just do something different, there’s enough fun things to do besides modelling!
Q: Which model would you like to have these questions answered as well?
Thank you for the interview, Marieke! I hope you will have lots more jobs for Dutch editorials. Yes, it’s super fun to bump in to yourself when doing your groceries in the supermarket 🙂
Would you like to know more about Marieke’s skin care routine and healthy habits? Make sure to subscribe, as she will tell you all about it in her part 2 and 3 of her interview.
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