This Dutch beauty, Doutzen, is one of the Victoria's Secret Angels. She has been working with the brand since 2004 and in 2008, became one of the Angels. She has been a regular at the always-anticipated annual Victoria's Secret Fashion show from 2005 through 2009.
Doutzen Kroes was born in the town of Eastermar, in the Netherlands. As a child, she aspired to become a professional speed skater. We're glad fate intervened! She stepped into the high fashion light after her sister sent photos of her to modeling agency in Amsterdam. At the time, Amsterdam was a place Doutzen rarely visited, as a self-described "country girl." She said she didn't tell anyone they had sent the pictures, because she would be embarrassed if she didn't hear back. (A silly concern, we think.)
Doutzen has graced the covers of Time, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Seventeen, Elle, Marie Claire, Glamour, W, Avantgarde, Dazed & Confused, Cosmopolitan, among others. In fact, in the May 2007 cover of American Vague, Doutzen was named one of the World's Next Top Models. She has also done campaigns for Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace, Escada, D&G, Valentino, Blumarine, L'Oreal, and Calvin Klein brands. She replaced the face of Christy Turlington as the face of Calvin Klein's Eternity perfume.
Here is some random trivia about this impressive gal:
- In 2005, she won the title of "Model of the Year" by Vogue.com readers.
- In 2006, a documentary was produced about her, showing a a week in the life of a supermodel. This is one of the few documentaries that will keep your eyes glued to the screen. If you want to look it up, the director is J.J.M. Jansen.
- In 2009, she was earned a Lifetime Achievement Award during the Dutch Model Awards Show. We're guessing "lifetime" was determined by model-years?
- There is a wax figure of Doutzen in the Amsterdam Madame Tussaud's wax museum.
- During the years of 2009 and 2010, she wrote a monthly column for Marie Claire (Dutch edition).
- Once quoted remarking: "Compare with all the other girls, I have big thighs." What planet is this, we wonder.
- She is featured in the official Frisian provincial campaign for the Frisian language, which is her native tongue.
Over the past 5 years, she has made Forbes' List of 15 Top Earning Models 4 times. In 2007, it was estimated she earned $5 million. In 2008, she came in 5th on the list, earning a reported $6 million. Congratulations to her! Then, in 2009 and 2010, she has come in on the list again.
She is very active. Her hobbies include running, sailing, surfing, any water sports, dancing, and, last, but not least, ice skating (which is essentially a national pastime for the Dutch).
While the 5’10” Dutch beauty loves the opportunity to travel and meet new and exciting people, she does admit there is a down side to being among the world’s most in-demand models: "I miss my family very much."
Doutzen Kroes has represented be the modeling agencies DNA Model Management, Viva Models, and Women Management.
