25 years in the game, and she’s still killing it. Naomi Campbell Covers Interview Magazine, October 2010

In a story entitled, ‘A Controversial Life,’ supermodel Naomi Campbell gets introspective in Interview Magazine’s October 2010 issue. At forty years old, Naomi has courted more than a little bit of controversy, and is probably as equally known for her bad ways, as her fabulous career. But despite the setbacks, or perhaps because of them, Naomi has had a lengthy– 25 years– modeling career, and a unique life story, that she discusses in some detail, in the mag:

“I mean, look, I’m controversial. It’s not that people don’t know who I am . . . If people want to work with me, then they want to work with me. If they don’t, they don’t. You also have to create your own things. I’ve had my own perfume now for how many years? I’m doing my twelfth perfume and I’m with Procter & Gamble. If something doesn’t come your way, then you find another way. I was brought up with a very broad mind. I am a woman of color and I will always be proud of that. I also know that I will always have to go that extra 10 miles. And that’s fine. I’m okay with that. I’m okay with doing the extra 10 miles. I didn’t expect to go on this journey, Tony—or to still be on this journey, in the same business. It’s as much of a surprise to me as it is to anyone else. My whole career is a challenge. I’m a challenge.”

I’m a challenge. I don’t think a more fitting statement has ever been used to describe Naomi, and that’s definitely not a bad thing. ‘Being a challenge,’ is what’s gotten her as far as she has in the industry. It’s not easy to make a name for yourself as a model, especially for models of color. Naomi has not only managed to do just that, but she also changed the modeling game in the process. She speaks candidly in Interview on breaking barriers, and the difficulties of her early days in the industry:

“You know, when I was younger there were certain designers who hadn’t used models of color in their shows, and Christy and Linda said to them, “If you don’t take Naomi, then you don’t get us.” My friends and comrades stuck up for me—and that doesn’t happen in fashion. I will never forget that.”

You can read Naomi’s complete interview with Interview here, and the mag definitely lives up to its title, because ‘A Controversial Life,’ is definitely a good read.