Naomi Campbell: “It’s Taken Me A Long Time To Feel Right In My Body”

Growing up, I never felt at ease in my skin. At school, people would call me names like Olive Oyl or Twigs, and I felt awkward and inadequate. The only time I really felt comfortable was in dance classes – then I’d just be present in my body and forget about everything else. When I started modelling, I didn’t know how to pose, so I would do what I had trained to do: move as though I was performing classical ballet, or jump and leap about in front of the camera.

It wasn’t until I started working with Steven Meisel that I learned to be still, to quieten, and to mould myself into new shapes. Although whenever I did something like lingerie pictures, I continued to feel incredibly self-conscious. Even in my day-to-day life, if I was in the street wearing tight jeans or leggings, I’d always be sure to tie a cardigan around my waist so that I didn’t feel exposed.

It’s taken me a long time to feel right in my body – it’s something that has come with age, and has really only happened over the past few years. My mentality has played a big part in that journey, and working out has helped because it strengthens my mind, too – I’m not trying to become a muscle woman but, for me, the two things come as a package.

I’ve learned, too, not to take my body for granted. Some people think that I push myself too hard, but today I know my limits: I know when I have to take time out. I’ve learned not to feel guilty about staying in bed when I’ve spent several weeks at work; I now know how to lie on the beach and just let the day go by. For me, it’s all connected – I need a healthy body for a healthy mind and a healthy spirit. I know that what comes from within is projected outwards.”