Who Is Supermodel Daria Werbowy?

She is one of the most sought-after supermodels of today, ranking 9th on Forbes' latest release of world's top-earning fashion models. But when asked to describe herself, Daria Werbowy says "I can't analyze my appeal."

The 25-year old Canadian-Ukranian model whose always on commercial advertisements and fashion events but whose personal life remains unbeknownst to many people, has recently sat for an interview with Telegraph.

The supermodel reveals a very humble person behind the glamorous life we see of her on cam as she said, "I can't analyse my appeal. If I did I'd be in a straitjacket."

Respected for being one of the top models without an attitude, Daria Werbowy politely answers to her interview:

"I sometimes find myself staring at it (pointing at one of her fashion pictorial shot) because I don't really know who that girl is. I guess a lot of people don't realize, but I'm always playing a character when I'm working. When you're always having people's images projected on you, who "Daria" is as a person sort of disappears."


MODELING AS A PROFESSION

Daria Werbowy has won in a modeling contest when she was 14. She then modeled part-time in high school and when she graduated she was "really anxious to get out in the world. I thought modeling was just the best thing on the planet. The freedom and the traveling all just sounded so glamorous."

But like every model, she also had her low times especially when she was just starting out. She recalled her first booking as an adult model in New York fashion week in September 2001. "Obviously they were all canceled and nothing else happened."

Not wanting to give up just yet, she lived in the international cities of Paris, London and Greece. "There were loads of castings, but no work. Looking back, it was one of the greatest times of my life. There was no responsibility, I was doing road trips with my boyfriend of the time, I met a lot of great people, but at the time it was depressing."

After eight months of rejection, the frustrated model had to return to Canada. "I was crying, saying, 'Dad, I don't want to do this anymore, it's not for me.' He said, 'You wanted it. Get back out there!' I said, 'Noooo!"

The young model was so frustrated that she planned to art school instead. To raise money for her education, she resorted back to modeling. "I returned to New York, met my agent and the next day I had an exclusive deal with Prada. From then on it was all a bit of a blur."

What Daria described as a "blur" was really the hectic schedule she had as a full-pledged professional model - she had "non-stop traveling, waking up in places and not knowing where I was."

One of her memorable modeling experience was with the late Helmut Newton. "I was actually really sick so he kept me at a 10ft distance. He made me wear rubber nipples and had me lying on a bed of nails and eating grass with a fork. It was all really... grrr!"

Working with photographer Steven Meisel paved the way for her successful modeling career. It was the famed photographer who booked her first Prada campaign and her first two Italian Vogue covers. It was also Steven Meisel who taught her "all the old-school tricks; how to move, how to jump, how to pull back my ears to prepare my face for the camera. Working with him is a little like modeling school."


MODELING AS AN INSPIRATION

Now as a spokesperson for a giant cosmetics company, the once frustrated model has rightfully earned her title as a "supermodel." Though she's no longer frequent on catwalk shows like she used to do, she remained grateful for her catwalk struts just the same.

"I really enjoyed them in the beginning. It was really empowering to stride out there, but eventually you start walking and on the way you're, like, 'What am I going to eat tonight?' But I'm lucky now; I can come in and do a couple instead of the whole three-countries-and-six-shows-a-day thing, when you just get exhausted...

"The great thing about my Lancôme deal is I get to be not just a model, I get a voice. Sometimes I wish I didn't have one because I get really insecure about what I say. But at the end of the day, it is what it is, and I always try to speak the truth."


MODELING AS A DESTINY

Supermodel Daria Werbowy has now come to realize that modeling is her destiny.

"Modeling was kind of like a shadow that followed me everywhere since I was eight. I'd have people stop me in the street or the supermarket and say, 'You should try it.'

"I am very lucid in relation to the reality of this industry, the ephemeral nature of beauty and fame and that gives me a certain distance and quite a bit of humour.

"I'm asking more questions about life in general. It's like, 'Oh my God, there's a whole world of things to learn about.' So I'm just taking it easy."

Embracing life, she continues with her modeling while breaking into other fields at the same time - she's sculpting and painting and is also considering studying philosophy or psychology.

"Whether that'll ever evolve into anything I don't know. I'm still trying to search for what will be next."

A true artist by heart, Daria Werbowy wants to make the most of her crafts. But with a busy schedule, some wonder if there was a time when she tells her agency, "backoff!"

"I... they just sort of… Yeah, I tell them that a lot, actually, 'I shouldn't lie," the supermodel admits, laughing.