By Claudienne Peterson
No matter what is happening, no matter the location or situation, some people are simply always on point when it comes to fashion and trends. Kimberly Brunings is one such person. I recently met with Kimberly, dressed simply in a dusty-rose, body-hugging, shoulder-baring dress, very short burgundy-purple hair, and neutral make-up on point – all perfectly put together on her fabulous, tall model-body! We sat down and quickly got into a conversation about Kim’s ever-changing hair!
I heard that you had locks once, then cut all your dreads and went platinum blonde?
Growing up, I had a super long afro. I was about 15 when I first straightened my hair. Then I decided to cut it short and then when I moved to the Netherlands, I decided to grow dreads. I did my first real modelling for “Color Revolution” fashion show on St. Maarten in 2014. It was there that many of the professionals involved said to me, “What are we going to do about your hair?” After that, I spent a week at home ripping out my dreads and went from having an afro to an undercut with shaved sides. I then bleached it to the point of no return.
Why did you change the blonde?
I am really into originality. If I see too many people sporting the same look, I get turned off from it. Also, my hair was bleached to the point of no return and this colour was one of the only ones that would stay – it’s as my mother puts it: “Every spoil is a style.” My current colour is dark, but not too dark and looks really nice on my very short hair.
You are quite fashion forward and trendy; how do you decide what trend you want to follow?
I would say that I’m a bit weird; unorthodox. Trends are one thing and being fashionable is another. You just have to pick what works for you and what speaks to you, because not everything that comes out is going to be for you.
What inspired today’s outfit?
I woke up today thinking, “I have an interview and have to get my eyebrows done; I want to be comfortable.” I tried on about three dresses before I decided on this one. I chose this one based on the colour of my lipstick.
You’ve been modelling since 2010; tell us a bit about that!
Believe it or not, I was a little ugly-duckling. I had the thick glasses, braces and all and was very, very skinny – too skinny. My very first photo shoot was with Lili Peterson; she had asked me. I loved the outcome and process of it so much that I thought to myself, “I like this.”
Do you have a diet and fitness regimen to keep that model body?
Concerning diet, I don’t restrict myself. I cook a lot; I cook at home and include lots of veggies and I lessen my consumption of starches and meat. I take my vitamins (my mom’s always been on our case about that since we were young). I also take a chlorophyll supplement daily. I did gain some weight while living in NL, but when I returned home, the weight just fell off. When it comes to exercise, I did have a personal trainer – shout-outs to Randy at Belair Health & Fitness. Last year, he helped me transform my very skinny body to be less jiggly, more toned and put on a little weight. I now work out at home and jog to maintain my results.
What was it about your body that you aimed to change?
I focused on my legs, they were super tiny but jiggly, also my core/abs and butt. My tip for reaching your goals is to KNOW what you want to change. I am forever grateful to Randy for what he taught me; now it’s just upkeep.
You wear a lot of make-up and keep up with make-up trends; but how do you maintain your skin?
I have combination skin. I’ve learned from early on that you have to take care of your skin. I have many acne scars and freckles. I do monthly facials at Thalgo spa (shout-out to Thalgo spa owner Yvoline) but also research and try many at-home remedies. Another tip: Turmeric masks are “tha bomb.” I like them mostly for my acne and they have started lightening up my acne scars. I’m a huge fan of DIYtutorials – YouTube and the internet are your best friends.
What’s your skincare regimen like?
Before bed, I wash my make-up off with Thalgo products, use a turmeric mask and then add my favourite moisturizer. In the morning, I wash my face, then use a primer with sunscreen from Thalgo (it mattifies my face) then I do whole make-up.
What’s your go-to make-up look?
When it comes to make-up, I don’t like to do a lot – light stuff like just foundation, powder and eyebrows are always done. I prefer a neutral/natural look for daytime; I like to add more for evening.
If you are running out of the house, what are you most likely to wear?
Seriously, I love T-shirts and jeans. I buy a pack of three shirts for $20 from Alberto’s Fashion; but I love plain, white T-shirts. There is something really clean about a plain, white T-shirt, but I can’t wear white all of the time. I have three little nieces.
So who is Kim?
Kim is me and my model-persona/alter ego, but not!!! Because I AM myself, Kim is just the model-part of me.
Check out Kim’s modelling page on Facebook: K I M. She is currently broadening her portfolio, networking and building herself as a commodity for the fashion industry and is working with photographer Kerwan Celestine who she claims is super underrated. Kim: “He helped me with so much, including my logo, that’s huge.” She has also worked with photographer Lario Duzanson, Cameron of Blue Skies Imagery, and Elvis Harrigan on what she claims is one of her favourite photoshoots in black and white.
