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Toni Garrn

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Die Zeit 34/2026

I succeeded, even though I was defiant."

Toni Garrn was 13 when she was catapulted into the modeling industry. A conversation about being thin, her finances, and what she would do differently as the mother of a young model.

Interview: Nina Piatscheck and Leonie Seifert

From ZEIT No. 34/2026

5. August 2026

DIE ZEIT: Ms. Garrn, you were discovered 20 years ago on the Jungfernstieg in Hamburg. You were 13 years old then. At 15, you were regularly flying alone to New York for work. What was life like as such a young business traveler?

Toni Garrn: There were a lot of weekend trips: flying there on Fridays and back on Sundays because I had to be at school on Mondays. I often used the time on the plane to do homework. The jet lag wasn't easy, but eventually it just became normal. Flying was normal anyway: I grew up in Greece and London, and my brother and I flew alone from a young age. And no matter where I was, I had a deal with my mother: I had to call her in the morning and evening.

ZEIT: How did you spend your weekends?

Garrn: On sets and in showrooms. The time in between, I lived in the model apartments. They were often really run-down, some even without windows. But I loved living there. Several girls shared a room. Sometimes the clients had already booked a hotel room for me, but I always wanted to stay in the apartments. My agents would just say, " Toni, are you crazy?"

ZEIT: Didn't you still feel alone, without family?

Garrn: No, that was possible. My mother let me go, which was a good thing. I wouldn't be the person I am today otherwise.

ZEIT: Today you are a mother yourself, to a five-year-old daughter. Would you handle it similarly with her if she also wanted to become a model?

Garrn: No. If my daughter were to follow the same path, I would come with her, support her, and provide emotional support. My parents weren't familiar with the modeling industry at that time.

Toni Garrn was discovered at a fan festival during the 2006 World Cup. Through her Toni Garrn Foundation, she advocates for girls and women in Africa. After many years in New York, she now lives in Berlin.

ZEIT: What would you have liked to know beforehand?

Garrn: If you have to be on set in Paris at nine o'clock, it's okay to arrive at a quarter past nine. The French don't arrive at nine, never! Or if it's a shoot for a magazine: eat something beforehand, there's no breakfast. There might not even be a toilet, so make sure you sort out the bathroom situation. I could tell my daughter who to contact on set. And how she can prepare herself healthily for a job.

ZEIT: When did you first realize that you needed to be thin?

Garrn: That's what the agents said. The situation was always awful. You're standing there half-naked, then someone comes along with a measuring tape and says, "Your hips are too wide, honey." I'm taller than most people, so obviously my hips are two centimeters wider. Back then, the agents were the bad guys in our eyes. If my daughter went through something like that, I'd tell her: Ignore 90 percent of that stuff.

ZEIT: But then your career would be over?

Garrn: I managed it myself, even though I was defiant. Most of the time, I'd buy myself an ice cream after those appointments at the agency. After a year and a half, I refused to be measured. I figured the companies would book me anyway.

ZEIT: You got away with that?

Garrn: I was lucky: First, I made a name for myself early on and didn't have to participate in everything anymore. Second, I didn't have to earn money. I could have stopped at any time to study and would have been financially supported by my parents. For me, it was just fun.

"For me, sport is like breathing."

ZEIT: Really?

Garrn: Yes. I got some really good jobs right away. My agency said: You couldn't have started better. I was swept away by that euphoria.

ZEIT: You have to keep your body in shape even without a measuring tape. Do you find that easy?

Garrn: I can get into shape pretty quickly, but I also gain weight easily. That's my biggest Achilles' heel and my greatest superpower. Exercise is like breathing for me. Looking back, I'm grateful that I internalized so many things so early on, including how to eat properly.

ZEIT: How did you learn that?

Garrn: When I was 17, I googled "detox" and came across a spa in Spain where I spent two weeks. I didn't lose a single kilo, but I looked much better afterward. From then on, I knew what macrobiotic nutrition was, knew the difference between potatoes and sweet potatoes, and understood how long it takes to digest meat compared to eggs. I still go there once a year.

ZEIT: Have you always been healthy?

Garrn: That's a huge question. What does "healthy" even mean? Everyone gets a little sick sometimes. When does someone become sick? I think every model experiences a bit of stress, especially regarding weight.

ZEIT: Does "burden" mean: anorexia?

Garrn: Back then, the pressure to watch one's figure wasn't as intense for many models as the situation at home. Some supported ten family members in Brazil or Russia. I can't even imagine what it does to you when someone says, "You won't get the job, your hips are too wide." This pressure can contribute to eating problems in young girls because their job is everything to them. That wasn't the case for me. But even I haven't been able to eat everything I want since I was 14.

ZEIT: What would you like to eat?

Garrn: Cake! I would eat cake all day long.

ZEIT: Five years ago you were on the cover of Vogue with a baby bump and said in an interview that you were not happy with your pregnant body.

Garrn: No, not at all. I'd like to have more children, but a pregnancy could easily be six months shorter...

ZEIT: That will be difficult. What didn't you like?

Garrn: I'm 1.81 meters tall and think I'm very tall; I have to bend down to talk to my friends. During my pregnancy, I wasn't just tall, but also wide. On the train, I had to scooter to the side so someone could sit next to me. I had terrible water retention, it was the height of summer, and everything was heavy.

ZEIT: Your body is your capital. Were you worried about the consequences of a pregnancy?

Garrn: Not at all. Being a mother is more important to me than my job. I knew: Toni before the birth and Toni as a mother, that wouldn't be the same. It would be a different body. I probably wouldn't do a topless shoot now. But I don't have to.

ZEIT: You were already being photographed in a sexy way when you probably didn't even feel sexy yet: There are pictures of you only in bikini bottoms and with a cigarette, when you were 15 years old.

Garrn: Yes, I was often supposed to have a cigarette in my hand. But I didn't smoke it; it was just part of the look. And I wasn't having sex back then either.

ZEIT: A minor almost naked with a cigarette – that would be unimaginable today.

Garrn: Maybe the cigarette. But otherwise, not much has changed. It still happens today that models are very young or pretend to be older for certain jobs.

ZEIT: Can you recall any situations that made you uncomfortable?

Garrn: I get asked that a lot. I have to think about it for so long that I think there was nothing really bad about it. I never actually felt physically threatened. On set, I knew they were looking at whether the dress fit, not at my body. And if something did feel off, I'd turn to a woman and say, "Make sure I get a robe between every shot." I wanted something to throw on. I always set boundaries right away if I felt uncomfortable.

ZEIT: How were you able to do that so early?

Garrn: My mother is tough, I got that from her. Including the fact that I question things. "You've got to be nicer, Toni," my agent often said. As a model, you're supposed to be quiet and do what you're told. Once I asked why I had to come in at six in the morning when other colleagues didn't have call time until two hours later . The makeup artist, a big name in the industry, later told my agency I'd been snappy , snarky.

ZEIT: Did you talk to each other in the model apartments if someone felt uncomfortable on set?

Garrn: No. We were all under 18. Our topics of conversation were: Where are we going to eat tonight? And who's the new girl who won't leave the room? Sometimes it was competitive to get which job. Some didn't speak a word of English, having come straight from their home country to the big city. We didn't talk about any awkward situations. People so often focus on the negative aspects of the business. But there are so many good ones, too.

ZEIT: Which ones, for example?

Garrn: That it's one of the few industries where women earn more than men. That you don't need a traditional education for it and can earn large sums of money from a very young age.

ZEIT: Is modeling still your main job?

Garrn: When it comes to how I earn my living, yes. For me, that also includes participating in panel discussions and posting on social media. I do that at least once a week. I'm still busy, which surprises me a little myself.

ZEIT: Do you still travel as much as you used to?

Garrn: No, and I don't want to. I turn down half my job offers since my daughter was born. I've been a single mother for three years. When she's with me, I can work between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. But most of the time I only work when she's with her father.

ZEIT: How has your everyday life changed since becoming a mother?

Garrn: The main answer is: schedule. I stick to my schedules strictly. I'm much more disciplined since my daughter was born; I've become more mature and organized. I always sleep six hours. The ring I use to track my sleep tells me I only need six.

ZEIT: In 2024, you founded a company called Super Flea Market, through which you sell used clothing from celebrities. A large portion of the proceeds goes to aid projects. How did that come about?

Garrn: My body was constantly busy – I was always flying somewhere, packing, unpacking. But my mind? When you spend five hours on set debating whether the bow should be red or pink, you quickly become brain-dead. I wanted to do more than just stand in front of the camera. Besides, my daughter will be starting school soon. Then I'll be even less flexible when it comes to modeling. This company offers me a good opportunity.

ZEIT: What is the biggest challenge in the role of an entrepreneur?

Garrn: The personnel issue. In modeling, nobody wants to harm you. The model is supposed to be in a good mood and is pampered, otherwise the photo won't turn out well. Everyone knows that. I hardly ever experience confrontations. That's why it's not easy for me to give critical feedback and talk about it when something hasn't gone well.

ZEIT: Do you conduct the employee reviews yourself?

Garrn: I try to avoid it, but most of the time my co-managing directors tell me I should be there.

ZEIT: Who takes care of your money?

Garrn: Until a year ago, my mother did that. She's an office administrator and had made it her life's mission to find the best tax advisor, the most trustworthy lawyer, the smartest investor. Now my mother just wants to be a grandmother, and I finally have my finances under control. During the pandemic, I even traded very successfully for a short time.

ZEIT: With stocks?

Garrn: Yes, my financial manager transferred €5,000 to me as practice money. I got up with Wall Street every morning and traded for three hours. I didn't know what I was doing; my dad said it was complete nonsense. But in the end, I was able to transfer €30,000 back.

ZEIT: Do you actually still have to work?

Garrn: I'm 34. Would you stop working at 34?

ZEIT: We probably have less money.

Garrn: That may be. But I don't work primarily for money, but because I enjoy it. And because I can make a difference with this name, which has become well-known by chance.

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    Toni Garrn at the Stella McCartney Womenswear Spring/Summer 2027 show

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    I like the Marc O'Polo campaign even if it's a little boring.... still she's very beautiful )

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