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Miami may be known for the wild nightlife of South Beach and the recent Art Basel festivities, but it seems it’s also where models go to raise families. To get away from it all, supermodel Karolina Kurkova says that she and her husband will raise their young son in Florida for the foreseeable future.
“It’s so important to me that my son (5-year-old Tobin, with husband Archie Drury) gets to have a community and be outdoors in the sun. Where we live, we have a community. I go up to New York and Europe a lot, I mean really a lot. But then, when I’m traveling, it’s work and then when I’m here, I’m home. Here there are no distractions, so this is my quiet home time,” said Kurkova, who has also starred in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Person of Interest, 30 Rock and Chuck. “When I’m home, this is for me, for us. That way, when I go I’m doing work. I’m ‘on’, and here I’m ‘off’. We’ll go play or my son has his friends come over. We cook a lot, make everything fresh and sit down at home. It’s good to have a separation. I lived in New York for so long, and I never felt like I could relax.”
The former Victoria’s Secret Angel may have retired her wings to a new generation of Angels but is no less busy. Having just jetted in from London and on her way up to New York, Kurkova was back home in Miami supporting IWC Schaffhausen’s Timeless Portofino campaign and brand-new Design District store. The model attended the dinner and festivities at the W South Beach, alongside attendees Jason Alexander, Martina Navratilova, James Marsden and fellow campaign stars Emily Blunt and Adriana Lima.
“We did about 22,000 pictures! So we did do a lot ,but we didn’t really change a lot of the outfits. It really wasn’t about the clothing. It was about us being in different situations in Portofino,” mused Kurkova, who wore Chloe to the daytime and evening celebrations.
The model, who also stars in Giuseppe Zanotti’s spring 2015 campaign, may find it hard to completely escape event-life as more and more charity and luxury companies stake out a base in South Florida. IWC is just the first of a slew of luxury brands to open boutiques in the Design District, which is rapidly becoming the alternative shopping destination for a clientele that won’t head to Bal Harbour. In upcoming months, A. Lange & Söhne, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Vacheron Constantin will also throw open in response to demand from local Miami Beach and Coral Gables shoppers. During Art Basel, Kurkova also attended the opening of luggage purveyor Rimowa.
Kurkova does make appearances locally for events she supports, having just gone to the Autism Speaks cocktail the night before at the home of Dee and Tommy Hilfiger, also attended by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Bruce Weber, Loree Rodkin, Melissa Odabash and co-hosted by Dee Ocleppo.
“It’s not that I don’t get calls,” admits the model, “but here it’s nice, I can see the ocean, walk on the beach, it’s a nice lifestyle.” She will stay busy for the holidays. “We have so much going on! I have a charity event coming up in Paris and then as a family we’re going to a children’s home. My son will bring gifts. Then my god, it’s Christmas and I still have to buy presents, wrap, and ship! At the end of the year, everyone is just trying to get everything done. But I love Christmas; it’s my favorite.”
Ruminating on art and her new beach lifestyle, Kurkova has plans for 2015. “I don’t quite collect art yet. I do have some photography, of course. But I’m waiting for the right place. We’re going to get a place and I’ll re-do it and find pieces for the space that fit.” Collectors may want to be ready for the model at next year’s art fair.
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