Photo: Matt Baron/BEImages.In an industry that promotes certain beauty ideals, some pregnant models walk well into their second trimesters, ultimately birth genetically blessed children, and go quietly into body-con dresses weeks later, but not Lara Stone. The 5-foot-10, size 4 or 6 Netherlands native made her runway debut at Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy Couture show in 2006 and swiftly became ever-present. She fronted Calvin Klein Collection, ck Calvin Klein, and Calvin Klein Jeans, all in the same season. She's also shared her personal struggles, weight-related and otherwise, from the get-go, telling W in 2009: "A lot of people say it's nice to see someone who won't break in half when you touch them... But, I am still a woman and a person, and if you're compared and confronted with your colleagues, and they're all half your size, you think, F—, I'm really fat! And then, on other days, I'm like, Oh, I'm not that bad."
In an interview with Porter, previewed by the Evening Standard, Stone talks about the new "perks" of her modeling career after she and husband comedian David Walliams welcomed their son, Alfred, one year ago. "I've had a few meetings, because when they hear pregnancy they freak out a bit... so they need to see if I fit in their clothes," she said, adding that the insincere air-kissing gets exhausting. "Everyone's so nice to you all the time. And it's like, 'Ugh, you don't have to be.' It feels quite alienating, because it's like everyone's just lying to you... Everyone's like, 'You're great!' And you're, 'Well, obviously I'm not.'" But, Lara, you are great! At the same time, we see what she was going through. "Once the baby was out, I was like, What the hell is going on? My arms don't fit into my sweaters," she recounted to Porter. "I couldn't get my jeans over my knees. I couldn't find a bra that [fit] me." Those are realistic concerns for a model, whose looks are her job.
Stone has enlisted a personal trainer and is using a diet-meal delivery service; and the writer notes that despite the self-deprecating comments, the model seems at ease. But, what would a post-pregnancy tale be without mention of maternity pants? Stone's take: "Who needs buttons when you can have elastic?" (asked, of course, while wearing skinny jeans). You can always have elastic, Lara. On our elastic days, we're like, We're not that bad.