Anna K: From ‘90s Runways to Coaching the Models of Tomorrow

From being scouted by chance to walking some of the most iconic runways of the ‘90s, Anna K’s entry into modelling was as unexpected as it was transformative. Now, after stepping back and later returning to the industry with a fresh perspective, she reflects on a decade-spanning career throughout fashion’s different eras.

As the model for our Pre-Fall ’25 campaign, we caught up with Anna to discuss her early days on the runways, her quiet reintroduction to modelling and how these experiences have shaped her work today — not just in front of the camera, but as a life coach helping others navigate the same world she once stepped into.

What were some of the most memorable moments you experienced early on in the industry?

I got booked for the Pirelli calendar with Arthur Elgort and a whole host of other wonderful people. We all stayed in a hacienda in Seville for 16 days. They were balmy days of sun, wind, flamenco dancing and parties at night, shooting in a bullring during the day. It was one of my first jobs.

Another memorable moment was when I got booked for a makeup test for the Jil Sander show in Milan. When it was time for the main show, it was questioned whether perhaps I should be in it. Linda Cantello — the makeup artist — decided I would. When I was sent out on the catwalk, no one expected much from me as a newcomer. But as my turn came, the curtain opened up, and I walked out. It was as if I floated down that runway. It was my moment. My time. All the hard work, the tests, the travels, the swimming, the nerves, the trying, the waiting — it was now. My moment was there.

What inspired you to return to modelling after time away, and how did that return feel different from your early experience?

It was an organic thing. My girls were no longer babies. Swedish Elle wanted to do a reportage. I did Matches, a Giles Deacon show and then campaigns for MAC and Make Up For Ever. I found Models 1 — then came lots of other jobs.

This was the old supers — Linda, Christy, Naomi — and the new grunge girls: Kate, Amber, Shalom. A real moment of a new era — the ’90s. Kate arrived in a flutter of contagious, conspiratorial excitement, having just started going out with Johnny Depp. Then there was the Tom Ford Gucci show — another fashion ‘moment’. It was all hush-hush and secrecy. We changed in a black makeshift tent inside the Gucci building in Milan so that no one could get a glimpse. Carine Roitfeld was styling, and it was a whole new look: bright turquoise and orange fake fur coats, lace dresses, patent boots, lots of glossy makeup — a new, sexy, exciting glamour emerging. A radical change from the heroin chic before.

Looking back, how did the modelling world shape your identity or confidence at the time?

Growing up in Sweden, in an academic town with a chemistry professor father and a ballerina mother, I was raised with discipline and common sense. I also had a supportive boyfriend — later husband — with whom I pursued a glamorous, exciting life between Paris, New York and Notting Hill.

That gave me a sense of stability and a life alongside outside of the fashion scene, which kept things grounded. It was pretty surreal to walk all the major shows for a month, see myself plastered across Times Square and on taxis, then return to a ‘normal person’s’ life. It was something that never really got easier.
I struggled with imposter syndrome, self-imposed critique and a strong desire to keep achieving. I stopped for quite some time at the height of my career, as it was mentally challenging to hold the tension all of that created inside.

It was more relaxing this time around; it felt like slipping into a pair of comfortable old slippers. I loved talking to hairdressers and makeup artists — it felt natural, creative and fun. My natural habitat. I felt like a fish back in the water. Where I belong.

I love the process of creating a story — something beautiful. I am very much involved and present when I shoot.

What does modelling mean to you now personally or professionally, that it might not have before?

I have always seen modelling as a craft — one I was naturally suited to. I still get excited to create new looks and to evoke emotion through fashion. When something is good, it’s magic. You feel it, merge with it. Coco Chanel, Miuccia Prada, Helmut Newton, Avadon, Charlotte Rampling, Juergen Teller, Venetia Scott, Karl Lagerfeld — all people who inspired me and gave dimension and perspective.

When it’s no longer just clothes but a lifestyle with more depth, it becomes a pleasure — something I honour. I have lived through the ’90s and ’00s up until now, transcending those times and transitions in fashion. Modelling has kind of been my thing; it has taken me all over the world. I have found myself in a myriad of curious and hilarious situations that now pop up as gorgeous memory gems. It makes for a rich tapestry I can draw on for my clients.

What led you to pursue life coaching, and at what point did it feel like the right path for you?

Out of the hundred or so models who came down to Paris with me at the beginning of the ’90s, only me actually “made it.” Not because I was the prettiest or tallest — I wasn’t — but because I had a good background, a solid set of values and decent self-awareness. Many fell away due to eating disorders and other addictions, homesickness, bad boyfriends, anxiety, low self-esteem and sheer pressure. They simply didn’t have enough mental awareness to understand how to meet their needs. There is an elementary lack of support for self-help. I am on a mission to change that now. Fellow model, actress and psychotherapy friend Nathalie Sorrell and I started Model Mind for creatives like us, who want to get the most out of a challenging but rewarding career.

I was lucky to have a life outside, parallel to the industry, and it served me well. Together with my clients, we achieve a more interesting, aware and intelligent process of progress — where you learn to become self-reliant by investing in your internal drive, setting goals, establishing bigger-picture thinking, pursuing other interests and understanding what stops you (we all self-sabotage). Creating change where change is needed. Where it counts.

How has your own personal growth informed how you help guide others through theirs?

It’s a huge benefit to have walked in their shoes. I have been where they are. I understand the challenges and what you need to overcome them. It’s such a joy to watch my girls leave limiting beliefs behind, help them find their wings — and fly. And create incredible careers and lives. It’s a privilege.