Fly and fall

When asked about her children’s goals: “It’s not up to me, they find it annoying and clumsy when they re-read something about themselves. They are real teenagers.” However, she says proudly, being a mother of two is her greatest asset. “There is no love you feel for your children. Becoming a mother humbles me. No matter which runway I walk on, when I come home to Nashville, I’m a mom, and let me tell you, it’s anything but glamorous. This is me annoying mother and my kids roll their eyes at everything I say – it’s amazing.”

Because of all he has accomplished, he realizes that his teenage self grew up differently than he did. “My children already have more privilege than I ever had. I grew up in a small house, in a working class family. My children do not lack anything, they can choose whatever education they want to take. I work hard to give them a better future.” He is happy with the development of his children: becoming independent beings who have their own opinions, dreams and existence. “I don’t need to chase them anymore. My job is to give them freedom when they want it, and to be there for them when needed. That’s the dance you do with teenagers. They know that they can always come back, even if they have spread their wings. I will let them fly in the near future. They may fall down for a while, but then they have to learn to get back up.”

British humor

Karen herself also flew and fell several times, but always got back up. However, every now and then, he thought about where he would be if he had listened every time he was told ‘no’ and had stayed in England. “I miss everything about England. My family, the humor, the bad weather. Now that I no longer live there, I even miss the cold and gray days that every Englishman complains about,” he said. “Another thing: you live near Paris, not far from Spain. This is what I miss most here: in America, each state is almost its own country. In Europe, countries of the same size have different cultures, different foods, different languages. Still, I’m happy in Nashville and proud of the life I’ve built here. This is the place where I let my children grow up, which they consider a home base.”

He said he felt at home in the city, but would still prefer to go to New York. “It remains my favorite place. Countless of my friends live there. I wish I had it city ​​girl but in recent years I have again gravitated towards the countryside, as before. Mine meaningful person and therefore I have a small farm in it northern part New York is buying.”

Happier than before

Both yearn for a quieter life. “I can’t wait to join us farm to live in when the furniture is complete. “That’s one of the few dreams I still have: to finish the damn renovation,” he said with a laugh. “I also want to have time to make music, occasionally model, and read. And most importantly: stay happy.” Now that Karen is 44 years old, she seems to have finally entered a calmer state. “This year of life is unforgettable, it is the best year I have ever had. Finally the pieces of the puzzle fell into place,” he said. “I feel more clarity about what I want to do with my life and who I am. I feel myself right now, something I’ve struggled with in recent years. Now I can say for sure: it took 44 years, but I know that myself. Finally.”

He gave that feeling to everyone. “Whether you’re unhappy in love, insecure about your body, or don’t know which path to take: everything will get better. Real. I am now happier than ever. In my twenties and thirties, I still had to deal with the bullshit of not knowing who I was and what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, as well as having accomplished so much. Now I know: life is beautiful, just like my future. I dream of the days when I’m gray and living on our farm, there are animals running around. Hopefully I will have some grandchildren and I can tell you in detail about what I experienced. I’ll talk about Oldham, Steven, Grace, Nashville. I would look back on my absurd existence and think: what a wonderful life I lived. That feeling of satisfaction is truly priceless. If I could bottle up this feeling, I would.”

This interview was first published in the new December issue of Vogue Netherlands with Karen Elson, Sasha Pivovarova and Amanda Murphy on the cover, which will be available in stores from November 16 and Here can be ordered online.