Recollecting old pictures, just like hearing a familiar song, brings back not only memories but also all those same, associated sensations, locations, and key news events going on at the time. As I recently came across Alena Rekova’s photos online, I realized that in her case, photos alone define the history and evolution of a certain lifestyle, and represent a relentless motor of life-long inspirations and continuity. The soundtrack to this visual tour, captured here in an interview for LOLO, comes from a conversation over the phone with Alena, that began with the 2010 September New York Fashion Week, lunch at “Essex House” with the Oscar-winning director Milos Forman and his wife, and her special-event glamorous pink couture dress.

Alena Rekova was born in August 1978 in a small town named Havlickuv Brod in the Czech Republic. A former supermodel and tennis player, Alena Rekova is still quite popular in the Czech Republic, and she is currently working primarily as a moderator and fashion editor for the premier Czech fashion TV channel, Fashionstars TV. She also continues to work as a model, stylist, and scout. In her illustrious career, Alena has competed in model and beauty pageants and has worked across the globe (Miami, Milan, Los Angeles, Athens, Istanbul, Munich, Cancun, Seoul), participating in and often winning major competitions such as the Supermodel of the Czech Republic, Supermodel of the World, Model of Europe in Lebanon, Miss Intercontinental in Germany, Miss Castrol, Queen of Clubs, and Miss of Vysociny. Alena modeled in many commercials, working for designers such as Versace, Escada, Max Mara, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Jean Paul Gaultier, Fendi, Burberry, Dolce and Gabbana, Blanka Matragi, for magazines such as Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Gentleman, Mujer, Donald Trump West Palm Beach, and campaigns such as Donald Trump, Revlon, and Swarovski.

Alena, as you may have expected I would first like to ask you how and why you started modeling, how old you were, and the role or reaction of your family or closest friends on your choice of career.

Well, I began by playing tennis, competing professionally for 10 years, but because of my injuries I was forced to finish my professional career. My dream was to be the second Anna Kournikova. I was very skinny, tall, loved to wear bracelets, and was a big exhibitionist since childhood. So, my dad suggested to try modeling since I was so tall and thin. And as a result, my model career began when I was 16. I began to work for local companies in my town. Then I tried a Prague modeling agency called “Rhea Models”, and it was Prague where I went to school for modeling. My first big gig was a show for Loreal, where I came out on the catwalk with very high heels. Overal, my parents were proud of me and happy, yet they were constantly worried about their “little girl” traveling abroad all the time. My friends’ reaction was cold, as I began to sense jealousy and envy.

When did you first feel that you accomplished something important in your career and what was your breakthrough that lead you to become a Supermodel?

My first breakthrough point in my career came in 1997 at the age of 19, when I was discovered on the Venceslav Square in the very heart of Prague by the director of “Nova Models” agency, Tomas Karny. At the time, this was a hugely popular and successful agency in the Czech Republic. Popular resemblances, especially to celebrities known today, certainly help, and I was fortunate enough that after my very first phototest, Tomas nicknamed me “the Czech Cindy Crawford”. This nickname opened my doors to the fashion world, and I started to work immediately. 1997 was a great year for me, because it was then that I was selected among 500 beautiful girls to win the coveted Supermodel of the Czech Republic. I consider this victory as another turning point in my career, as I then flew to Los Angeles to represent my country for the global contest “Supermodel of the World” by Ford Models. I finished second, and signed a huge contract immediately.

While nicknamed “Czech Cindy Crawford”, who was your personal role model or inspiration throughout your childhood or teenage years? How did this affect your choices in your career later?

(pause)…Well, I was always a curvy, tall (5’11”), and big girl, and I think my strength was in natural beauty and a strong personality, which I think Cindy has. Therefore, I related to her personality and natural beauty, and she was my true idol. It is very unfortunate that over the years I have had many famous friends, colleagues, and artists primarily in fashion, film, and sports primarily, yet I have still never met Cindy Crawford in person. Although, she was a guest for a model contest in Italy in Capri when I was working in Italy with the “Major Models” agency.

The glamorous life of a model is often a stark contrast to the reality of the hard work that favors the survival and perseverance of the model with the strongest character, not necessarily the best, most beautiful, or kindest person. Could you tell me and the LOLO online readers about any fiascos you encountered or major difficulties and the sacrifices you had to make, if any? What about some advantages of this career choice?

Throughout my career, there were many dark moments when I was seriously contemplating finishing my modeling career and simply giving up. The universal formular of luck in fashion is appropriate timing – being at the right place at the right moment. I had numerous immigration problems, difficulties in getting a work visa twice. Trusting the right agent, and having the right instincts about people is not always a skill a young, beginner model has, so I had made such mistakes early on. For instance, a client from Africa mislead me by inviting me to an alleged sports campaign, so I had to travel far only to find out when I arrived that there was no work nor any sports campaign at all. To be fair, I have been blessed to have had many more positive moments to remember. My best memory from my modeling career is from “Next Model Management” in Miami, an agency in which I was very successful at the age of 21 at the time. I had an amazing, truly outstanding booker Gerard, who saw my potential, prepared me for the U.S. market, and also supported me as a real friend, a rare occurrence in the fashion business. Another highlight I remember dates back to when I went to “Look of the Year” competition in London, where I was a jury member along with Naomi Campbell and her mother. Overall, yes, it is true that I had to cry too many times in my pillow because of loneliness, jealousy and envy that prevailed, lack of real friends, no personal life, and a constant diet of water, apples, and yogurt; however, I also learned about different mentalities, cultures, lifestyles, glamour and poverty during my travels, and got to meet many notable celebrities from Hollywood, and internationally. My main strength, I think, was always trying to be positive and first finding nice things to talk about foreign countries. These experiences opened my eyes widely and gave me a different perspective.

Modeling is one of the shortest-lived careers young girls may choose from today, making the transition into the “life-after modeling” or “career after modeling” tough. What advice do you have for girls considering this career today? How can they continue to develop personally and professionally even after the end of the modeling career?

Here is my advice for young girls getting into fashion: if you have a strong background, and you want to travel, meet people, learn languages, and can handle it because you have a strong character, assuming you adore fashion, you should try your luck. I learned to speak several languages, most importantly, English due to my career. Also, remember that you can choose from becoming a model, stylist, fashion designer, makeup artist…do what you love and find your strongest weapon. My career lasted almost 10 years, as I ended it when I was 25. I will tell you some circumstances around how I ended my career: I was in Greece at an apartment for models that I shared with 5 other models. I mentored and advised a very young Swedish model aged 15, and after she succeeded in getting most of the jobs, I realized that there are young girls, new faces, and told myself that “…you cannot compete with them anymore, Alena”… Following Greece, I flew to Istanbul to finish my commitments there, and on New Year’s day I woke up refreshed and decided to end my career then. Now, I am certain it was the right decision and the right time for it. I felt extremely free after New Year’s Day that year, so I started to work for a Law company, which I found more calm and serious. After I delved into law, I started to work as a booker in a model agency and had a chance to travel once again.

Tell me about the current direction of your career and how you are still involved in fashion. I have known you several years, and I know how genuinely you love the United States, particularly New York. Do you have any plans to work in the U.S. in the future?

Two years ago I started to take courses in order to become a fashion moderator, and this is a very competitive field where only 6 students a year get accepted to this school in the Czech Republic. After graduating from this school, I met a woman named Libka Safr, an editor-in-chief of Fashionstars.net website. I owe a great deal to this introduction, as I believe the power of networking in any career. So only within a year we created this new project, fashionstarsTV.cz, which is the only local fashion TV in the Czech Republic with 99% Czech production. We support emerging, new stars, conduct interviews with celebrities, including foreign ones, constantly focusing on beauty, fashion, design, culture, and tips and advice that viewers or those interested in not only fashion but lifestyle can apply. The concept is similar to LOLO, which is why I was excited to be a part of your new project as well. We write reviews about new CD’s, movies that come to the market on our website, and I recently came up with my own show concept that I called “Hollywood” on a train to Vienna, Austria. My current position allows me to feel alive by continuing to be creative. We have great prospects as we will soon transition into a cable channel in our country.

In regards to the U.S., the country, and particularly New York, as you know, will always be the love of my life. I really believe I am destined to work in the U.S. in the future, and live there. My plans are to live and work in either New York or Los Angeles, possibly for the E! network, elle.com, or some lifestyle TV program as a moderator or fashion editor. We will see what the future holds for me, but my current work is providing me with many references and the experience that I think will help me be creative.

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Thank you Alena. In this last LOLO’s FAVORITES section of our interviews, please tell me some of your favorites in different categories:

Your favorite item to shop? Michael Kors, classical, elegant, sexy, and stylish!

Your favorite Food or Recipe? Any kind of dessert

Your favorite Film? English Patient

Your favorite song/music? Beautiful Day – U2, meeting Bono was a great experience. I have a great deal of respect for his love of the human condition and his musical talent.

Your favorite travel destination? I am not going to sound too original, I know…(laughs) but I love New York, and outside of the U.S. I enjoy a mixture of Asia and Europe, so Istanbul, Turkey or Hong Kong would have to be my choices.