The Frisian Supermodel
Doutzen Kroes came from a place that doesn't produce supermodels. The village of Eastermar, in the Frisian province of the Netherlands, has a population of roughly 2,000. The language spoken there — West Frisian — is one of the smallest language communities in Europe. Nothing about it suggests a launching pad for one of the highest-paid models of the 21st century.
And yet, by 2013, Kroes was the second highest-paid model in the world, behind only Gisele Bundchen.
The Unlikely Origin
Kroes was not the classic model-discovered-in-a-shopping-mall story. She was a competitive speed skater — a sport the Netherlands takes as seriously as Brazil takes football. She considered a career in skating before a friend submitted her photos to a modeling agency in Amsterdam.
The response was immediate. Within months, she was in New York. Within two years, she was one of the most in-demand models in the industry.
The Victoria's Secret Years (2008-2014)
Kroes became a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2008 and was one of the brand's most prominent faces during its peak commercial period:
- Appeared in multiple VS Fashion Shows from 2005 to 2014
- Featured prominently in VS campaigns, catalogues, and commercials
- Her athletic build — a legacy of her speed-skating days — brought a different energy to the VS lineup
- Consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid models by Forbes during her tenure
- Departed in 2014
The Activist Turn
What distinguished Kroes from many of her contemporaries was her post-VS evolution into activism. She became an outspoken advocate for environmental causes, wildlife conservation, and later, for reforming the fashion industry itself:
- Campaigned against the use of animal products in fashion
- Used her platform to raise awareness about deforestation and climate change
- Became increasingly critical of the beauty standards she had once embodied
- Supported body positivity initiatives and spoke openly about the pressures of maintaining a "model body"
This evolution was not without tension. Kroes publicly grappled with the contradiction of having built a career on a narrow beauty standard and then advocating for its dismantling.
The Dutch Approach
Kroes brought a characteristically Dutch directness to her career. She was open about the industry's demands, honest about the physical and psychological toll of maintaining a supermodel physique, and unapologetic about her decision to prioritize family and activism over continued high-fashion modeling.
Why She Matters
Kroes represents the model who outgrew the industry. She achieved the highest levels of commercial success in lingerie modeling and then used that platform to question the very system that had elevated her. Her willingness to be publicly uncomfortable with her own success made her one of the more interesting figures of the late Angels era.
From speed skating in Friesland to the Victoria's Secret runway — and from there, to questioning everything the runway represented.