Hannelore Knuts is one of the most successful models Belgian models today, with a  runway and campaign career spanning over a decade. With her sharp cheekbones, piercing eyes and highly arched brow, her strong androgynous features have become a sinous pairing with the dark and feminine silhouettes of Jean Paul Gaultier, Azzedine Alaïa, Miuccia Prada, Yohji Yamamoto and Haider Ackermann to name but a few. Today Hannelore splits her time between her base in New York and her home town of Deurne on the edge of Antwerp, Belgium. She has just been appointed as the face of Designers Against Aids, the Belgian based organization campaigning for AIDS awareness safe sex, diffusing their message across the globe through a harmonious blend of fashion, music and pop culture.

With a sunny and enthusiastic outlook, a distinctly Belgian frankness and a fresh natural beauty, Hannelore spoke to Dan Thawley for A BLOG about her exciting new projects.

Dan The Scout: I would really like to ask you what you will be doing with Designers Against Aids?

Hannelore Knuts: I have known Ninette for a while and I know she has been working on this project, and I saw it growing and growing, its so amazing what she does, and we found each other again. Not that she needs help, as she is all over the world, but it’s always good to have a face and I am really happy to spread the word that needs to be said about aids. Because also I, not really forgot about it, but its one of those ‘old diseases’ and it is really good that Ninette keeps telling people that it is something you need to be reminded of. And now with the DAA Institution, I love it. I mean, I just live around the corner! (laughs) So this is going to be my new hangout when I am here in Belgium.

DTS: How did you meet DAA’s founder, Ninette?

HK: Yeah how did it go? I was studying (photography at the Antwerp Academy), and Ninette was a sitting model for Bernhard (Willhelm). Then we did his show together! Then I was invited to do Veronique Branquinho’s first show and Ninette was there except as a journalist. And we talked, and she heard that a scout of Elite Paris wanted to have me, and I said no, and she actually kept pushing and saying ‘do it do it!’ And now this is eleven years ago. So we go way back.

DTS: For designers against aids, what really excites you about the project in terms of working with people?

HK:Well it’s all new! But I have a feeling it is REALLY big and I am almost nervous (laughs) Ninette posted something (about Hannelore’s involvement) on Facebook and after one hour BOOM. So now I am studying DAA a little bit, and we will see what happens.

DTS: I hear you are curating another project now, could you tell me a little more about it?

HK: Its at the fashion museum at Hasselt, they asked me to do a retrospective on me, but I didn’t want that I wanted to bring everything that happened to me through the ten years and so it will be a mix of fashion, photography, art music and of course also with DAA it is nice that we can help each other out, so it will be a nice platform for people to get inspired and to be aware and also to see the beauty of collaborating.

DTS: Well that is exactly what we are about with A MAGAZINE also…

HK: It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do.

DTS: Or when it was. Because fashion is too much about what is happening right now, what is happening next..

HK: Yeah too much focus on being trendy and hip, and that’s not the way to go.

DTS: Exactly. Do you see yourself putting in a creative contribution to DAA?

HK: Well yeah we are going to have something in my exhibition, and we were already saying that Chicks on Speed will do something, so yeah I am sure that we are going to have a lot of fun, while keeping it safe! That’s the beauty of it. We are having fun, but it is with a message. It’s a really nice way to do it.

DTS: And your own photography, how is that going?

HK: For me it is still like a diary, as I am so busy but I am always looking in a square and trying to find beautiful things. I have my blog which is my diary. It is really simple and innocent, one picture is prettier than the other one.

I have some ideas to do a photo shoot but I am just still so busy.

DTS: With A MAGAZINE, what are your memories of working with us?

HK:  Well I liked it because I was really close with Haider, and I was really honoured that he wanted to shoot me and that I was almost the only model in there but I was nervous at the same time as It was the first time totally naked. But I trust Inez (Van Lamsweerde) and I mean it was really beautiful. And I like the magazine, so it was really a nice experience.

DTS: How did your friendship with Haider Ackermann begin?

HK: Oh we met on the train! He knew me as a model, and I didn’t know him. We started talking and actually ever since that day there hasn’t been a day we didn’t talk or write.

On consulting for his label: As a friend of course you talk about the collection and in the end it became more official, as I was putting a lot of time in it.

For Azzedine Alaïa: Yes I used to be there, I felt a little bit too young still to be there permanently, yet he is still a very, very good friend, I mean he is my family in Paris, whenever I have a day I go spend my time there.

DTS: How does it feel to still be modeling? Most girls don’t last half as long as you have in the industry?

HK: It’s really nice, though I had a little break when I wasn’t full time modeling, but again all of a sudden you are on a rollercoaster, but I like it. It keeps me awake actually, even though I am really exhausted it is exciting and motivating and really I am having fun.

DTS: You started working of course with the Belgian designers here, yet you seem to have diffused across the markets – from Gaultier in Paris, to the New York scene, there has been a hugely diverse group of people who you have worked with. Do you like to come back to where you started?

HK: Oh yeah! Belgium will always be home and Belgium is actually my point of (deep breath) coming back and coming down to earth, to see family and friends. And to not forget what life is about. It is really important to me.

Please visit www.designersagainstaids.com.

Many thanks to Hannelore Knuts and Ninette Murk, director of DAA.