_Heidi Lushtaku - Radiating purity

Heidi Lushtaku's timelessly beautiful face conveys a deep inner purity, but she has a rock and roll side. She is as happy to don boxing gloves as she is to wear diamonds.
© Johann Sauty / Blush Editions
Heidi Lushtaku, can you tell us what it means to you to be the face of several major brands?

Being the face of a brand is like being part of a family. You're lucky enough to work with the same people over a period of several years. Over time, they become close friends. Being chosen to be the sole face of a brand is an honour. It's one of the best sorts of contract a model can have because it's a sign that you've won recognition in your career.

You're here in La Maison de l’Horlogerie for a photo shoot. Are you interested in watches and jewellery?

In Switzerland, I've worked with a lot of watchmaking firms. I'm always fascinated by the beauty of watches - their striking design and their cachet. With jewels, their soul shines through - for instance, diamonds radiate purity. Jewellery is like women's lingerie: its incomparable elegance transforms the wearer.
Do you have any items of jewellery with a story attached to them?

Yes. For my twentieth birthday, I asked my parents if I could have a specific gold necklace that symbolized their forty years of marriage. It disappeared during one of my countless clothes changes for a photo shoot, so I'll never be able to wear it again. I feel very sorry about that. It shows how quite a plain-looking piece of jewellery can have great sentimental value for someone.
Would you describe yourself as feminine or masculine?

To be honest, I'm a tomboy! In my teens, I played at being a girly girl, but inside I felt like a boy. I like wearing no make-up, and I feel feminine in sports gear and trainers. I'm especially attracted to blokes' sports like boxing. But both sides of my personality spring from the connection we all have with the Earth, which is neither masculine nor feminine.

What will you be doing in 2020?

Starting a career in the movies! To be precise, I'll be appearing in an Italian comedy film starring Carol Alt, who is known as the face of Lancôme. I spent two weeks filming in Lisbon. To learn how to act I did an intensive course with Jack Garfein in New York. It gave me the confidence to imagine becoming an actor in the future.
© Johann Sauty / Blush Editions