Meet Egith van Dinther; best known by her nickname “Iggy”, the Los Angeles based Dutch model & actress is one of the most talented fresh faces on the Modeling, Acting, and Hosting scene. Iggy was born in Uden a small town in the south of Holland. Beginning her career as an Equestrian and soon becoming a proffesional show jumper for 8 years. Iggy transitioned into her modeling career at just sixteen and is currently signed with Wilhelmina Models, where she has worked with some of the most prestigious international brands such as Ralph Lauren & Brietling. Most recently Ms. van Dinther has dove deeper into acting, and also has just finished her degree at Conde Nast College of Fashion and Design in London. We spoke exclusively with Egith van Dinther on all things lifestyle & fashion.
What are you currently inspired by?
“So many things! Life is full of beautiful adventures. At this moment, I’m working on a documentary about ‘Comfort Women’. Comfort women were women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Army during World War 2. Because many Dutch Women were captured during this time; it is a subject that’s close to my heart. These women really inspire me because of their strength and courage.”
Tell us about your career as a model. How did you get started?
“My career starts in a little town called Uden. This is the place where I grew up in the south of Holland. Modeling wasn’t really a profession back then, and I was to focused on my horses to be bothered by photoshoots. But a Local Horse Farm that I was working for needed new pictures for their brochure. The photographer that made those pictures saw something in me and directed me to the right agency. Before I knew it I was flying out to Paris, Milan and London.”
For the last few years you have been a Host for Breitling at Basel World. What do you enjoy most about the event? Do you have any favorite timepieces from Basel World 2017?
“Breitling has been a client for more then 4 years now. It’s amazing to work for a high-end brand like this. The organization is on the highest level I know. This year they really stepped out with their uniforms. Every morning we wake up at 5am to do hair & Make-up and our look changes every day. Followed up by a different outfit. Just the amount of effort Breitling puts into their hosts & entertainment program is incredible. My suits are all tailor made just for my size. Which brands do that nowadays?!
Of course I am a fan of Breitling watches, but my eye always goes out to Chopard or Harry Winston. They are the kings of diamonds. I love the classic looks with beautiful pink leather wristbands. It’s just an art of watchmaking”
What’s one of the most interesting shoots that you’ve done?
“My favorite shoots are the ones that I do for Ralph Lauren. They always pick the best locations and work with the most professional teams. Everything is just right and connects; the make-up, the photographer, the stylist. They are all number one and that result you see back in the pictures. For my last shoot for Ralph Lauren we traveled to Dubai. This place has the most luxurious hotels and best Polo fields in the world. It was the perfect scene for their latest Cruise collection.”
Being that you are starting to branch out into acting, what would be your ideal role?
“I am now working on a documentary, something that is actually closer to my heart. I like to express myself the way I am. With hosting I can just be myself. I love to interview people and express my emotions into my work. By just being myself I hope to inspire people and give them hope and joy. I want to connect with people and hear their stories. So for the future I would love to have more opportunities in this direction.”
Take us through a typical day in the life of Egith van Dinther.
“Oelala… be prepared because it is a lot! To start off I wake up very early. I love to get my workout done before the hectic day starts. You will find me in Equinox almost every day! Its my second home. After I have my workout done, I get a smoothie ‘to go’ and run into my castings and meetings. Because LA is so big, I mostly spend a lot of time in the car. Thank God I love driving because my castings go from Downtown LA to all the way back in Malibu. When we are shooting on location, my call time normally is 9:00am. For TV shows it’s normally earlier. I recently did the KTLA morning show and they always want the models ready at 5:00am sharp.
To get an impression of how beautiful LA is, you should really follow me on instagram. Here you will see villa’s in the hills, Palmtrees in Malibu and Celebrities on the red carpet. Around lunch time I always try to find some time for a quick stop at Whole Foods or EreWhon. My favorite spots in LA. They have everything from vegan salads to tonics and bulletproof coffees.
Meetings normally finish around 6:00pm. By this time my boyfriend and I love to take a Hot Yoga class together. There is a really good one in Santa Monica called HOT 8 YOGA. After we sweat all the dirt from that day off, we are so hungry that we normally end up at Cafe Gratitude. This vegan place is just one of my favorites.
Another great spot where you can find us; is the Soho House in Malibu or the one in West Hollywood. This is a place where you can relax, paddle board or work on your laptop all day. The perfect hangout place. This is just a typical week day for us. Normally we have a lot of events going on; last months we had the Golden Globes, the Oscars and Premiers all over town.”
What is your favorite healthy snack?
“Because my boyfriend and I are on a cleanse right now; my favorite snack is a home made Green Smoothie. I put all the right supplements, amazing grass, lean protein, acai, spinach, kale etc in their to make it extra jammie.. You can me wake up for this one!!”
How would you describe your personal style
“My style is classic but sexy. I always felt that my European style stood out here in Los Angeles. Most of the girls wear a lot of black at castings. I like to wear colors!? That’s my way to stand out, fashion is a way to express yourself without speaking. My styling of accessories and make up is minimalist. I love the clean look. Less is More.”
If you could only wear one designer for the rest of your life, who would it be?
“I love Stella McCartney, not only because of her designs, but mostly because her company is all about being sustainable. I think nowadays its very important to look at the world we are living in. Fashion is one of the largest industries that pollutes the world. We can make a change and that starts with making the right choices.
Stella’s designs are girly and feminine at the same time. She is using beautiful materials and soft color palettes that are all vegan. Not only her ready to wear collection is fabulous, BUT also her Sports collection for Adidas is Grande. These outfits put you right on track again.”
What are some places you’re dying to travel to?
“Japan is high on my list. I heard so many good stories about Tokyo; how clean it is, how far they are technology wise, how polite the people are, how great the food is, how safe it is, how cute and beautiful the landscaping is… Just to many things to mention. I HAVE TO GO :D”
You were previously a professional show jumper, what initially attracted you to the sport?
“I grew up on a farm, so having animals around me was normal. Just the connection you can have with a horse is incredible. Showjumping is a high level sport. I always liked to have competition in my life. Racing together with your Horse is just the best feeling in the world. Besides the horse world is an amazing environment to grow up in. It is a luxury lifestyle that never gets boring.”
Having just recently finished your degree at Condé Nast College of Fashion and design in London; do you have any aspirations to enter the world of fashion design one day?
“I already started my own athletic wear company called; IggyvanD. It was part of a school project. But as I told you before, I’m a firm believer of the sustainability side of Fashion. So if I continue with my brand I want it to be 100% Holistic.
A big eye opener was watching the documentary ‘the True Cost’ this made me realize how fast fashion is ruining our world. I admit, I used to buy from H&M and Forever21. But after seeing what these companies do; I never want to buy from them again. So many people are suffering in Bangladesh, just for us.. Its not necessary. We don’t need to buy clothes every week. Rather, buy one beautiful designer piece and treasure it for a life time.”
What are some of your favorite things to do in LA?
“LA gives so many options. Because of the great weather me and my boyfriend love to workout outside, and use nature as our gym. Running by the beach, hikes in Malibu, Paddleboarding, bicycle rides. All activities I love to do. Big plus point; you get a beautiful tan at the same time :D”
Where can we follow you?
“Follow me everywhere. I love to share my happy moments & fashion choices with my followers. I’m a big fan of Instagram stories. But I still use snapchat as well. Their filters are just the BOM.”
INSTA: @EGITH
SNAPCHAT: Egith
FACEBOOK: @IggyvanD
TWITTER: @IggyvanD
Where to next?
“My horizon is endless. My options are too many. I feel this is just my time to shine and LA is helping me everyday to come a step closer to my goals. Making meaningful documentaries and helping the world become a better place. These are the values that I admire the most. I want to achieve big things that mean something. Inspire other people and be a role model.”
