CONVERSATIONS: You & Me: Josie Borain

Eighties supermodel Josie Borain, one of the first models to sign a million dollar contract, is down to earth, modest and unpretentious. She became known for her Calvin Klein Campaigns shot by photographer Bruce Weber.

Josie’s been up since 4 am watching the Mayweather vs McGregor fight down in the hood as she doesn’t own a TV and is washing up the remnants from yesterday’s farewell house party. I mixed up the dates so Ian and I arrive with breakfast goods and she rustle’s up a breakfast in between supervising the kids and their friends to move dining room chairs and furniture onto the balcony; Josie’s finally taken the plunge and moved house, not too far, as in next door. “Why be a single mom with three kids and own two houses? I don’t want the pool and the garden and major upkeep anymore, so we are downscaling.”

Black and white prints are already mounted on the walls and while Josie with Ian’s help are deciding where to move the couch and table, she answers my questions I’ve prepared for this post. There are books and interesting items everywhere so it’s hard to concentrate as her house is a treasure trove of collected items from her travels. Three coffees down and the lounge in semi order, she answers my questions in her inimitably candid and honest way:

WHAT CAREER WOULD YOU HAVE CHOSEN IF IT WASN’T AS A MODEL

I would have loved to have been a war photographer or a marine biologist!

IF YOU HAD TO DO IT ALL AGAIN IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE?

There’s plenty I would have changed in decisions I made, but what’s past is in the past

WHAT IS A MEMORY THAT STANDS OUT FROM YOUR TRAVELS?

Sitting on the Spanish steps in the evening light watching birds fly in unison with the light catching their wings – sheer beauty!

YOUR WORST HABIT?

Not charging people for the work I have done for them as a photographer

MOST TREASURED POSSESSIONS:

Besides my kids, my photographs and books

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF DRESSING?

Tees, jeans and cashmere sweaters

HEELS OR FLATS:

Flats

BEST BEAUTY PRODUCT;

I’ve been using COMPLEX15 Daily Face Cream for over twenty years as it’s oil-free, unscented and hypo-allergenic; in fact I have about five tubes I keep in my fridge so that I never run out! (She does, I checked!)