This Supermodel is a Friend of a Local Musician / Writer!

In the beauty and fashion industry, when a supermodel launches a skin care line, it’s a pretty big deal.  When the supermodel happens to be your friend, to me, it’s an even bigger deal.

Noili x D.P.  is the newest addition to the family owned Slavik Noili skincare line.  The exclusive collaboration was developed by founder Dr. Zuzan Gyarasova and my friend, Daniela Pestova.  If Daniela looks familiar, it is because you have probably seen her somewhere, as she has been working in the fashion industry for over 30 years.

The epitome of grace and beauty with a perfect shape and a face that could stop a clock, Daniela has been photographed for every major magazine from Allure to Vogue and everything in between, as well as commercials.  It is apropos that early on she earned the nickname “The Chameleon” for her ability to change her look.

Daniela has walked miles and miles on every runway, and was the spokesmodel for L’Oreal Cosmetics and GUESS?  Most notably, she is one of the original Victoria Secret Angels.

We had a good time when my very gracious supermodel friend joined me shopping at the Victoria’s Secret store where her photo was displayed on the wall.  I got the biggest kick as the sales staff freaked out when once they realized who she was.  Of course, it was hard to tell us apart, said no one!

Daniela’s illustrious career has been nothing short of spectacular.  As cliché as it sounds, when Daniela was a nineteen-year-old University student, she was discovered in her hometown of Prague, Czech Republic.  She arrived late to meet friends at a movie.  International model agent, Dominique Caffin, was in town to scout and promote a beauty contest.  She happened to be at the theater when she spotted Daniela making her way to her seat and promptly asked the stunning – albeit shy young woman to enter.  Daniela won the contest and thus began a career that would span decades.

Daniela moved to Paris where she lived and worked for six months.  Hardly knowing the language (she speaks several now), she was determined to make her way in the world, and she worked extremely hard to gain her independence.  The hard work paid off.  She eventually made her way to the big Apple.  New York City was a plethora of opportunity for the young, natural-born beauty.  It was her photograph on the cover of the February 1995 Swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated magazine that catapulted her to super model status.  It is unheard of for a model to land the cover on her first appearance.  She has been on three of the coveted publication.  Google her appearance on the Tonight Show and watch as she holds her own during an interview by a very giddy Jay Leno!

Daniela has been on the cutting edge of the fashion and cosmetics industry for most of her life and has been privy to just about every product on the market.  It stands to reason that she has become an expert.  She has always had the desire to create her own skincare line based on eco-friendly natural products and so the collaboration with Noili made perfect sense.

From the elegant packaging to the clever names of the products like “Let’s Get Naked” cleansing balm and “# 3 masqueteers” facial masks, Daniela is not just the face of the products that bare her name, she has been involved in every step of the development.  Noili x D.P.  has been a dream come true for her.  Full disclosure, I have tried the products, and they are every bit as luxurious as expected.

Not ashamed to share her age- Daneila just turned 53 and embraces getting older as a natural progression.  A devoted mother of three with no plans to slow down any time soon, she continues to work as a model all over the world.  She also writes about lifestyle and fashion as a contributor for Harper’s Bazaar, Elite Prague, Vogue Czechoslovakia and several other magazines.

She and her rockstar husband, Pavol Habera, have homes in the U.S. and in Prague.  A Slovakian composer, actor, producer, musician and also judge ala Simon Cowell on several singing competition TV shows, Pavol is the more recognizable of the two.  (Of course, I’ve asked him if I can audition or at least sing backup for him.)

Daniela is proof that beauty is not just skin deep!  Did I mention that she is one of the nicest people on the planet?  She continues to reinvent herself and certainly lives up to her nickname the Chameleon.  I keep hoping that she can develop a cosmetic line that will make me look like her!

Oh, and for those of you trivia fans, the movie she was late for was “Wall Street”.

For more information on Daniela’s noilixD.P. visit Noili Beauty.

Top Photo courtesy of Noili x D.P.

Middle photo from Sports Illustrated. 

Sheri Nadelman contributes stories to The Suncoast Post.