Milla Jovovich: Berlin’s Evil Resident

As the spokesmodel for Berlin Fashion Week, Milla Jovovich pushed the event’s profile from being international to otherworldly. The first spokesmodel was Eva Padberg, who is lovely but limited to being a local celebrity. Next came Julia Stegner, the Munich-born heir to Claudia Schiffer’s crown as the fashion world’s shiksa goddess supreme. But this season’s face for IMG and Mercedes Benz demonstrates the increasingly international scope for Berlin. On all the ads and official BFW Benzes, Jovovich can be seen posing in photos by Miles Aldridge, wearing a magnificent spiked white, green and pink Philip Treacy hat, recalling the lovely anthropomorphized lady flowers in Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. Despite the heat, Jovovich retains her charm while chatting about art, international fashion weeks and the Berlin’s real underground.

ANA FINEL HONIGMAN: What was the thinking to the Mercedes Benz ad images? What is up with the bunnies?

MILLA JOVOVICH: I can’t say with total authority, but I image that the bunnies signify the safety of Benz. You can be racing on the autobahn and stop short to save a bunny’s life. I’m just imagining it. I’m not too sure that Benz would like that interpretation.

HONIGMAN: Bunny mummies would too. How well do you know Berlin?

JOVOVICH: I lived here for six months when filmed the Resident Evil movie. I love it. We spent most of the time in the underground tunnels. It was very surreal and dark. But what I saw of the city, I love.

HONIGMAN: The mole people were many things, but not too chic.

JOVOVICH: From bunnies to moles, I sense a theme.

HONIGMAN: What are the themes you’ve noticed here? How does the ad image represent what you’ve seen on that catwalks and at the shows?

JOVOVICH: It is a bright and cheerful image that’s playful whereas past seasons have been darker and more sc-fi. It has a comic-book look and I really like the creativity.

HONIGMAN: Who are representatives of German creativity whom you admire?

JOVOVICH: I love Marlene Dietrich and Otto Dix.

HONIGMAN: Imagine how much fun Otto Dix would have had here.

JOVOVICH: Oh my God, he would have loved it!