Discovered at 15, Katryn Kruger kicked off her modeling career with a Prada campaign shot by Steven Meisel—the ultimate launch pad to supermodel-dom. Campaigns for Dior, Oscar de la Renta and Phillip Lim soon followed, as did editorials for Vogue and W Magazine. But this 18-year-old is down-to-earth about her growing fame, an attitude she credits to her Afrikaans heritage. Her grandfather's farm in the Southern Cape is her favorite escape from a hectic modeling schedule—and an unexpected influence. "My grandfather makes furniture traditionally associated with my Afrikaans heritage and he only uses indigenous wood," explains Kruger. "I have some amazing heirlooms that influence my décor at home". Kruger's personal style is pared-back and pretty. "I prefer pastels and neutrals to the strong colors and abundant prints associated with Africa fashion. Though I can definitely appreciate it…it looks spectacular when worn well". While Kruger gets to travel around the globe and visit exotic locations, it's the small things that she misses most about Africa. Sunday "braais" (barbeques), the African sun and the smell of the Atlantic Ocean are among these, and as a reminder of home she always carries a box of Rooibos tea in her luggage. Below Kruger reveals her preferences when it comes to hair, heels and home comforts.

Hometown
Cape Town, South Africa

Nickname
Kinnie (Afrikaans)

Favorite place in the world
Cape Town. No matter where I travel, no city compares to the openness and creativity of Cape Town and its people.

Favorite thing to do on a Sunday
An afternoon nap in the sun before church.

Favorite color
At the moment it's blue, but it always changes.

Sneakers of High heels
Both, though I wear high heels for work mostly, so sneakers are definitely preferred for downtime.

Sweet or Savory
Savory.

Blow-dry or no-dry
No-dry all the way.

Shwe-shwe or floral
Floral, pastels and neutrals for me.

Party or pajamas
Pajamas! When I get to catch some extra sleep I really savor it.

Dogs or cats
Dogs, I miss my dogs so much!

Images: Misha Taylor