Elsa Hosk Talks Motherhood, Spirituality In New 'Face Of' Campaign

October 26 was the official launch date of the new 4th + Reckless collection, featuring Swedish supermodel Elsa Hosk, as the face of the campaign. Consisting of easily interchangeable pieces in a minimalist-friendly colour palette, the line functions like a capsule that makes chic, day-to-night dressing effortless and attainable — notable considering Hosk is a new mother, having given birth to her daughter last February.

Like many new moms, she has found that there is considerably less time to put into planning her outfits, let alone facilitating wardrobe changes from day to evening. "I absolutely think that is what 4th & Reckless had in mind when they designed this collection, and they did such a good job creating pieces that are very easy to combine," Hosk tells BAZAAR.com. "For myself, there's really no time to plan outfits right now, so the more versatile, comfortable, effortless they can be, the better." She adds that in addition to capturing her personal style, the brand executed wearable designs while making extra efforts to be more sustainable than other High Street fashion brands — something that was particularly important to her.

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Pre-COVID, the world knew Hosk as a jet-setting, global fashion icon, and with lockdown lifted, she has emerged empowered. She describes her pre-lockdown lifestyle as "go-go-go," and while her pregnancy in the midst of the pandemic was isolating at times, she ultimately found it to be a blessing. "During the lockdown I got to really sit with my feelings and connect with myself (and my growing belly) in a way that I had never had the chance to before," Hosk says. "It was a very spiritual experience, and the more I felt, connected, and listened to my gut — and to her inside — the more empowered I felt in my own body."

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Perhaps due to becoming so accustomed to the comforts of her personally-curated home environment — her self-described "happy place" with familiar smells, lighting, playlists, and comforts — Hosk increasingly felt compelled to consider a home birth. After she and her partner watched a documentary called “The Business of Being Born,” she researched the process in earnest to determine whether a home birth could be the right choice for her growing family. "I hired a doula, a midwife, and a hypno-birthing coach. Instead of being induced [with drugs], I received acupuncture to start labor, which totally worked — I went into active labor one hour after the practitioner left our house. It was amazing!" She recalls the birth itself as the "most intense, hardest, empowering experience" of her life.

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Since becoming a mother, her career has not slowed down one bit — something that has both pleased and surprised her. "I had always been scared of having a baby because I grew up in this industry where after 30, you were 'over' as a model… But today, the fashion industry is so different," Hosk says. She speaks of progress within the industry with regards to diversity — from body type, to race and ethnicity, and age. "I think consumers have always been interested in more than just a pretty face. It's more about what you stand for, what you're into that matters now," she says. "Being a mother, I think, adds to that; it gives you a new lane, a new dimension, a new understanding, and a new perspective." This expansion can absolutely be seen in her professional roles — for instance, being more involved in art-direction, design, and team selection — that unfolded alongside her new role of motherhood. She also speaks of the 'full circle' moment she experienced in creating this collection — namely, working with friend and photographer Yulia Gorbachenko, who shot her while she was still pregnant. Not long after, they worked together on this collection with 4th & Reckless as a new mother.

"Being the face of 4th & Reckless was so fun. They designed such a beautiful collection that felt true to my style, so it was easy to wear and model it," Hosk adds. Hosk calls out the pinstripe, three-piece suit as one of her favorite looks. "I've been wearing it styled so many different ways," she says. "Either all together like a set, or I wear the waistcoat with a pair of baggy jeans, converse [sneakers], a little shoulder bag. I pair the pants with a college sweatshirt and boots, gold jewelry, and my Hermès Kelly—and I wear the coat over an LBD with heels."

Available now, you can shop the collection exclusively on 4th & Reckless.

This article originally appeared on Harper’s BAZAAR US.