Kanika Sago, 37

I would’ve guessed you were 27.
A lot of people say that! [Laughs]

What’s your secret?
My mother. She put me on a vegan diet and enrolled me in dance class and modeling school when I was about 11.

Was she one of those overbearing stage moms?
No, she was looking out for me. In modeling school, I learned how to walk, sit, have conversations, pose. I did a little runway work, no print ads.

Do you still model?
Yeah, I’m a Ford model now.

What’s that life like? Do they let you eat?
You do eat, but I know I can’t eat, like, a cheesecake every night. [Laughs] When I first got with an agency, I had to drop weight. I cut out fatty foods, like cheese. I was a big cheese person, loved it to the point where it was going to cost me a job. But I don’t starve myself. I’ve done fashion shows where I’m the only one taking in a meal beforehand. The rest of the girls will look at me like I’m crazy.

No, they’re looking at you like you’re a Thanksgiving turkey.
Right? I’ve seen girls who go on the cigarette diet. I won’t do that. It’s not healthy. I’ve tried to pass good eating habits on to my daughter.

Did you encourage your daughter to go into modeling like your mom?
A little. But she just graduated from Brown University and is teaching grade school in France right now. I’m very proud of her.

What inspires your style?
Well, I’m a designer and I make a lot of my clothes. I have a men’s and women’s accessories line that’s gonna be coming out real soon: hats, neckties, jewelry. My grandmother is another inspiration. She was a very stylish lady. When I was growing up, she would often put me in little outfits. I also went to a private school on the South Side for a few years that stressed staying in touch with your African roots. That was very influential.

• More "Public eye"
• More Around Town articles