Laetitia Maria Laure Casta was born on
May 11, 1978 in Port-Audemer in Normandy, France. Her childhood was
spent in Normandy's countryside -- playing in the rivers and the woods
with her older brother. Back then, she was such a tomboy that she was
often mistaken for a little boy.
Today, Laetitia represents an ideal
feminine beauty. Standing only 5'7", with a curvy frame, she has
little in common with typical waif models. She says, "When I began
as a model, everybody tried to remold me: I was too fat, too little,
they tried to re-shape my teeth -- I am very proud that I have stayed as
I was. And there is a beautiful thing which is wonderful, to look like a
woman, not a green bean."
When she was fifteen, Laetitia was
discovered while vacationing with her family on a beach in Corsica. She
was making sand castles with her little sister when a photographer and
model booker for Madison Models approached her. They handed her father a
business card and an invitation to bring his daughter to Paris for some
test shots. Suspicious at first, her parents eventually caved to
Laetitia's pleas.
Within weeks of her first shoot, she
was walking the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier. Having never worn
make-up, she screamed when she caught her reflection in the mirror. By
the time turned sixteen, she had landed three magazine covers. On a trip
to Paris in 1994, Paul Marciano saw her photos and launched her career
in the United States as a GUESS? Girl. Since then, she's remained a
featured model in all GUESS? campaigns to date and completed editorial
work for most of the major designers.
One of the most popular new models,
Laetitia ranked second in Maxim Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful
Women" issue. She made her big screen debut in a French film,
Asterix et Obelix with co-star Gerard Depardieu. Recently, she appeared
in the controversial Chris Isaak video for "Baby Did a Bad, Bad
Thing," shot by Herb Ritts. Her future plans include publishing a
book of photographs and stories or possibly more acting roles. For now,
she concentrates on her modeling career, hoping to one day marry and
raise a large family.
Until she turned 21, Laetitia lived at
home with her parents. Now she shares an apartment in London with her
older brother, Jean-Baptiste. Her favorite activities include painting,
writing, rollerblading, going to the cinema, go-carting with her brother
and dancing to disco music. Proving not to be just a pretty face,
Laetitia holds a brown belt in Judo.
Probably the most famous Laetitia quote
comes from designer Vivienne Westwood, who stated, "I don't believe
in God, but when I see Laetitia, I might change my mind."
By Guess
