Five Minutes With Kim Kardashian: Reality Star Talks Dieting for GQ Cover, Kids and Kanye’s ‘Famous’ Video

At Tuesday night’s L.A. party to celebrate her GQ cover, Kim Kardashian took a few minutes to chat with WWD about how she slimmed down to shoot post-baby, how North and Saint are doing and all about Kanye’s infamous “Famous” video.

WWD: Why was it time for a GQ moment?
Kim Kardashian: GQ is iconic, so when I got the call to do their anniversary cover, the summer issue, I thought, “You know what? It’ll be a really good goal to motivate me to get me to do my diet perfectly.” I still wasn’t quite at my goal weight when we shot it, but I was working so hard and it was that motivation for me. You set a date for a shoot and you know you have to be there. It made me feel so good about myself knowing I had come so far. I had to lose, like, 60 pounds to get there. I had just had my second baby. I thought, “I want to feel sexy again. I want to feel good about myself,” and that was what did it for me.

WWD: What did your routine consist of?
K.K.: I woke up every day at six in the morning and worked out. I did a strict Atkin’s diet. Strict, strict, strict. It was really hard for me to diet [with the] first baby. This time was so much easier and I realized [it comes down to] the food. I mean, I love to work out and you definitely have to work out to tone up, but so much of it is how you eat. I had to really stay focused. I had to cut out all the sweets and I had such a sweet tooth. After-baby body? I welcome that challenge. It’s so crazy to see what your body can go through and what it’s capable of.

WWD: What photographers would you still love to work with?
K.K.: I think Steven Meisel is so major. I would love to work with him. I still have never worked with Mario Testino and I love him and I see him all the time. He’s shot me [with a] hand-held, you know, just around at parties. I’d love to also work with a lot of young newcomers that people don’t really know about yet.

WWD: How has your style evolved since your show first debuted?
K.K.: I think I was super-trendy and then I learned a lot about fashion being with Kanye. Years ago, like maybe 2009, he gave me a Carine Roitfeld book and said, “This should be your fashion bible. She is everything.” And now, having worked with her and having her pick out clothes that I wear is incredible. It’s such a full-circle moment, such a dream come true. I love fashion. And I love to experiment, try new things. I think my style has evolved a lot; the more you know, the more you travel, the more you meet people, you become educated and you [dress] better.

WWD: What are you up to this summer?
K.K.: We’re shooting [season 13 of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”] I would love a vacation, but I don’t know if I’m going to get one this summer. My husband starts his tour, so we’re going to do that with the babies. His tour is super easy. He does a few weeks, and then he’s home for a few weeks. It’ll be fun.

WWD: What have been the latest milestones with North and Saint?
K.K.: North just turned three. Saint is, like, almost standing. He’s only six months, but he is literally almost standing. It’s wild. He’s the best. He’s the sweetest. I showed him a dog today. He got a little scared. North loves dogs, so I said, “If you talk your dad into getting you a dog, your brother has to be comfortable,” and he was so not comfortable, so it saved me for a little bit longer from having to go and get a dog. She’s not cleaning up after it, so I want to stall for as long as possible.

WWD: Did you see your husband’s “Famous” video before its premiere?
K.K.: I actually never saw the final edit of it. I did that kind of on purpose because I love to be surprised. It was, like, three, four months in the making, so I obviously knew it was going on, but I didn’t actually see the final cut until he debuted it at The Forum. It was really cool.

"Invest in the brand!"