Confident, charming, flirty – Sylvie Meis shows us in her hometown Hamburg not only her new eyewear collection, but also her personal side. In an interview, she talks to us about her most important character traits and why she got weak knees as a professional before a certain red carpet appearance.
Sylvie Meis, 43, is currently presenting her latest collection with the glasses manufacturer “Edel-Optics” in Hamburg. A fitting moment to ask Sylvie what her do’s and don’ts when it comes to sunglasses and why this collection describes her perfectly.
Sylvie Meis in a GALA interview
GALA: Sylvie, this year there are again three new glasses models from you – Confident, charming and flirty. What’s behind it?
Sylvie Meis: In my collaboration with Edel-Optics, it has always been the case that we have chosen keywords that describe me well. And these three keywords actually say everything about my character. This self-confidence, what I have and what I also like to exude. This charming, this interpersonal, warm-heartedness and then the flirty aspect. I like to flirt, but I’m more likely to flirt with life. For me, it’s no longer about men, it’s much more about flirting in general – with everyone, just being happy and having a good feeling. I think we all missed that incredibly during the lockdown. And that is exactly what we are all looking forward to now and what I want to express with this collection.
Who are your glasses and sunglasses for? Who can wear the models and who cannot?
I think it’s very nice that the Charming model has rounded corners – that makes the glasses wearable for everyone. It’s different with the Flirty model, because the glasses are very noticeable and I think you have to be a certain type for the cat-eye look. The Confident model, on the other hand, is a real classic. It also has a slight diva touch, but the model is still very modern.
Which sunglasses would you never come across personally?
So I think for me it’s these very small, round sunglasses that John Lennon always wore. That’s not me. I think it’s cool with a certain style, for example when I see Hailey Bieber with these glasses. Somehow the glasses look cool on her, with their casual style and their small bun. But I think that has a bit to do with age, although I generally don’t think style is related to age. But these sunglasses were never my favorite, even when I was young. And today sunglasses are still not my thing.
Sylvie Meis on meeting King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima
You had the honor of taking part in the state banquet with Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander. How was it for you as a native of the Netherlands?
It was a great honor for me. To live in Germany long enough to be invited personally by the Federal President and his wife. With 40 people it was a very intimate state banquet to welcome the royal couple.
That meant everything to me at the moment.
Of course I was also excited, but when I was there and saw them – Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander are just so personable and give you such a nice feeling that I was able to relax right away. I was just grateful that I was allowed to witness that. To hear my own king give a speech in German, I couldn’t have been prouder.
Queen Máxima is known for the fact that she likes to wear one-shoulder dresses on such occasions. So was your look a tribute to Máxima?
When I received the invitation, it was just under two weeks until the state banquet and how it is then, of course, I first asked myself what I would like to wear for the occasion. Because of the short time, my team and I could no longer ask a designer for a dress.
We were then inspired by Máxima’s look and then ordered a lot of clothes on the Internet. And there was the red dress with it. We all thought – that’s it.
It had that one-shoulder look, it had a great cut back and nice details. The slit on the leg only went up to the knee, which I found sexy, but still appropriate. I am still very happy with the choice of clothes because it was absolutely a sign to Queen Máxima of how beautiful I find her and how great she dresses for such occasions.