Israeli model Bar Refaeli has clapped back at critics who claim she cannot continue modeling as a mother, with the star saying she always "knew" her body would be the same after childbirth, making her parental status irrelevant when it comes to work.
Refaeli's comments came after criticism was leveled at for becoming the ambassador for the Israeli underwear brand FEMINA. The 36-year-old celebrity last modeled underwear seven years ago, taking time to start a family. She is now a mother of three.
When we met Refaeli on set of her new reality TV show, we asked her what her opinion is regarding the public's response on her expected underwear campaigns. "I have a feeling that everyone thinks that if you're pregnant or have kids, you're supposed to change, you can't look like you did before and ab muscles are a thing of the past.
"I think that things have changed today, girls post-partum look amazing. I'm constantly seeing moms with abs, muscles, healthy women, not emaciated thinness. They take care of themselves and love themselves".
We asked Bar what Adi Ezra, her husband, thought of this, given it's hard to ignore that Refaeli's parental status has changed since she was at her modelling peak at 20, and that now she's the mother of his children.
"I don't think a mother needs to start wearing turtlenecks all of the sudden. I'm more confident in my sexuality and sexiness that I was before, and I feel like an attractive woman. I now feel more amazing with myself than ever before."
Bar Refaeli's name has been hitting the headlines non-stop the past few weeks. Aside from her new underwear campaign, the "The Refaelis" reality TV show is coming soon to our screens.
Refaeli and her mother received a lot of public attention in the media over the past year due to the tax evasion case in which they were convicted. Last May, Tzipi Refaeli got released from prison after an serving eight months in prison, while Bar herself was sentenced to community service.
"You'll see everything, our family is normal and we're very open. We didn't filter or edit, and we didn't ask for things to be left out... people know everything about us, it's just not the truth and it's a shame," she said, referring to the tax evasion case.
Refaeli said she believes she has paid off the debt to society following her legal troubles. "I paid off my debts to society way before [community service]. Ever since I got famous, I felt I need to give back and contribute something, and I took advantage of this to do good way before anyone told me I have to."
When asked why her husband and kids were left out of the show, Bar replied: "Because Adi doesn't want to, that's it... I think at first it disappointed me a bit, because the kids are so cute and I want everyone to see them."