How I Move Vanessa Kingori
The Vogue trailblazer on learning to ride a bicycle as a mother and being seen as ‘plus size’ by the fashion industry
When I was 21, I had an accident on my bike while cycling in the mountains of Australia. I was young and carefree. I lost my confidence and, despite growing up as a sporty tomboy, I stopped riding bikes for a decade.
I’ve had to take lessons to get back on my bike, in August I’m booked in for a road-safety course. Learning to ride again has coincided with my three-year-old son, Charles, learning, too. He is bike mad – he already has three types of bike. My partner is a keen cyclist as well so I’d be sitting on the grass while they have the time of their lives if I didn’t get back to cycling. Through seeing me conquer my fears, I hope I can encourage my son to be brave, too.
In my mid-thirties, I had 60 fibroids – a condition which predominantly affects black women – removed in an open myomectomy. I had experienced a series of miscarriages, and it forced me to connect the dots between my stress levels, fitness and health. I was the first woman and person-ofcolour publisher leading British GQ, a high-stress role. After my operation, I practised hot and restorative yoga, introduced a healing diet and worked with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to challenge the medical and pharmaceutical industries to increase research into women’s health issues.
I was one year into my role as the publishing director at British
when I became pregnant.
Vogue I felt the scrutiny of being the first woman in the role in more than 100 years, so I worked throughout my maternity leave. Initially, I told myself I was too busy to exercise. But then I recognised the level of mental resilience that exercise brings along with the physical benefits. I’m now the chief business officer of Conde Nast Britain, and there is little more important than moving my body to help focus the mind.
I had a high-risk pregnancy, and the subsequent changes to my body were drastic. I suffered from diastasis recti – the separation of the abdominal muscles – which isn’t painful but is hard to fix. Repair requires ruling out most types of exercise and focusing on gentle, slow core work. My body had already been through so much – my partner and I went through IVF prior as a backup – which is just so hard on the system.
Western culture expects women to look like their prepubescent selves for ever. This, strangely, includes going through something as significant as becoming a mother without your body reflecting these processes. In other cultures, one’s body having born a child is a badge of honour. Overall, I welcomed the aesthetic changes to my body, but I wanted to feel strong. Covid hit, we all became more sedentary and I couldn’t access the help I needed to repair my muscle separation, to get back to solo exercise. I finally found a virtual specialist pilates trainer. It’s magical doing something for yourself at 6am before a hectic day. Once everything reopened, I joined Bodyism gym, my first gym membership.
I’m considered plus size in my industry. Size 12, at nearly 6ft tall, these are proportions I feel happy with – but brands offering to dress me for red carpets often send smaller sizes, explaining that I don’t look “big”. That’s why I feel so invigorated about challenging the way magazines define beauty. Who are we to define beauty as only one shape and aesthetic?
Growing up in Saint Kitts, born in Kenya, I never saw my slender mother intentionally exercise or talk about calories.
We were always active, but fitness wasn’t a conscious part of our lives. Dieting was never discussed – we ate very well and all adored vegetables and fruit. I never had to think about my weight until post-pregnancy. It’s possible that the immigrant mentality also plays into this, I was so focused on my education, career, and setting up a great life for myself, that slimming has never been a priority. I’ve had to learn entirely new skills in this life stage.
‘In other cultures one’s body having born a child is a badge of honour’
I’ve worked to eradicate the phrase “I can’t”, it sparks fear and can be debilitating.
Exercise should ignite joy. I loved sport in my youth. I never specifically connected sports with fitness. For me, it was fun that just happened to make me feel stronger. After pregnancy, I felt I lost some of that strength but now cycling (indoor and outdoor), pilates and PT are helping me feel like the best version of myself again.