The 44-year-old German supermodel said she was "terrified" and found the place unpleasantly cold and dirty when she first arrived, reported Femalefirst.
"I came (to New York) in 1994, I was on my own, no cellphones and a piece of paper with my address. I had no friends, had never been here, and it was terrifying.
"It was dirty, roaches everywhere, it was the end of the year and cold. It was the worst experience in the beginning. But I learnt to love it. I think it's one of the best cities in the world," Klum said.
"I think the industry hasn't (been focused) on diversity for a while but it is shifting. It's not one size fits all. I still remember when people laughed about the fact I wanted to be a high-fashion model.
"When I first went to Paris, they looked at my model portfolio and said, 'Goodbye'. If they said, 'Try on this dress', it would get stuck on my hips. The girls were so thin and it's the way the industry has been for years," she said.
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