"This year, we have gone back all the way that we had advanced," she says. "I don't see any black woman, or of any other race, in big advertising campaigns." Campbell, who was born in London to a mother of Caribbean descent, refers to the publication last year of a special edition of Italian Vogue dedicated to non-white models. "That made some noise, but, unfortunately, we are the same as before," she says. "People, in the panic of the recession, don't dare to put a girl of colour in their campaign, full stop. Nor of any other race. It's a shame. It's very sad."

*****

In 1988, Campbell appeared on the cover of French Vogue as its first black cover girl after Yves St Laurent, her late friend and mentor, threatened to withdraw all of his advertising from the magazine following its refusal to place Campbell, or any black model, on its front page. She also became the first black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. Earlier this year, she described the fashion industry as "racist". In a magazine interview, she was quoted as saying "You know, the American president may be black, but, as a black woman, I am still an exception in this business. I always have to work harder to be treated equally."

Laura Brown: Tell me how you keep your mojo.

Halle Berry: I have a 33-year-old man. That'll keep your mojo mojo-in'.

LB: How has your body changed since you had Nahla?

HB: Having a baby takes so much from you. It's the most glorious thing you'll ever do, but the aftermath is not so glorious! So now I'm having to exercise, eat a little bit differently, take a lot more vitamins.

LB: Do you ever go on a food binge?

HB: I like Doritos. I'm usually watching The Biggest Loser eating Doritos.

LB: What do you think of actresses who say they don't work at staying slinky?

HB: God bless them if they're telling the truth. It's questionable if they are. I always had to diet. I'm diabetic, so it's a lifestyle for me anyway just to stay healthy and not end up in the hospital.

*****

LB: Would you ever get married again?

HB: No. I'm done. Also, I happened to find a person who feels done too, and he's never even been married before. So it works.

LB: More children?

HB: Yes. My pregnancy was amazing. I was happy that whole time, I felt good, I had energy, I was like Superwoman. I wish I could feel like that for the rest of my life, that's how fantastic it was.

Halle is a woody oriental featuring Berry's favorite notes, fig and mimosa. Additional notes include bergamot, pear blossom, freesia, hibiscus, ultra mimosa, sandalwood, driftwood, cashmere musk, olibanum and sensual amber.

"I've been in the business for more than twenty years, and you decide now, at this particular time, that I'm the sexiest woman alive? Come on. I mean, you couldn't go with the Bond-girl year? You didn't like the orange bikini? I liked the orange bikini. That would have been a pretty good year. Or what about the Monster's Ball year? That was a sexy moment. Couldn't you have packaged that up with some list of the best movie sex scenes ever? That would have been very easy, very magaziney. But 2008? Well, I don't know exactly what it means, but being forty-two and having just had a baby, I think I'll take it."