“Doing nice things for other people is what it’s all about,” Bock says, adding “even the smallest tasks go a long way. Just spending some time with my aunt and cutting up vegetables — whatever they needed help with.”
Christmas time is the most important time to give back, and Sports Illustrated model Kate Bock certainly adheres to the title of giver, faithfully.
The 23-year-old emerged onto the fashion scene at the age of 12. Back then, she was a brace-faced West Van teen, discovered by Liz Bell while at the pool with her swim team.
Since her discovery she’s been featured in Maxim, Victoria’s Secret and Elle Canada. She was also Sports Illustrated’s rookie of the year in 2013. She’s also worked for Guess, as well as Abercrombie and Fitch, on ad campaigns. While in transit, she rings from a California number, so her call is briefly muted by the threat of a disconnect. She’s finished work for the day, but her voice emerges like the subway from a dark tunnel.
There’s a sunny quality to it, and she’s quick to laugh while sharing anecdotes of how important family is to her, and how the spirit of Christmas makes her feel.
“Kind of amazing,” she admits. “It just means going home and having a home cooked meal with my family, and seeing friends. Everyone is so much jollier.”
Sure, New York City has skating in Central Park and the famous tree at Rockefeller Center, and Bock loves it. But it’s no Whistler, with its snowboarding. Packed powder aside, Bock has helped her aunt Sue Smith at a church soup kitchen in North Vancouver.
Bock has lived in Paris, London, Tokyo and New York, but every year, for the festive season, she’s back home in Vancouver, gathering with her cousins to listen to Michael Bublé and Frank Sinatra carols. Oh, and just like any family there are likely to be shenanigans.
“We play a gift exchange game, which can get pretty funny,” she says.
It’s been a busy year for Bock. She’s even received the VIP treatment during an NBA championship parade for the Cavaliers in Cleveland. She is romantically tied to Cavs power forward Kevin Love.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t shown her much of the city outside of Quicken Loans Arena, the home of King James and company. She’s also taken in UCLA football games, Nashville Predators hockey matches (she grew up a Vancouver Canucks fan, naturally) and more basketball than you can shake a fist at. And when asked if she’ll be in pages of the 2017 Sports Illustrated she plays coy.
“You’ll have to check out the 2017 issue to see,” she purrs.
What men can check out, and just in time for Christmas, and Valentine’s Day too, Bock interjects, is her jewelry line of 14 carat gold body chains with hand-cut stones.
“I made them for myself, and I was wearing them in yoga class and girls kept asking me where I got them, and I thought maybe I should make them and sell them.”