Bax's comeback in Italian Vogue

Kylie Bax has returned to modelling in spectacular form - gracing the pages of Italian Vogue in her first major spread in years.

The Thames-raised mother of two was photographed in New York on March 18 by Steven Klein.

The American photographer is famous for his work with Madonna, Brad Pitt, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga.

From her home in Greece, Bax said the shoot was a "wonderful beginning to an end".

"I'm not saying I'm stopping modelling yet, but I have the luxury of choice.

"I started my career with an amazing strong editorial in Italian Vogue and now I've just shot one of the strongest stories of the year in the same magazine."

Bax said the shoot required a 13-hour day without breaks.

"It was tiring but, as you can see, it was well worth it. All the crew were old friends so we did enjoy the day - we passed around jokes and caught up on each other's lives."

Bax's Matamata-based father Graham hasn't spoken to her about the Vogue shoot yet but has seen the photos.

"I'm not a fashion guru but they're right up there."

A review of the shoot on models.com agreed, saying it was a reminder Bax was "one of modelling's true greats".

Graham Bax said the shoot would have been just another day at work for his blonde-haired, green-eyed daughter.

"She's done all this before, it's old hat to her."

Bax's New Zealand agent Andy Haden said his client had returned to modelling because her children were nearing school age and there had been substantial interest in her since the shoot was published.

The 1.8m beauty married Greek fashion photographer Spiros Poros in 2005 and the couple have two daughters Lito, born in 2004, and Dione, born in 2007. The family moved to Greece last year.

Bax said she had spent the past few years raising her two girls and creating a children's footwear line, which uses leather from Canterbury, with her husband.

She was discovered by a modelling agent in the Thames shopping mall in the early 90s, soon after being crowned Miss Thames Valley.