Rosie Huntington-Whiteley prefers modelling lingerie to clothes.

The striking star was catapulted into the spotlight after signing with Victoria's Secret in 2006 and now has her own underwear line for Marks & Spencer, and the model claims she would rather pose in skimpy smalls then in ready-to-wear because it makes her feel empowered.

She told the crowd at the VOGUE Festival over the weekend: ''I have been modelling lingerie for most of my career. I was booked for a lot of assignments early on. I have always felt comfortable although you have your days and your girlie times of the month when you don't feel great and you go on stage with a bloated stomach.

''But it is something I have felt confident doing and I love it. Clothes are usually trickier because there is a lot more to them!''

However, Rosie insisted she would never pose naked for a job no matter how big the pay cheque since the images often get ''taken out of context'' and are ''demeaned'' outside of their original context.

The 27-year-old model also admitted her confidence has taken a knocking in recent years and she felt far more fearless when she was first starting out in the industry.

She said during the talk at London's Southbank centre: ''When I first started I had so much confidence. I was up for anything. In my early twenties and late teens I became a bit more insecure.''

Rosie almost didn't get her big modelling break, confessing that an agent at her teenage work experience at a model agency in London's West End initially advised her against it.

The leggy blonde recalled: ''It wasn't as glamorous as I thought I would be but I really enjoyed it. Someone was suggesting I should model but one of the agents called me aside and said 'I don't think this is for you, I think you need to go'.

''But I went back a year later and they asked me to model. I figured I would do it so I could at least see a photoshoot and I got my first job a day later.''