Topmodel of the Week: Sasha Pivovarova

Most people know this girl from Prada. She was the face of the brand for three years in a row. Yet this Russian beauty does so much more….

Name: Sasha Pivovarova
Age: 24
Date of Birth:  21 January, 1985
Place of Birth: Moscow, Russia
Discovered: Her friend, photographer Igor Vishnyakov took her picture in 2005 and sent it to IMG modelling agency. She was studying art history back then.

Runway debut: Prada, the brand immediately signed an exclusive three-year contract with Sasha.
Fashion shows: Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Pringle of Scotland, Rag & Bone, Rodarte, Max Mara, PHI, Christian Dior (couture), Elie Saab(couture), Valentino (couture).She opened last season’s (fall/winter 2010/2011)shows for: Jean Paul Gaultier
Covers:  American Vogue, Greek Vogue, Russian Vogue, British Vogue and Australian Vogue.In May 2007 Vogue named her as one of the new ‘supermodels’ together with models like Doutzen Kroes, Jessica Stam and Chanel Iman. As one of the favorite models of Steven Meisel, she appeared on the cover of the Italian Vogue five times.

In 2009 Pivovarova was ranked second on the Models.com top 50, together with Natasha Poly.
Vogue declared her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s.
She won the Best International Model award in Shanghai in 2006

Ad campaigns:  Pirelli 2008, Armani, Longchamp, Chanel, H&M, Mulberry

Agencies:  IMG models (NY), Unique (Denmark), Donna Models (Tokyo)

Quotes:

• ‘I was on board  of 148 airline flights in 2008!’
• ’I’m not a person who likes waking up early’

Extra:

• Sasha loves to paint and draw.
• Her paintings have been published in French Vogue.
• She uses anything as a canvas hotel papers, casting and itinerary papers.
• She is working with Miuccia Prada to produce a book of her own artwork.
• She is also illustrating a book for Karl Lagerfeld based on Russian fairy tales.
• She is married to long-time friend and photographer Igor Vishnyakov.
• She practices Kung Fu.
• She recreated her wedding for a Vogue spread
• She has a very strong Russian accent

Topmodel of the week: Natasha Poly

This week we’d like to focus on one of our favourite models: Natasha Poly.

Name: Natalia Polevshchikova (shortened to Poly)

Age: 24

Date of Birth: July 12, 1985

Place of Birth: Perm, Russia, two hours from Moscow (by plain)

Discovered: ‘When I was fifteen I went to Moscow for a model competition and I kind of won’ (Natasha)

Runway debute: Emanuel Ungaro

Breakthrough: 2004

Family: Still lives in Russia and is very proud. They all love Natasha’s pictures.

City: Natasha lives in New York

Fashion shows: Lanvin, Chloé, Stella McCartney, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, D&G, Louis Vuitton, Roberto Cavalli, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Gucci, and Sonia Rykiel, Kenzo, Givenchy…. Just all the big fashion brands.
Last season (fall/winter 2010/2011) she opened the shows for Kenzo, Roland Mouret and Rick Owens.

Photographers: Any big shot photographer has taken Nathasa’s picture. Patrick Demarchelier, Mario Testino, Annie Leibovitz, Terry Richardson, Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Emma Summerton, Steven Meisel, Craig McDean, Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, Mario Sorrenti and Solve Sundsbo to name a few….

Covers: Natasha has appeared on covers of many Vogue issues. For example we saw her on Vogue Australia (Dec 2004), Germany (Jun 2006), Japan (Jan 2005), Paris (May & Sep 2004, march 2007), Russia (Aug 2008, Mar 2009), Paris (Apr 2010). Plus:

• Vogue Russia dedicated a whole issue to Natasha Poly in July 2008.
• Vogue America named her one of the faces of the moment in 2009
• Vogue Paris declared her one of the top 30 models in the 2000s.

Ad campaigns:  Gucci, Lanvin, Louis Vuitton, Robeto Cavalli, Sonia Rykiel, Nine West, Dolce Gabbana, Calvin Klein Jeans, D&G, Epoca, Philosophy by Alberta Ferretti, Fabrizio Corsi, Fornarina, Jimmy Choo, Krizia jeans, La Perla, Louis Vuitton, Massimo Rebecchi, Marc’O Polo, Max Mara, Ralph Lauren, Nina Ricci, Jil Sander, Blumarine, Givenchy.

We also recently spotted Natasha in the campaign for the H&M Garden collection.
Gucci is one of the biggest deals for Natasha, she has worked with the brand for several years now.

TV Commercial: Gucci by Gucci fragrance (2007)

Agencies:  Women management (NY, Paris, Milan), Select Model Management (London), Mega Model Agency (Hamburg) Traffic Models in Barcelona.

Quotes:

• ‘I hate it when they say that models are like mannequins, and not the people in the flesh.’
• ‘You’re never fully dressed without a smile.’
• ‘A driver is a must during fashion week. Having a car means you have somewhere to nap during shows, a place to leave your bags, and a trunk to stock up with generous gifts from designers, like shoes and handbags.’
  (yet we saw her arriving at a Paris Week fashion show on a motorcycle last season)
• ‘Besides my iPod, during show week I carry make-up remover, some money, lip balm, gloves, my ID, face cream, and my Sony Cybershot in my bag.’

Extra:

• Natasha has walked the Victoria’s Secret fashion show twice.
• Paris is her favourite city
• Natasha had long dark blond hair before, now her hair is very light blond and it’s shorter too.
• Natasha thinks Karl Lagerfeld is a genius.

Dreams: Natasha dreams of opening a shop in her city with fashionable, yet affordable clothes.