Natalia Vodianova’s life is not quite the fairy tale that fashion myth suggests.
The Russian model was not spotted by a scout while selling vegetables at a stall in her home city of Nizhni Novgorod. She was picked out at a casting in Moscow after joining an agency.
The reality of her life from age 11 was lugging boxes of apples or pears (“They were the heaviest ,” the model said.), between running back to the impoverished family apartment to check on her disabled half-sister, who has cerebral palsy.
“I was responsible since I was six,” said Ms. Vodianova, 29, lowering her glacier-blue eyes as she described the “humiliation” of coping with her sister’s “pee, pooh and dribble,” her wanton trashing of Natalia’s school books, and the endless walking through the mean neighborhood, the only concrete space with monkey bars and bench hijacked by beer-drinking teenagers.
“A playground would have been a dream for me — I didn’t have anywhere to take my sister,” she said, explaining the origins of her Naked Heart Foundation (www.nakedheart.org), which has built 60 play parks in 44 Russian cities.
Life has been bittersweet for the young woman who has reached the summit of modeling but seen her marriage to the British aristocrat Justin Portman end in separation.
Gallery Links
Appearances & Events > 2011 > Russian Supermodel Natalia Vodianova Visits Shanghai
Appearances & Events > 2011 > The British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN And NEWGEN MEN Winners Announcement
Appearances & Events > Candids > 2011 > Out and About in London (June 7, 2011)
Appearances & Events > 2011 > W Hotels & AE Celebrate The Premiere of W St. Petersberg With ‘For Russia With Love’
Appearances & Events > Candids > 2011 > Out at The Box Club in London (May 26, 2011)
I’m looking for a dedicated co-web to work at Natalia Web. I’ve had a hard time keeping up with Natalia lately so I need someone to update the gallery and keep the content updated.
Alongside all the usual things like html/wordpress, coppermine etc. knowledge, the three most important things I’m looking for in a co-web are: dedication (meaning you follow Natalia’s career), good sources (lots of picture updates are vital!) and time (able to update regularly).
If anyone is interested, please let me know by emailing me at nataliawebstaff@gmail.com.
Natalia Vodianova, Raquel Zimmermann and Edie Campbell are among top models to star in a new collection of black and white untouched images, celebrating the official launch of Viva Model agency in London. Each of the company’s girls has been photographed by Scott Trindle – without any make-up, hair or styling.
“It doesn’t scare me that the images aren’t retouched, it adds another layer of interest and intrigue,” Trindle told us. “I’m as guilty of a slight polish in post as any, but having beautiful woman sit by a window doesn’t fill me with unease. The fear that surrounds an un-retouched image is quite amazing – and again I’m no martyr. So much can be adapted in post, and so I suppose the main benefit is its purity.”
Over the past year, each model has been asked to have their portrait taken by Trindle when visiting London – a slightly less glamorous setting than some may have been used to: in his Dalston flat.
“I suppose there is a level of irony having supermodels like Natalia and Raquel traipse through a £5 carwash and a cloud of Angel’s barbecued jerk fumes, and I can’t deny buying some flowers on the odd occasion to lighten the setting,” the photographer said. “Even after three flights of stairs everyone was really receptive, and I think on the odd occasion welcomed the break from a hectic schedule of go-sees.”
Viva’s director Natalie Hand is thrilled with the results.
“His images stood out because it was just so interesting and rare for us to see the girls like that; he shot them with no additional hair, make-up or styling,” she explained. “They were shot exactly as they were in person, exactly how they were when they walked through his door. And they looked really beautiful. The blemishes added to their charm. And you could definitely learn something about the model’s real character from the pictures.”
Natalia is on the June cover of L’Officiel magazine. Thanks to ANV, I’ve added both the cover and the editorial to the gallery. Below you can also find an English translation of the article that appears in the magazine. Thanks to Valentine27 from TFS for the translation!
Gallery Links
Magazine Scans > Covers > 2011
Magazine Scans > Editorials > 2011 > L’Officiel June
We’ve met for the first time in her manor of the English countryside. Her children were 8, 3 & 2 years-old at the time. I’m seeing her again this year, 2 years later, on a beach in Phuket. She’s still walking and has just signed again a collection of lingerie and swimwear. A difficult life yesterday, beautiful today. From my deck chair, I’m observing her. Natalia plays in the pool with her 2 cadets, she’s wearing a tee-shirt in Néoprène and a sun block. She looks like an teenager that doesn’t care about her look. Seated on the sand, a bob on the head, she’s building sandcastles.
How has your collaboration with Etam evolved since our last meeting?
Today, I have a better approach about the creation of a collection. When I started, I’ve been told : “Do what you want”. I had trouble focusing on only one thing. I wanted to create several different lines, each with a precise theme. I wanted everything to be beautiful all together. Finally, I realized it was a mistake. Now, I only choose one theme around which I’m focusing for the whole collection. And it works much better, because everything is more fluid, people understand clearer what I’m trying to do.This collection is called “Paradise”, why?
I’ve been inspired by this name from my trips in places like Thailand, Bali, Brazil. This collection is about emotions, thoughts, things I’ve seen, sort of a collection of experiences.
Here’s our first look at the illustrations Natalia has prepared for her upcoming White Fairy Tale Love Ball, which will be held July 6 in Widewille Castle, owned by fashion designer Valentino Garavani, near Paris. For this event, Natalia asked forty-two international couturiers and designers to each create a fairytale dress to be auctioned in aid of her Naked Heart Foundation. All the dresses were photographed by renowned photographer Paolo Roversi in a special photo shoot modeled by Natalia herself. Shots from the photoshoot have already been given to various magazines, including Vogue, and will appear in future issues. For more information about the event, visit nakedheart.org.
Lanvin dress
To view more dresses, click here.
Gallery Links
Photoshoots > Behind the Scenes > Vogue China June 2011
