INTRODUCTION

IGREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN ON THE Volga river in the "freewheeling 1990s", difficult time for my country. Trying to help my family, I worked at a local flea market selling things, where for the first time in my life I tried on stiletto shoes. The idea of modeling as a career never even came into my mind at that time.

They say that great success begins with a little chance. It was by chance that I saw a modeling agency advertisement; I applied and was taken. This first bit of good luck gave me the strength and will to move forward. Soon I was offered a modeling contract in Milan. My victory was an incentive to achieve status as a model that not every girl can conquer. But all the doors did not open by magic: I had to break through them and prove that I could do better, could do more, that I was willing to work long hours. It was due to my persistence and hard work that I found myself on covers of glossy magazines, working with reputable fashion houses and shooting with famous photographers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Steven Meisel, Peter Lindbergh, and Mario Sorrenti, whose works you can see in this book. My life philosophy - to learn something new every day and move forward - helped me become the face of a company for a famous designer, Ralph Lauren, and become his main model and muse for over 10 years.

After I had reached the highest peak of my modeling career, I set my heart upon changing my occupation. I wanted to understand who I was and I wanted to grow further. My desire exceeded the fear of radical change, and on that very day I packed my suitcase and flew from New York to Europe in search of my new self. I found my new calling pretty quickly. Healthy nutrition has always been a priority for me. Early in 2015, I entered the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and, on graduation, I became a certified health coach. Wasting no time, that same year I launched the #Lifeofthemodel project - an online space where I share my experience and knowledge. Later, my interest in healthy eating brought me to Los Angeles, where I graduated from a raw vegan school, PlantLab, founded by world-famous vegan chef Matthew Kenney and qualified as a raw vegan chef. Then I had a training course at the one and only European vegetarian Michelin restaurant, “Joia”, and topped up my qualifications to level 2 vegan-chef. However, I'm not just a chef; I am also a nutritionist - an expert in healthy eating. Therefore, all the recipes that I create not only taste great but also include a balanced combination of healthy products.

In September 2017, I initiated the project “Fashion Food for Fashion People” and became a mentor to hundreds of students, who wanted to know more about a healthy way of life. I teach every person to trust not only specialists, whose expertise is very important but also his/her own body. I teach them that they should live, love and take care of themselves here and now. I help everyone to find their perfect balance, one which does not limit but provides ease and joy.