Sasha Pivovarova

In May 2007, Vogue U.S. brought together the new generation of models made up of the 10 "it" girls scheduled to appear in ad campaigns and magazine covers of the near future. The impish face of Sasha Pivovarova was among them.

It was by accident that the young Muscovite found herself booked by the international agency IMG. One of her photographer friends, having detected her potential, took the initiative to send a couple photos of her to the agency. This was the turning point for Pivovarova who was at the time an art student with a promising future as a painter.

In fact, since she was very young, Pivovarova was never without her pencils and was constantly scribbling in her notebooks. IMG New York, won over by her photos, sent her to walk for Prada. This was in 2005, and Pivovarova found herself booked for 10 or so shows; but more than everything else, was noticed by Miuccia Prada who made her the house's main icon.

When the shows were over, she did a photo series for l'Officiel. One month later, she appeared on its cover. The Pivovarova phenomenon began to spread, and her resemblance to Gemma Ward only added to the interest she generated.

Steven Meisel and Peter Lindenberg were among those who were interested in her. In front of their cameras, Pivovarova gained in self-confidence and began to realize what she was in the process of living. The result was a general infatuation with the Mrs. Pivovarova (yes, "Mrs." and not "Miss" because she is married to a Russian photographer, Igor Vishnyakov).

Since 2005, she has been seen in all the shows and Prada campaigns. If she had to choose, however, she would choose the more intimate work of the photo sessions over the shows. She likes the contact with the photographer, the creative synergy that makes their duo ephemeral. Above all else, Pivovarova is an artist, and backstage, it is common to see her sitting on the floor drawing her entourage.

She is always lost in a book or hunched over her sketches, to the point that she admits to not knowing sometimes how she is coiffed or made up. Now her passion seems headed toward an encounter with the fashion world. L'Officiel published a series of her sketches, as did Harper's Bazaar. Pivovarova uses her pencils like others use a Polaroid, to immortalize her encounters and the activity around her.

It is not surprising that the magazines would be interested in her work, which is in and of itself a veritable glimpse behind the scenes. As for her look, Pivovarova admits that the clothes for the fashion shoots are so fantastic that it is difficult to leave them behind. She particularly likes Yohji Yamamoto, Marc Jacobs, Chanel and Chloé. Sometimes she cracks and buys a piece from their collections, and admits to cracking more and more.

She has decided with her husband to move to Brooklyn, the new hype and artsy place in New York. She likes the atmosphere and creative energy that the place has. When asked about her beauty secrets, she thinks what to answer to satisfy our curiosity and after several minutes, says that it must be the green tea that she drinks regularly. When it comes to creams and skin care, she is fickle and is constantly trying out new products.

Although she is seen everywhere, a phenomenon that is likely to continue, Pivovarova has remained very natural and likes to spend her free time in the park, the museums or in front of the TV, dreams of having a family and opening an art gallery.