Kasia Struss

Spotted more than 70 times on the 2009 catwalks, the young Polish Kasia Struss is currently a sure value in modeling. Her physique, almond-shaped eyes and legs that go on forever have made her one of the darlings in the business ever since she was signed in 2007.

Whereas numerous families would be enthusiastic when a talent scout comes to take their daughter into the world of mass consumption without worrying about her academic future, Struss' mother was not. Discovered in 2007, she was obliged to finish high school before signing with an agency (two years later).

After graduation, Struss was given her mother's blessing as planned. She began to appear in national ad campaigns before leaving in October 2006 for her first shows (Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu).

Her agencies (Women in Paris/Milan/New York and Storm in London) quickly found her numerous contracts, even if they were sometimes disappointing to the apprentice model (e.g., she was once called for a Vogue photo session where she was surprised to learn that they would just be photographing her body, and that her face would not appear).

The attention of the press soon led to more interesting jobs. After having been ranked among the top 10 new models to follow by Style.com in March 2007, then named one of the new faces of the season by WWD, Struss began to spend a lot more time in the airports due to the numerous demands for her presence around the world.

Steven Meisel photographed her for Pringle of Scotland with Irina Kulikova and Denisa Dvorakova. She also became one of the faces of Jil Sander and appeared in ad campaigns for Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana and Aquascutum. In September 2007, she opened for many shows, e.g., Jill Stuart, Jil Sander, Balenciaga, Costume National and Giambattista Valli - and closed for Christopher Kane and Chloé.

Her career was taking off and Struss decided to move to New York where she shares an apartment with other models. If 2007 can be considered the official launch of her career, 2008 established her status as a top model. She worked with the best photographers for campaigns such as Jil Sander, Costume National et Dior, walked for Givenchy, Lacroix, Dior and even Jean Paul Gaultier, and appeared frequently in the magazines (Vogue, Dazed & Confused, ID, Numéro, etc).

The year 2009 only further confirmed her status. She shone during the Paris Haute Couture fashion week for Chanel, Armani Privé, Givenchy, and Dior, appeared in the multi-model ads for Chloé, and posed for Steven Meisel for the cover of Vogue Italy.

Faced with this accelerated pace, Struss admits that she does not have a lot of time for her own hobbies, limited at the moment to spending time with her New York friends and her boyfriend, model Dylan Forsberg.

She is glad to be living in the age of instant communication, allowing her to easily stay in touch with her family in Poland. When asked by the journalists what she would have become if she had not chosen modeling, she replies that she would surely be a normal student looking for her calling.

She loves this career that has broadened her horizons so that she can visualize thousands of possibilities for her future. Her current dream? To appear on as many Vogue covers as possible.