Eniko Mihalik

She may have been compared her to "a toothpick hiding behind a blade of grass" by her classmates, but the Hungarian Eniko Mihalik has nonetheless enchanted the world of fashion since her arrival in the modeling market. Compared by some to Faye Dunaway, by others to Grace Kelly, Mihalik possesses an impish, mischievous face seemingly predestined to receive favors from the fashion world.

At 14, Mihalik would not have believed for a second that a few years later she would be participating in the Chanel haute couture show. Then a little trip to a shopping mall in Vienna turned her life upside-down.

Her slender silhouette, high cheekbones and sweet regard were noticed by a talent scout who saw her on that fateful day. With her parent's agreement, the scout convinced her to participate in the national Elite competition. She took first place, but then had to put her modeling career on hold for two years until her 16th birthday before she could begin working.

In July 2006, Mihalik was the first to be surprised when she was selected for the Chanel haute couture show. Several days later, she was walking next to the likes of Natasha Poly and Mariacarla Boscono, and also met Karl Lagerfeld of whom she was terrified.

Little by little, her uncommon traits and slender figure won over the designers and the fashion editors. She appeared in Elle Hungary, then was noticed during the New York Fashion week 2008 by the photography duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, who offered her a 6-month exclusivity contract.

The shootings came one after another (in particular for the different Vogue editions), and her market value rose continuously. By Fall 2008, she became one of the faces of Gucci next to Lily Donaldson and Abbey Lee.

In 2009, Terry Richardson brought her into the circle of top models posing for the Vogue Paris calendar. She was also seen on the cover of I-D, landed a contract with Max Mara, and walked in the Givenchy and Valentino haute couture shows. Mihalik's career was launched, and her appearances in Vogue multiplied, with her doll-like traits inspiring makeup artists and photographers alike.

She also posed for H&M, allowing her to gain in visibility and cool ranking. The year 2009 ended in honor when she was selected for the fashion media event, the Victoria's Secret show.

The following year confirmed her status as a top model: from the Kenzo campaign to the pages of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, I-D, W and AnOther Magazine, Mihalik was everywhere. Her ascension was a bit dizzying for someone who admits her need for her friends to keep her feet on the ground in all the craziness.

She may be often transformed into a femme fatale for the photo sessions, but she maintains many links to her childhood; e.g., she is never seen without her favorite stuffed teddy bear, loves watching Sponge Bob, and her favorite dish is the goulash she ate as a child.

As for her beauty secrets, she says she cannot work out too intensively, otherwise she starts to resemble an overdeveloped swimmer after 2 weeks in the gym. She uses the treadmill instead, allowing her to maintain her figure and get rid of excess energy. She chooses sushi that she can eat without regret.

She may not participate as often as her colleagues in the different shows, but Mihalik's atypical beauty and sex-appeal will probably keep the photographers interested for a long time to come.