Natalia Vodianova is widely known as the real life Cinderella, as a young girl she would help to look after her sister, whom was born with cerebral palsy, in a one room apartment with her mother and two siblings with no TV or washing machine. She often helped her mother at the market selling fruit, when she turned 14 she set up her own stall a few yards from the market on the motorway, by doing this people were more likely to buy her goods before getting to the market.
When she was 15 she was encouraged to enrol in a modelling school, her boyfriend then told about a modelling cast. She was asked to wear a mini skirt, which she didn’t own, she took one of her Mothers skirts and customised it. Cyril Brulé spotted Natalia and promised her a contract if she could learn fluent English in 4 weeks. She was then sent to France where she was sign with Viva Models at 17 and had a very promising future, she now comes in third of the worlds’ highest paid models.
I first learnt of Natalia back in May 2008 when she was gracing the cover of Vogue, flicking through a friend pointed out how much of a resemblance I had to her (despite her being much taller than me, I’m only a lousy 5,5’ ). Maybe if I was taller I could have been as successful as Natalia, maybe even be compared with her in the industry. I personally couldn’t see it but I have been told numerous amounts of times, it is a compliment being compared to someone as humble and graceful as Natalia.
I went to go and see Natalia back in 2009 at Somerset house where she was having her photos taken for February 2010 issue of Vogue, she was behind glass and she really is just as beautiful in the flesh. Her photographer was Nick Knight who is one of the most famous and talented photographer in the fashion industry, he has also won a number of awards for his work.
One memory stuck with me when a rather wealthy looking woman came in, she was approached by a member of staff, she said that she was there to check to see if the model had arrived. The woman then smiled at me and then left, I don’t know who that woman was but maybe she would have scouted me if I was taller. I would have asked her if it could be arranged to meet one of my favourite models despite her smiling at me she didn’t have the friendliest ora.
I have a lot of respect for her because she set up the “Naked Heart Foundation” charity, she helps to improve the lives of children in her native home of Russia. Her aim it to build playgrounds for children. Natalia believes the playgrounds will help rehabilitate child, because “play is very therapeutic”.
Not enough celebrities give to the community’s they’ve grown up in these days , they could improve the lives of others. Natalia has all the traits of a fairytale princess, she’s very beautiful, she grew up in poverty; now earning an estimated 4 million a year and wants to improve the quality of life in Russia.
lillekins 