interview by JANA LETONJA

Anne V is a wellness expert, philanthropist and fashion model whose high profile campaigns have spanned over two decades. As a supermodel, Anne had an incredible ten-year consecutive run in theSports Illustrated, as well as appearances in the popularprimetime Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Outside of fashion, Anne leverages her profile to advocate for accessible healing work and is passionate about giving back to her community.

Anne, tell us more about the beginnings of your modeling career. How did it all start?
I started modeling when I was 15 years old and was absolutely hooked. I knew I always wanted to model and looking back, my soul was meant to be modeling. I went to a local agency in my hometown and competed in a modeling competition called ‘Fashionably Loud’ where I met IMG.

What made you passionate about fashion since you were a little girl?
It wasn’t fashion that I loved, I was fascinated by models. Growing up in Russia, we didn’t have much of a fashion industry. Where I grew up, no one had much money either. They had a newspaper and every time they would write about models, I would cut those clippings out. I was very tall and skinny growing up and wasn’t necessarily the desirable look for boys either, so I found a connection with models. 

Anne:
dress ROBERTO CAVALLI
earrings AUSTIN JAMES SMITH
choker BOND HARDWARE

male models left to right:
shorts and jeans FRAME
shorts LEVI CAMPELLO
jeans R13

Anne:
full look TABLEAUX VIVANTS
boots LUCASHEVA

male models:
full looks WILLY CHAVARRIA

In a career in fashion, spanning over two decades, you’ve worked with many brands, many photographers and many magazines. Which project left the most lasting memories for you?
A few of my favorite memories have been working with Prada, Chanel and of course, Steven Meisel has been the highlight of my career. What I love is the collaboration process, the creative process, creating an image and energy. Everyone gets together and everyone creates things that mean something. Working with a brand like Prada, they push the boundaries to the maximum. It’s nice to get out of your comfort zone. I also loved my experience working with Chanel. They have always been so supportive.

Anne:
suit THAI HUY
shoes MARKGONG

male model:
shoes SYRO

How do you personally view and look at fashion?
It’s fascinating to see new things come out. Young people see things from different perspectives. Not caring what people think is important in fashion. People are fast to shut you down and bring your opinion down, so I admire people who go with their gut. It’s the source of infinite creativity.

Working with Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret might set some stereotypes about a model, but has your work with both helped you in your career, or maybe also challenged you?
I think it’s been a bit of both. There have been some challenging times. I started in high fashion and there, people want you to be only in high fashion. They are narrow minded and have a hard time thinking that you can be in Sports Illustrated and walk on a Prada runway. I wanted to have it all, so I created a new character to attend to both these roles. Sports Illustrated is a legendary magazine and I always wanted to be a part of it. 

I also had the best time doing Victoria’s Secret shows. Despite the controversies, it was very fun to put an athlete hat on and challenge myself to create the best body I can for this show. I always wanted to be challenged and push myself to my limit. My body is not a naturally thin body, so I learned how to be healthy and have mobility and strength. Back in the day, it was very much about let me challenge myself rather than just being skinny. I am very grateful that my career has been so diverse. 

Anne:
full look DOLCE & GABBANA

male models left to right:
belt LEVI CAMPELLO
trousers GIORGIO ARMANI
suit and shoes GIORGIO ARMANI
shorts LEVI CAMPELLO
boots R13
jacket GEOFFREY MAC
shoes R13

What kind of projects challenge and excite you creatively the most?
Working with Steven Meisel, you never know what you’re going to get and that is exciting. I love the high fashion editorials where I can challenge myself and get out of my look and send a different energy. Everyone Is very kind and nice, so it’s nice to be able to experience all sorts of diverse creativity from artists. 

Anne:
dress SELEZZA
boots BROWNIE BROWN

male models left to right:
leather pants and leather shorts MARKGONG, GEOFFREY MAC, FRAME, CALVIN LUO, LANDEROS, LEVI CAMPELLO

You are also very passionate about wellness. Why is wellness something so important in your life and how do you take care of your own wellness?
Wellness comes with age. The fashion path is a very interesting one. Throughout my career, it’s been very challenging in terms of body and weight. Back in the day, there weren’t trainers who were nutritionists or anyone to tell you what to do. It was incredibly challenging to figure it out on my own. In general, it takes a long time to figure out who you are. I’ve gotten to a place where my life is so full and have an amazing career and don’t want to stop. 

Mentally, we have a tough job where people choose you based on God knows what. Sometimes it’s the face, sometimes right place and right time. Every model’s career has highs and lows where no one wants you. Unless you take a deep look inside yourself and find the beauty in your soul, you can’t continue because you’re just going to be depressed. It’s about loving yourself, accepting who you are and doing what you want to do. Once you get into this cosmic flow, things just start happening. The more you accept who you are and connect with your body, mind and spirit, the more you get out of life. 

Anne:
top and skirt AREA
shoes GIANVITO ROSSI

male models left to right:
full looks HUGO BOSS
shoes MAISON MARGIELA, DRIES VAN NOTEN

Anne:
coat PRIVATE POLICY
dress BOND HARDWARE
shoes CHARLES & KEITH

You are a Kundalini Yoga instructor and breathwork expert. Tell us more about Kundalini Yoga and what it’s all about.
One of the paths that I’ve gotten to connect myself with is Kundalini Yoga, which I’ve been so grateful for. It means connecting individual consciousness to the universe’s consciousness. Yoga is awareness and it helps gather more energy. You get more capacity and you are able to hold more. I want to have it all, a good career, friends, family and trips. This helps me rake all these ideas for my life and have enough capacity to achieve it all. The energy pushes me through, rather than give me fear.

How do yoga and fashion interconnect, and how does yoga help you in your modeling career?
I wanted to make a difference, but my life always brought me back to fashion. Each individual can affect everyone. When you approach a shoot with good energy and good projection and you send that through the photo, people on the other end receive it. 

It’s about being the best version of yourself and it can affect every person around you. Yoga has given me a very strong discipline in many aspects of my life. Having no discipline is like having a car without breaks. There’s a lot of different aspects of what yoga has given me, but discipline and connecting with my soul are at the top. 

Anne:
breastplate ABRAHAM D LEVY
boots AMINA MUADDI

male models:
underwear GIVENCHY
socks FALKE
bootsSYRO

What can you share with us about your exciting plans and projects for 2024?
The biggest project is letting go. Especially with my kind of career being so short lived, it’s so scary to be in the present. I’ve realized that what works is telling my mind to shut up. I am grateful for all these incredible experiences. I believe that rejection is God’s protection, so when something doesn’t happen, I take that as a thank you and to be excited what else is going to happen. 

This year is about staying in the present. I am excited to see all the magic that the universe has in store for me. I am committed to working out, meditating, taking care of my body in a more holistic way. This makes a difference for me because it puts more intention into my body. That is my only job because everything else takes care of itself.

Anne:
full look MIODRAG GUBERINIC

dress and headpiece THAI HUY
sunglasses MERCURA

TEAM CREDITS:
talent ANNE V at The Lions Talent Management
photography PETROS KOUIOURIS
styling ALTORRIN
make up BILLIE GENE WITH OPUS BEAUTY at OPUS Beauty
hair FRANCIS RODRIGUEZ at The Wall Group
nails LOUISE CORBET
executive producer MAY LIN LE GOFF at Aries Rising Projects
casting director HENDRIK SIMONS
photography assistants PHILLIP LEWIS and BEKA MAGLAKELIDZE
styling assistants SIONÁN MURTAGH and MARISA GEOFFREY
video direction JEAN PAUL DIA
camera assistant STEVEN JONES
production design FRANCESCA CARUSO
male models make up STERLING TULL
male models make up assistant VELLI SAIDUKU
male models hair DAVEY MATTHEW WITH THE ONLY AGENCY
male models hair assistant CLARRISA DE
location STUDIO BE ELECTRIC
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN

male models:
CALEB SO and JAYDEN JACKSON at IMG Models
JULIAN CARDONA at Major Model Management
COLTON GLENN at Q Models
AIDAN SCOUT, ALVIN OPAR and YANNICK SAKO at State Management
NICK OLSEN at Wilhelmina Models