The April digital cover features Liubov Liubinovska, former Scouting Director of System Agency and founder of New York-based Absolute Talent Management Agency. In a special material L’Officiel Online, the guest talks about the changes that have happened in Ukrainian modeling since the beginning of the full-scale invasion and also gives useful tips for models who are starting their careers. The editors also talked to models who shared the story of meeting and working with Liubov Liubinovska.
Liubov Liubinovska: Finding models for an agency, magazine, or brand has always been an occasion for me. I came into this business at the age of 20, and at the age of 22 I already became a scouting director in the Ukrainian branch of the most prestigious agency of John Casablancas - System Agency (formerly known as Star System).
Today I run my business and continue it here in New York. At the age of 20, the only goal I had was to contribute to the development of the model industry in Ukraine, to open up as many new faces to the world as possible, so that the world could see how beautiful our boys and girls are! Everything changed after the full-scale invasion. Russian troops stormed Mariupol, and I couldn't get in touch with my father, the models, and their families. In three months, my father got in touch, and I was able to take several models to Europe, but for two girls... They were new faces, aged 16 and 17. We were planning a trip to Kyiv for the summer holidays. Later I learned that one of them and her family were shot by the Russians when they wanted to leave Mariupol; another 16-year-old girl, together with her mother and 2-year-old sister, was brutally killed by the occupiers in their apartment. After that, something died forever in my soul that I would never be able to revive.
“My relatives were very worried when I went to the first meeting with Liuba. I remember that my dad was a little embarrassed; he took the dog with him and waited for me in the street while we were talking in the restaurant. I lived in Mariupol, not far from the hostilities. It was 2018. Liuba came to me and gave me a contract. She said something like, “Vika, you are so cool, you will become a top model!” A month later, I had the first shooting in Kyiv; a year later, I was on the catwalk for Prada Exclusive and then opened Valentino, Dries Van Noten, and Maison Margiela shows. I am especially in love with Maison Margiela, as well as with Hermes! The war has taken my home, but it will never take my hope,” says model Victoria Lulko, System Agency, Identity New York.
Liubov Liubinovska: Casting for an agency, brand, or magazine is always a challenge. I love spending hours on the internet looking for faces, but in some cases I'm powerless. The war began in eastern Ukraine in 2014, when the Russians occupied the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and Crimea. Once, a very pretty girl with big blue eyes caught my eye on a social network; she lived in Luhansk. I was ready to go to the occupied territory and was even morally prepared for what I would say to the FSB. It was like a breath of air for her family, because they dreamed that someone could finance their departure, but it was no longer possible for the girl to make documents. The family refused for protection reasons because the father, a former civil servant, changed his name and got a Russian passport, which is not accepted by either Ukraine or the world. We can only guess how much Russia has broken the lives of future talents and taken away their freedom.
"Once, when I was very young, I walked in my mother's wedding heels along the path near the house and imagined that I would be a model. Somewhere at the age of 14, Liuba wrote to me on the social network and invited me to come to the casting. She took the first photos and sent them to Paris, and 6 months later my mother and I went to Hamburg for my first modeling job. Our family needed money. I was still too small for this business, so my mother traveled with me and was always with me. This is how my modeling career began. From the very first shooting to today, I have been in the industry for 11 years. I am a girl from a small town called Uzin. I got into the modeling industry, and I visited so many countries that I ran out of pages in two passports! I worked with Converse, JW Anderson, Pull&Bear, and Onitsuka Tiger and was on many covers. I thank God every day for this opportunity, as well as the entire team that works with me!” says model Lera Koss, System Agency.
Liubov Liubinovska: Girls get into the modeling industry early, at the age of 16-18, or even earlier. At an early age, future catwalk stars study at school and then plan their education.
I don't recommend going on your first trip under the age of 18 - it's still a business for adults and psychologically mature people. But if you already need money very much, take someone from the family with you. This industry requires smart people and interesting personalities, so I always say: learn, develop, make friends, collaborate with creative people, do business, and use modeling as a tool to realize your dreams and start-ups. Don't just be models, be real talents!
“I was often rejected by agencies because of my short stature. For a girl, this is very painful, because at such an age when the perception of herself, her appearance, very much affects her self-confidence, I really wanted to try, and here the main thing is to find those agents who really believe in you. My turning point that changed my life was signing a contract with the agency. And then trips abroad, shooting with the best professionals in the world, started. It was modeling that inspired me to create my own clothing brand—IDENTITY LINGERIE. It's a brand for women and about women. “We promote self-confidence so that women can find clothes for any size and height,” says Diana Narodytska, CEO of IDENTITY LINGERIE.
Liubov Liubinovska: Our Ukrainian mentality is used to perceiving the modeling business as something frivolous, something that is far from sports, television, or music. Something that can in no way affect the financial side of the country, but this is not the case. On average, Ukrainian agencies have from 20 to 50 models; all these people work and pay taxes. The average salary of a model abroad for work ranges from €600 to €50,000, perhaps even more. It all depends on the level of the agency abroad, the model, and its success. Initially, a model works "for free" to make a portfolio. The portfolio is also money, and then it gradually begins to develop and earn more and more. Also, agencies in Ukraine receive a percentage abroad and also pay taxes. And, of course, everyone donates! Modeling is an invaluable contribution to the development of Ukrainian culture.
"Liuba found me at the age of 15. We were in touch for several years because I had to finish school and get a little older. When I was 19, I went to New York, and then I became the face of Dolce&Gabbana. Now I am 26, I live in Milan, I am married, and I continue to work in the industry. Today, Liuba is my agent. We did a few covers in our first year, which I'm very proud of. I do not know how my life would have changed if I had not chosen this profession, but I can say for sure that I would never have had so many opportunities that I have now,” shares the model Daria Melocchi, Absolute Talent Management, Next Milan
Liubov Liubinovska: You may ask why the industry does not support Ukrainian models in the way we would like it to. Why do Russians sometimes work better than Ukrainians? Why is the industry so heartless and not supporting us? I think the answer lies in ourselves. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, about half a year in, the industry was shocked, and Russian models did not work. No one booked them; everyone waited for what would happen next. But nothing happened. Ukrainian modeling agencies and models did not go on demonstrations against Russian models — everyone was silent. That's the answer: no one will do our work for us. We need to unite and not be silent!
“My first serious acquaintance with the world of glamour began with the Ukrainian Fashion Week. I came from Sumy to Kyiv for castings. At that time, the agency rented an apartment for us, and we lived with the girls; we were quite young, so Liuba lived with us. I'll never forget her cooking and making sure we were okay. These were cool and fun times, seemingly from a past life. I survived the occupation of the Sumy region, left for Paris, and I work as a model here. A model will always find a job in a big city. However, my heart is broken – my country, my city, suffers from constant shelling. I dream so much of going home – I just dream of going back there,” says model Margarux Brazhnyk, System Agency, Karin Paris.
Liubov Liubinovska: The modeling industry is facing new challenges with the development of artificial intelligence, which is our friend and enemy at the same time. Models will have to adapt to the new realities of the digital world. Brands will look for opportunities to pay less but demand more. Therefore, it is possible to use the so-called models' "avatars." In this case, only the digital appearance of the model is used, and they do not need to pay for tickets, studio, hourly payment of the model, and production. Several companies have already stated this. So, what awaits us in the future? I assume that it will be naturalness, greater development of UGC (user-generated content), and commercial appearance. It's just a matter of time.
Credits:
Talent: Liubov Liubinovska @liubov.liubinovska @absolutetalentmanagement
Photographer: Liubov Lukashenko @lukashenko.life
Stylist: Snizhana Bezhenar @bejenar.snejana
Makeup artist & Hair stylist: Tetiana Paun @paun.makeup @paun.agency
Floral designer: Ruslana Sheveria @ruslana_sheveria
Nails: Khrystyna Voloshchuk @kristi_nailart
Special thanks:
Centre Piece @centrepiece_official
System Agency @systemagency
Jeremie Roux @jeremieroux
Anna Pionova @annapionova
Talents:
Daria Melocchi @daria.v__
Viktoria Lulko @viktoria.lulko
Lera Koss @lera.koss.valerka
Diana Narodytska @diana_narodytska