Brunch Mumbai – June 29, 2019

coverWeLLNestoryss sPecIAL

“I

wasnever anangel. Idid

notsleeponweekends

becausemyfriendandI

wouldbe thefirstat the

nightclubandthelasttoleave.For

three years, IdancedeveryFriday

andSaturday...maybethat’s howI

managedtoget thebody! Thoseearly

days of mycareerwere filled with

mischief,but they arethehappiest

days Icanremember...”

That’s NataliaVodianova,aka

Supernova,oneof theworld’smost

successful supermodels,spillingher

heartout in anexclusive interview

toHT Brunch.Rememberedfor her

inspiringrags-to-richesstory in which

shewent fromsellingfruitasachild

withhermotherto becomingaForbes

magazine-ratified “oneof thehighest

paidmodelsin theworld,”Natalia

sawitall. Now37, Nataliamayhave

retiredfromtherunway,but she

continuesherrole in publiclife.

“I’llalways rememberwhenI

firstarrivedinParisat 17.It wasmy

firstbreakin modellingandIhad

justbeenscoutedbyatop model-

lingagency. BeforeIknewit, Iwas

whisked away to thebrightlightsof

oneof thefashioncapitals...”

LIFeAFter

tHeLIMeLIGHt

Whilealot of beautifulwomenand

menmake it as successfulmodels,few

of themare able to transitionfrom

theglareofcelebrityhoodto amore

subduedlife.Howhave youmanaged,

weask.Andwhatisyouradviceto

thosewhoareheaded thatway?

“Itis very muchhumannatureto

getusedtothegoodlife very quickly,

whichmeansleavingit behindcanbe

very difficult,”says Natalia.“I think

thekeyistoalwayshaveanother pur-

pose,somethingthatyouarepassion-

ateaboutpursuingafterthecelebrity

sidefades. Forme, myphilanthropic

work is somethingIhavealwaysloved.

IalwaysknewthatIhadacleargoal

outsideof modelling.”

Tothosegraduatingoutof being

in thelimelight,shesays, “Mymain

tipwouldbe to do thingsthathelps

othersor theworld. This willgive you

backsomuchandwillhelp youshape

alegacy.”

HoWtoeArN“Love”

Natalia’snewest ventureisElbiIndia,

aplatformthatpromotesphilanthrop-

ic actions,encouragesusersto do

goodandrewards themforthesame.

“Doinggoodis thenewcool,”shesays.

“Philanthropicgivinghasbecome

moreefficientinIndia,withtherising

numbersof middle-classdonors.India

is hometo afifthof theworld’syouth,

andthesepeoplewant to live well and

give well. Elbioffersusersrewardsin

theformofLoveCoinsforevery rupee

onedonates.Thesecanthenbe used

at theLoveShop to getanythingfrom

thelatesthigh-endfashionacces-

soryto securingticketsto thenext

must-attendexclusive event. Those

whosubscribecanalsowinexciting

experiencesas rewards...allthis just

for‘doinggood’!”

Theplatform,whichworks onthe

webandmobile,launchedinterna-

tionallylastyear andhas beenApple’s

“Appof theday” in 68 countries.“To

be honest,Elbiwas bornout of

frustration.Myco-founderand

businesspartnerTimonAfinskysaw

howtherewas alackofengagement

withyounger people,andtherewas

nosimple,easyway that peoplecould

give to arangeofcauses.Making

givingas easyasa“like” onFacebook

wasthechallenge.”

Takingupcausesisnot newfor

Natalia.In 2004,shelaunchedthe

Naked HeartFoundation,whichhas

helpedthousandsof childrenwith

mental,sensoryandphysical

disabilities.Beforethat, Nataliahad

launchedacampaigncalled‘Let’s

Talk AboutIt.Period’,whichencour-

agedfreetalkaboutthemostnatural

thingthathappens to women.

“Theideaofgivingback[to

society] hasalwaysbeenimportant

to me,” Nataliasays.“Thiscouldbe

becauseof thestigmaIfacedperson-

ally. Growingupwithadisabled half-

sister,thingswere really tough. My

familyandIfacedatorridamountof

abuse,sometimesphysical,asaresult

of mysister’s disability.[Natalia’s

half-sisterOksanahasautismand

cerebralpalsy].People wouldspitat

meandsayIwas dirty like mysister

andthattheydidn’t want to touch me

becauseIwouldpoisonthem.Iknow

howitfeels to have nobodytoconfide

in,nobodytotrust. Ihad nochoice

buttobestrong. WhereIcamefrom,

youhad to useyour imaginationto get

throughanotherday. Ihatetothink

thatpeoplestillhave to go through

thisnowaroundtheworld.”

tHeMostBeAUtIFUL

coUNtryINtHe WorLD

Conversationnowshiftstowardsmore

beautiful,happythings,andontop

of thelistfortheformer supermodel

is: India!

“I thinkwhat amazes methemost

is thesensualdelightsyour country

hasto offer,” shebeginsananswerwe

scars to

stars

HoWsUPerMoDeL

NAtALIAvoDIANovA

tUrNeDHeroWNrAGs-to-rIcHes

storyINtoANINItIAtIvetHAt

eNcoUrAGesyoUNGPeoPLe to Be

GeNeroUsANDBe reWArDeDForIt!

By JamalShaikh

Photosby PatrickDemarchelier

“DoINGGooDIs tHeNeWcooL.

tHeyoUNGWANtto LIveWeLL,

ANDGIveWeLL!”

june30, 2019

[HoWtoAGe WItHGrAce]

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