266When we moved to a bigger city, my sister went to university
and I went to college to study marketing. There was a beauty
school we went to in the afternoons, and there was a
modelling school next door. Guia Jikidze, who became my
manager and who unfortunately passed away, sent a scout
to this beauty school. He saw me, took pictures and sent
them to Guia, who said, “Oh, do you wanna be a model?
Do you wanna go to Paris?”
What was it like arriving in Paris as a 19-year-old?
It was nothing like arriving today. There was no car service,
no greeters at the airport.
I remember.
It was an apartment with eight models sharing two bathrooms.
It was ¤50 a week, ¤25 you had to spend for a week’s Métro
ticket. I remember, Friday, Saturday and Sunday we had
nothing to eat. I didn’t speak any English, I just knew, “My
name is Irina,” and, “How are you?” But, you know, it was
the most beautiful time I’ve ever had. I’d known about theworld existing out there, but it was
my first stop from Russia.
What was your big break?
Going to my agency and saying,
“Send me somewhere else, because
I need to make money.” I went to
Spain and booked a catalogue for
Lacoste, went to the Caribbean to
shoot it, and I made, I don’t know,
¤4,000? My mom cried for days.
In America my first break was
Sports Illustrated.
As a Russian-raised former Sports
Illustrated model, how do you think
your feminism developed?
Through my relationships and life
experience I’ve learnt to stand my
ground. I came into this business
stamped as a commercial model,
and I embraced it – I always had big
boobs and shapes. When I was in
Paris, I wished maybe I was skinny,
because the clothes didn’t fit me and
I couldn’t make money. But women
are powerful, and we just have to
embrace who we are.
How did it feel to be such a young
woman in this industry?
I started modelling when I was 19,
20, so I’d had my childhood. I always
believed in me. At 14 I felt like I was
in the wrong body, then finally I
felt OK to be a woman. I didn’t feel
pressure to lose kilos and colour my
hair, and I always, still now, stick to
that. I think the industry’s changing
for the better. Back then it was so
different: it was a map; it was no
Instagram, no Facebook, the clients
couldn’t say, “She has that big
following, and she’s popular on
Facebook, let’s book her.” All you had
were your pictures and what you had
to say. And I could not say anything.
What do you think about the
current situation with LGBTQIA+
rights in Russia?
You know, I love my country. In
Moscow there are the most fun underground gay clubs, where
people from all the world come. I have a lot of friends who
are fluid genders. But I think as much as we say that Russia
is a democratic country, it’s still on the way there in that aspect.
How have your priorities changed since becoming a mother?
Well, it’s hard to find a balance between being a single mom
and being a working woman and provider. Trust me, there
are days I wake up and I’m like, “Oh my god, I don’t know
what to do, I’m falling apart.” I always try not to stay away
from my daughter for more than a week, but I also don’t
want to be this woman who’s not truthful to herself, because
I love my work and I was raised in a woman-run household. I
want my daughter to know that momma has a job in her
life because I want to raise a strong, powerful woman.
Presents and food do not come out of the blue.
Did your priorities change overnight?
No, I was working until I was seven and a half months
pregnant. I remember giving birth, waking up, andABOVE: LACE DRESS
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