NATALIA OSIKOVA: "I SWITCHED TO THE PHILOSOPHICAL DEPARTMENT, WHICH I JUST GRADUATED WITH A SPECIALIST DEGREE IN THE HISTIORY OF PHILOSOPHY IN MAY 2014."

14th July 2014

Who is Natalia Osikova?

Well, if talking about myself, I feel like I should start this story with how I got into the world of fashion.
It was the end of 2006, St.-Petersburg Russia, where I met my future, and now former mother agent Sahib, who soon became one of my best friends and had been representing me to model agencies around the World until I signed my contract with VNY Model Management, New York.

So, in the age of 17 I first went to Japan as a fashion model. That was Tokyo where I first started building up my portfolio, getting professional experience, learning how to pose in front of photo and video cameras and figuring out the real meaning of the English word 'attitude' when, later on, it came up to shooting for the covers of world's biggest fashion magazines such as HARPER'S BAZAAR and L'Officiel.

What did you do before modeling?

Education. That's I guess something that anyone under 17 should do, right?

In the age of 5 I passed the admmitance exams to the Republic of Belarus State Gymnasium №1, which at that time was a very special educational institution, where we had complimentary chess, dancing, drawing, singing, swimming and handcrafting classes besides of the basic school program. After the 7th grade each of us had to choose a future specialization accordingly to our skills and talents. I chose the Department of Foreign Languages, and that's where I started making my long way to English language.

Then me and my mother moved to Russia and after 3 more years of the St.-Petersburg Engineering School of Electronics (college) I entered the Oriental Studies Department of St.-Petersburg State University. However, soon after that I switched to the Philosophical Department, which I just graduated with a specialist degree in the Histiory of Philosophy in May 2014.

Not sure that this fact will significantly change my life to the best, but I definitely enjoyed every entire year of the 5 year program, moreover, it was a no-joke challenge not only for my mind, but also for my soul.

NATALIA OSIKOVA, shot on location in NYC, 2014.

If talking about the creativity, hobbies and sports in my life I have always been involved in something, starting from musical school (classical guitar), singing in choir, swimming, dancing, horseriding, playing volleyball, etc. I even was attending a 'School of Models' for a while when I was 11 years old. However, that school was far from what we would expect a model school to be nowadays: there we mostly learned the basics of catwalk, choreography, acting, theatrics, basics of make up and proportions of the human body and stuff like this.

If you weren’t a model what would you be?

Anything. Just like everyone else, I guess, I was always and always will be on the crossroads of life, trying to make a right choice in between the paths it offers. Right now I am thinking about enrolling to the Atelier Esthetique Institute New York so I can have a chance to start my own spa business in the future. I am also learning driving rules right now in order to finally get a driver's license.

Your personal passion or hidden talents?

Lifetime philosopher
Owner of a 3-months-old pup of German Pincher
E-commerce modeling guru

Ten years from now (you will be…)?

Oh, that's a good chance to make a wish.
Hmmm.. Okay, I think I got it.
Did YOU make one? ;)

Favorite word?

Existentia. Relates very much to my academical and personal life experience.

What’s no fun?

Poverty, ilnesses, war.

Instant gratification?

None. Too high on life to choose the one.

Current 'eye candy'?

What's that? I eat candies with my mouth lol.

Favorite movie?

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, Frida, Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life

Something 'Timeless'?

Black and white photography

A quote that sums you up:

“Vita brevis” ie. art lasts forever, but artists die and are forgotten.
- Hippocrates.

"A heroine of my own lifetime movie, slightly crazed."
- Natalia O.

NATALIA OSIKOVA: "I SWITCHED TO THE PHILOSOPHICAL DEPARTMENT, WHICH I JUST GRADUATED WITH A SPECIALIST DEGREE IN THE HISTIORY OF PHILOSOPHY IN MAY 2014."

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