Interview with Natalia Elenkina: What’s it Like to be a Top Model?

Interview with Natalia Elenkina: What’s it Like to be a Top Model?

We caught up with Internationally renowned model Natalia to find out what it's like to model for some of the business's best brands.

Notorious "bad girl" model Natalia Elenkina is best known for her shots taken smoking cigarettes or with a coffee in her hand. We love everything about her aesthetic - from her oversized sunglasses and French berets to her stylist beach shots... What's the secret behind that bad girl's visage?

As it turns out, she was sweeter than sweet. Here's what she had to say about taking the modeling world by storm...

Natalia Elenkina, Top Model.

Q: Hi Natalia, so glad you could join us for the day. We want to dive straight in because we are so excited to meet you. You are known in the modeling world as a bit of a bad girl; what's your take on that?

A: Me? A bad girl? No... I had a photoshoot about a year ago and I rolled up a napkin to pretend it was a cigarette. The photographer started taking pictures and it sort of stuck. Photographer's always asking me now; can I use the cigarette? It's not something many models do, I guess... and I don't either! It was just a napkin and it went viral! But I had the experiments with smoking when I was young. In Russia and France, lots of people smoke. So, I was used to it already.

Q: Aren't you worried you will get addicted?

A: No, no, not at all. Addiction is in your head. I am too busy to become addicted. I don't have time to think about it. But coffee, though... I drink at least two skinny lattes a day.

Q: Ah! We knew you were too perfect. You had to have a flaw somewhere!

A: (Laughs) You caught me. I have a problem with coffee.

Q: Natalia, you have worked with big names in the fashion industry, you have a hectic daily schedule, and you have a professional photographer with you most days. So how did you come to be so internationally successful?

A: It was Instagram. I was still studying, and my friends were all starting accounts. One Friday night, I was bored and started my account, I posted some artistic aesthetic content and some big name brands spotted them and mentioned my name, which gained me lots of followers. It just spiraled from there... It's all been a bit mad. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself.

Q: So, it's a real Cinderella story then?

A: Well, I didn't have to clean the house after my evil stepsisters, but we weren't a well-off family. It's been a hell of a ride so far.

Q: And long may it continue. We don't know about our readers, Natalia, but we can't wait to see what you get up to next. We heard rumors that there might be some negotiations with a particular TV channel in the US, any truth in that?

A: (laughs) No comment. I'm not allowed to talk about it.

Q: Hmm. I guess we will watch this space...

More on Natalia Elenkina

Learn more about the next big thing in modeling - and possible acting - over on the Natalia Elenkina Instagram page. You can also follow her on TikTok or subscribe to her YouTube channel.