pautinka

exquisite! my favorite images are with Calvin Klein, Giambattista Valli, and Worth's creations but she looks beautiful in all.

she is a sweetheart!

ariti - thank you, this is new to me. Where did you find it?

thanks so much for posting this - I can't get over how poignant and beautifully-written this article is. No question about certain something: Natalia is one of the most written-about models and the qualitative difference in articles is there plainly. I only know a few models who would inspire such writing. Gisele, Kate Moss and most of the most popular ones cannot even touch Natalia's substance. Her life is just so rich and on a different plane from them.

Thanks maryna! I am blown away by the picture from HB Spain where Natalia is being made up - her eyes!!!

Incredible article, ariti, thanks for posting - very telling, informative and touching. I had quite strong feelings when I was reading it.

Thanks for posting. I have no time to do the detailed translation but here are a few main points that are new/ worthy of mentioning. 1. The very first Love Ball (2008) was the most successful one in terms of gathered money through auctioning and it has become the most successful charity event in the history of Russia up to date. I thought this was quite an achievement! $5,000 000. 2. Natalia did not want to discuss her personal life with an interviewer so the topic became fashion. She said that working in fashion has made her style, she knew nothing about style prior to working. The collaboration with CK was so thorough and impactful for her that now when she does not see herself billboards she gets nervous 3. she loves buying jewelry so much that it almost does not concern her that she does not get to wear all pieces 4. She loves fast shopping and also gets gifted constantly by friends-designers (R. Tisci in particular) 5. Hair - she still wishes for more hair, in fact a full mane (curly, thick) because her hair is thin and not abundant. 6. At the moment she loves to wear silk overalls with polka dots; long skirts over leather slim pants, and brogues. Heels are for special events. 7. Her new habits in light of global climate change? not buying a lot of stuff, getting by with what she already has (this refers to stuff for both her and her children). sorry for any possible mistakes, guys - I am traveling with family at the moment

Thanks for posting! Interesting but I am not sure how much it represents truly what she's into it - over the years she's always spoken for the brand she was a beauty embassador of at the moment (that she loves their products and that they are the best):L'Oreal, CK, now Guerlain...

I really enjoyed ETAM lingerie images - Natalia looks more beautiful and fresh than ever and the whole collection is much more tasteful (at least to my eye) - LOVE IT. Thanks for posting...

Tzarevna Frog is so cool! one of my favorite fables.

This is exactly the statement I agree with. Natalia CERTAINLY does not owe anything to anyone - press, fashion world insiders, fans. It is her personal and guarded life - like we all like it. Well, it is a bullet to swallow for me - not even that - just something to get used to... Life moves on, Justin fades in the past, and if this guy is looming larger and larger in her life, I trust she is aware why she's selected him out of the crowd. She is in the tough position because of 3 children and I hope that Justin is in their life frequently so there are certainly a tricky balance there to maintain between Justin and Pesko's presence in their lives. Gosh, life is definitely not easy to live, is it? But yes, it is a new chapter for everyone involved. She looks fantastic in all of this recent posts - with Pesko (quite care-free, not concerned as those photos from their dining experience, so that's good!) and the British Fashion Council's MEN Winners Announcement with Coma. Her skin is phenomenal and she radiates freshness. She's looking Goooood (and hopefully feeling it)

dying to know what her boots are - love their style, the height and wearability of the heels...

First, thanks to everyone for revealing their points of view. Here are my 5 cents and by all means I am merely sharing my view, not imposing it on anyone, as probably we are all formed people at this point. I am not making an idol out of Natalia, I am fully aware that as any reasonable human being she is a mix of admirable and non-admirable tendencies. We all are and the events of life test our tendencies and shape them at the same time. I also know that I am passionate and in general grateful person. It truly makes my day to see an act of kindness, everything else just pales in comparison for me. I believe this particular feature in me, for example, appeals to my husband, who finds it not very common and appreciates it (the fact that I will stop for an extended period of time and survey the kind act). I am aware that many people, including me, are capable of good and do it on regular basis without being praised. People come to doing it at different rate, different timing in their life. Motherhood effortlessly and naturally accelerated my getting to appreciation of patience and kindness. To Natalia it happened earlier, because of her sister. It is not part of her fairytale for me, it is simply her reality, stuff she's made of. So there - I am aware of my own goodness and capability as a compassionate human being. But I do admire taking it to a much greater and organized level and not resting at achieved results. Not just doing it because your job is to do it (say, doctors, rescuers, healers of sorts, etc), or not settling on simply conducting your job and then living your own small life in your own small shell/nest, occasionally making kind jesters towards others (like Natalia could have done and most of us do on regular basis). She does not rest much and I appreciate that. True, there are other people doing exactly the same and they ALL deserve honor, just like we give to Natalia. That does not change the fact that I respect specifically HER. I also have an explanation for being profoundly upset for her. It is called empathy. It is not related to making an idol out of Natalia or other people (celebrity or not). It rather relates to my imagination and ability to put myself in other people's shoes, imagine myself dealing with the situation they face, step by step, acknowledging causes and consequences, and in psychological terms speaks of my frontal cortex function (since we occasionally bring our professions in here). I do not think that it is ultimately disadvantageous quality or that it is imposed by media upon me. Contrarily, I view it as advantageous because I get to learn from other people's experiences that way. But why is it ultimately the case? Because I am made this way (some of it is inherited, some is self-made as I found benefits of such relating to others). Natalia is a live person, not a heroine of some imaginable tale. The article only stressed that. It is not her fault that the press liked the Cinderella story so much and fed it to us left and right (even if she did contribute initially to presenting it this way, which may be she did NOT - I have no idea). What I know is true is that people are attracted to it, precisely because it is real, sincere, natural, not squeezed out of finger as many cases with other celebrities and charities.

well said and very perceptive - this could indeed be the case and part of the thinking behind (other than majority of people should be easily entertained by the idea of mysterious Russian fairy tales). Interestingly, my own impression of my country's fables is that they are not entirely happy, they tend to leave you with a sense of loneliness or loss, though something happy happens in the end - but to get there, a hero typically looses a lot and it always struck me as sad but in a way more realistic and close to life.

You're absolutely right, eos, but this is not the point I made. The thing is, this NYTimes piece is not about what we already know, but what Natalia let us know, albeit obliquely. I think this is the first time she comes to acknowledge the separation, even if she doesn't say the actual words. It was a clever, elegant move to break the news in her own way, after having dispelled divorce rumors in the past. That's what I find relevant about it. You can't dismiss the article as mere gossip or speculation. Because it's an interview, and because the NYTimes is such a reliable, responsible source, unless she issues a statement denying it, it's the official confirmation we never had. And why do I find it important? Well, my best guess is, Natalia and Justin will formalize legal proceedings in the nearest future, or have already done so. My other guess is, she might also be dating this Sasha Pesko, and wants to do it in the open. If she's separated, and doesn't expect to get back to Justin, it's natural that she moves on. There's no reason why she should hide, as if she were doing something wrong behind her husband's back. I have to say I agree with you on both points, acfr1969. I got pretty sad for her and did not even sleep well, somehow took it very close - just because I wish her so well. What Valentino's partner said about Natalia sounded poignant and very respectfully - you cannot help but wish people like Natalia to succeed and do more kind and necessary things since she does them so well. People would not be describing what Natalia does/has done so meaningfully, would not be touched by her aspirations, if she was less charismatic. And yes, the confirmation was executed uber-elegantly.

I don't know, thedarknv. This is the NY Times and an interview. I have the feeling she sanctioned that paragraph. It's a way of telling the news without having to answer a direct question. The separation is obvious, but to my mind she's confirming, in a subtle way, what we already know. It doesn't read like gossip to me. NYTimes is as formal and official as you can get. One of the most reliable sources in America.

The shot in the Givenchy dress for the White Ball is a bit scary <_< Thank you for the HQs from the party - her skin is amazing, so dewy and fresh, and I simply do not see any pigmentation no matter how much I try as on the "untouched" editorial. She must employ a really good foundation that looks incredibly natural.

Vogue.co.uk http://www.vogue.co.uk/celebrity-photos/11...-charity-d.aspx From Russia With Love (Ella Alexander 03 June 2011) NATALIA VODIANOVA brought her Russian charm to London last night at a dinner to celebrate new a collaboration between her charity, The Naked Heart Foundation, with the recently-opened W Hotel St Petersburg. Hosted by Sadie Frost (who looked gorgeous in her Betty Boop-esque Frost French dress), guests - including Anne Hathaway (wearing Sixties vintage), Louis Vuitton new menswear creative director Kim Jones, Dinos Chapham and his wife Tiphaine de Lussy, Charlotte Dellal, Jonny Lee Miller and Valentino president Giancarlo Giammetti - sat down to a three-course meal at the Spice Market in London's W Hotel. Wearing a body-con dress by former Central Saint Martins student Krystof Strozyna, Vodianova told us, "I am Russian and the hotel is in Russia - it was a nice link. I really am so grateful for their support. The charity is something I feel very strongly about." How does she manage to juggle modelling, charity work, motherhood and the occasional marathon run? "I am 29 - I am young," she laughed. "I am hardworking and I have lots of energy." After dinner the group headed to the hotel's Wyld Bar, where the celebrations carried on late into the night.

Omg, I think you are really onto something here! I did not think about but it is often the case that couples have to wait some time w/out announcing the divorce in order for the settlement to be easier for them to handle. So maybe after 10 years they will be in the position when they do not have to fight in court battles (because of his family, reputation, etc) and handle everything reasonably quickly. I think this is a strong possibility!

I am pretty sure you are right.

It is absolutely ridiculous that she did not want to show his face. At the party, she was happily posing for photographers, but to leave does not show his face to me is absolutely ridiculous. Natalia hiding her face to worry, if she always looked to the paparazzi and always in control of all situations. She loves attention and now hides his face, I think it's the first time I see photos that she does this .. The beginning of the end. not sure I understand why this is ridiculous... she could be annoyed because one of the paparazzi was being very obnoxious, getting physically too close - I don't think it is pleasant for anyone... In the past, this might not have been the case because there was no incentive for the paparazzi to do so (but now that the rumors circulate around her and her troubled marriage so often, they may become more after her). Why is this beginning of the end?

Gisele Bündchen: First Billionaire Supermodel? aw-dropping looks, a beautiful baby boy, married to Tom Brady … is there anything Gisele Bündchen doesn't have? Apparently not, according to Forbes magazine. The publication reports that the Brazilian-born, world's highest-paid supermodel since 2004 is on track to become the first billionaire in her field. Besides being the face (and other parts) of Versace and Dior, the business-savvy 30-year-old aims to brand herself with her own line of jewelry, "green" cosmetics and lingerie, as well as sandals, says Forbes. The publication also lauds her real-estate holdings. Among her properties, it reports: a hotel in the south of Brazil, land in an upper-crust region of Bahia, a villa in Costa Rica and a Brentwood, Calif., estate that she and Brady purchased for $11 million (for the land alone) and will reportedly spend another $20 million to develop. When the gold dust settles, Forbes speculates, not only will Bündchen be the first billionaire supermodel, but also the first Brazilian female self-made billionaire. To borrow a term from Brady's game, touchdown. source: people.com

I have no opinion on this. Not clear to me why she hides her face and whether it necessarily has to do with her male companion. There just could be so many other reason why she shields her face from cameras. I just love it when she wears modern non-fussy style, she looks so sleek, young, and easy-going. Btw, it always strikes me how much her head is bigger than any other people's heads and I used to dislike large heads in people (especially with extra flesh - just had a very visceral reaction to it) but Natalia photographs so well and it does not give me the same reaction. But I think she is the only one who does not! if you look at every pic, her head literally is bigger than even any man's head

ariti, thanks! outstanding. There is something about Natalia's movements, I can't put my finger on what it is. It is more present and real in pictures than those of any other models with even better bodies. Well, for me Daria or Gisele may have more perfect model-bodies but they cannot beat Natalia's artful expressiveness. They just don't touch. this is why my hopes are high for her movie, although moving expressively your body and face is not enough for the movie genre and acting skills are no less important and she probably lacks them due to the lack of formal training. But Natalia has proven she is good at learning, she is a talented student.

yay!!! can't wait! I expect it will be a truly magical event.