ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: the interview

Chanel couture via TFS

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA

The Eye Catcher

Anastasija Kondratjeva is with NY Model Management &Vacatio (Riga)

NY model MGMT show card

PONY RYDER: How did you start modeling?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: I went to the agency when I was 16, and now it’s my mother agency Vacatio.

PONY RYDER: When you think back, at your very beginning as a model, do you see the progress you made in the way you pose?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: FOR SURE… trust me, you don’t want to see my very first polaroids.

Ph: Matt Irwin Vogue Russia December 2009

PONY RYDER: LOL. OK OK, so then what is the hardest thing for you as a new model?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: For me it was quite stressful to go to new cities, for example NY because it’s so big, as my city Riga is hundred times smaller that any capitals cities of fashion, but when I came I understood that there is nothing terrible, girls in model apartment help and agencies always make you feel comfortable

Ph: Matt Irwin Vogue Russia December 2009

PONY RYDER: Of all the fashion capitals, which one do you like the best and why?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: NY and Paris….I love NY because it’s so busy, big and completely different with all the cities in Europe, but in Paris it feels more relaxing for me.

PONY RYDER: OK, so where can you find the best croissant in Paris?
ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Haha… croissants… It’s special thing to talk about. But I enjoy Japanese food more.

Chanel Couture via TFS

PONY RYDER: Which shows do you like doing more: couture or pret a porter?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Nooo, it’s hard to choose between couture and pret a porter, the same as choosing between shows and shooting. Couture shows are amazing and the clothes, when you look at them in your mind there is just one question: How? How do the designers do it?

PONY RYDER: Of all the runway looks which one did you like the most?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Creative shows with some unusual things on the runway, shows which make people surprised and make them say WOW!

S Magazine #10

PONY RYDER: What is your personal style?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Personal style - I like simple - simple clothes like jeans with shirts, T-shirts, for the summer it’s kind of skirts, sometimes dresses. And I LOVE jackets and of course comfortable shoes. The colors - I choose dark (black or brown) or white, or I also enjoy myself in green or blue. So, as you can see, I like all the colors and I think they all look good if you know how to combine them.

PONY RYDER: And what is your favorite picture of yourself?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Haha, I like backstage pictures when I don’t know that someone is taking photos of me, it’s funny to see yourself doing something from the side.

N°21 - Alessandro Dell'Acqua F/W 10.11 Milan, style.it via TFS

PONY RYDER: What is your beauty routine?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Because of all the traveling and changing climate zones I have to take care of my skin - it means giving the skin some time to relax from make up, putting a lot of moisturizer.

Daks Fall 2010 London via TFS (vogue.com.uk)

PONY RYDER: Do you miss your long hair?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Maybe I miss my long hair just a little little bit, but I had naturally long hair for so long, so now I’m just looking happy in the mirror when I have extensions - full of dreams)))

PONY RYDER: Do you use any special products for you hair except shampoo?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Shampoo is never enough for hair, I have to put lots of conditioner and also masks to keep my hair looking good.

Thakoon FW10 via TFS (lisandwich)

PONY RYDER: Do you use make up?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Actually, I never put make up on because I want to let my skin relax between shootings and shows, but the one thing I can’t live without is lip balm.

PONY RYDER: What did you learn from make up artist you’ve worked with?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Fashion is full of useful things. Also, there are a lot of things to learn from make up artists… when your make up changes a few times a day, you just start to understand the correct way to put make up. Skin care is very important.

NY model mgmt show card

PONY RYDER: How do you stay in shape?

ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: I don’t have a special diet, I’m just trying to go to the gym as regularly as I can, also yoga, but there are 2 times per year that also help - fashion week, when you run a lot.

Ph: Matt Irwin Vogue Russia December 2009

PONY RYDER: Tell us about your friends in the fashion world.

CLICK: INTERVIEW WITH ULIANA TIKHOVA

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ANASTASIJA KONDRATJEVA: Oh, I can’t forget the girls I lived with in model apartments. Specially Uliana Tikhova who I live with in Milan and Paris and Elena Lomkova, Masha Philippova who I live with in NY. We try to keep in touch. When we meet there’s always so much to talk about, so many news- a few hours is not enough.

Ph. Shameer Khan

Interview with Anastasija Kondratjeva is original work by Pony Ryder.