Model Citizen: Sasha Pivovarova

In anticipation of this season's New York Fashion Week (Strap on the stilettos, ladies and gents! It's almost here...) I was remembering one of my favorite behind the scenes images from last season. It's a snap from Cathy Horyn's On The Runway blog of Russian model Sasha Pivovarova doodling in a notebook while she gets primped for a show.

Initially I snidely thought, "Oh, that's cute. A model with a hobby." because I can sometimes harbor bitchy, icky resentments towards people paid for wearing couture and getting their makeup done. But then, on a good day when I didn't hate her 'cuz she's beautiful, I did some investigating and it turns out Sasha's really quite talented. She was an artist long before she was a model and actually studied art at St. Petersburg Art Institute before beginning her modeling career in 2005.

A t-shirt project Sasha did for Cosmo in China a few years back.

The model artist cute as a button in her Brooklyn studio.

More backstage sketching.


Self-portraits are Sasha's forte, as they should be.


An illustration Sasha worked on for Chanel at the request of Kaiser Karl.

Her drawings are gaining attention, because well, so is she, but it's an attention they deserve. I have a personal penchant for art involving faces, and with a self-portrait as pretty as hers, Sasha's quite uniquely qualified for the subject. I see a gallery show on the horizon. I for one hope she makes more T-shirts. I want one!

Click images for source information.