Antonina Kharyna is a renowned model and fashion blogger who has built a stunning career and proved to thousands of young women that dreams can come true. Originally from a small town in the Urals, Antonina mastered the intricacies of the modeling profession, started participating in the most prominent Fashion Weeks around the world, and worked on photoshoots for major brands and international projects. In her free time, the model enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and devoting herself to self-development.
In the field of modeling, I started actively developing about a year and a half ago. After going through so many shows, projects, events, and photoshoots, I see that I am in demand and people want to work with me. And it inspires me! Now I can say that, yes - I am a professional model, and I have succeeded. By the way, it wasn't my childhood dream. I couldn't even imagine that it was possible. I had standard dreams that were not related to modeling. I wanted to be an athlete; I thought I would devote my life only to sports. And besides sports, I didn't think about anything else in my childhood.
I am from a small town called Verkhnyaya Salda, located in the Sverdlovsk region. Initially, I participated in various school and city events. I was very active, I enjoyed communicating with people, showing myself, showing my talents; all of this attracted me. The idea of engaging in modeling was pushed by my mom's profession – she is a hairdresser. Since childhood, I always had trendy haircuts, and many people would come up to me and ask for a haircut like Tony's (laughs). And my aunt is a seamstress-fashion designer, so from childhood, I went around with a stylish haircut and stylishly dressed. However, we didn't have any modeling courses in our city. After a while, my mom and I found an advertisement for a modeling school in a neighboring town. And without much thought, we decided, why not?! I am tall, and everyone always told me that I could become a model. My mom and I applied to the modeling school in Nizhny Tagil, where I started my training. During the training, I met new people from the fashion world and learned more about this industry. I realized that I really liked it, and I wanted to continue to develop in this direction.
I have always felt tremendous support from my family. My grandmother, a creative person, supported me strongly at the beginning of my journey and continues to do so to this day. She dresses stylishly, has an excellent sense of style, and is very close to the fashion industry. My grandmother always supports me, especially in those moments when I am mentally and physically exhausted and want to give up. Her support is very important to me, and she plays a significant role in my life. In general, since I am close with my family, it was necessary for me to receive support from them. In my hometown, some people regarded my passion as something not serious, and some friends and acquaintances even judged me. Not surprisingly, the support of loved ones played a huge role and gave me additional strength (smiles).
I particularly remember my first works when I was training at the modeling school. At that time, I didn't understand what was expected of me; everything I did was funny and strange, receiving a lot of criticism. At that moment, I realized that being a model is very difficult! It is not enough to have a beautiful face and a good figure; you need to acquire fundamental knowledge and understanding of this profession. One of my first photoshoots is well remembered, where I had to portray a child with toys. I couldn't do it properly. I looked so ridiculous that at some point, I even thought that this is not for me! And it was then that I realized that being a model is far from easy.
I believe that a model should have a pleasant appearance and a good physical shape. However, this is only half the battle because beauty alone is not enough. You need to be a well-rounded individual: read a lot, be able to transform, know foreign languages. And also be charismatic to attract others and present yourself correctly.
The most important thing is to develop the right attitude towards yourself and others. You have to be able to see your strengths and feel your power. It also helps to be able to handle any difficult situation and learn from it. But the most important thing is to love yourself, see beauty in everything, value loved ones, and, of course, make them proud of you.
I have been fortunate to participate in various Fashion Weeks both in Russia and abroad. The organization of these events was of a high standard everywhere. I particularly remember my participation in Fashion Week in Sochi! I was amazed by the scale, coordination, and organization of the event. It was very nice to work with designers, stylists, and makeup artists. I want to note that in terms of organization, Russian Fashion Weeks are not inferior to foreign ones. I prefer and find it more interesting to participate in Russian Fashion Weeks than in Western projects. I believe that Russian fashion designers have reached a global level now.
I love all the designers I have worked with. Every collection was incredibly beautiful, and in each line, I found something that I liked. Therefore, I can't particularly highlight any of the designers.
What I enjoy the most is participating in bold and daring projects. For example, I participated in a leather collection show with rhythmic music playing in the background, so I not only wanted to walk but also dance (laughs). Everything was so fun and energetic; I had a lot of fun! I realized that each project is special to me. I'm proud that I have already had the opportunity to participate in many wonderful projects, and there are even more bright events ahead. So, my greatest pride is myself!
There is indeed a lot of attention, both from men and women. Sometimes, even on the street, girls come up to me and give compliments, which is very nice! Sometimes, of course, excessive attention starts to irritate a little. But I am sincerely happy to showcase my beauty!
It is important to take care of yourself, your diet, skin, and lifestyle. I believe that the most important thing is to love yourself, radiate goodness, confidence, and be in harmony with yourself. When a girl feels good on the inside, in her head, then she looks wonderful on the outside as well. And, of course, don't forget about having a positive attitude!
Yes, indeed, modeling work is hard. Especially when shows go on for whole days from 8 in the morning until late at night. You come home and don't want to do anything else... The main rest for me is to get enough sleep, eat delicious food, and spend time with loved ones. It's necessary to listen to your body and never overstrain! It is essential to allocate one or two days for rest after long shoots or projects to take care of yourself and your body.
I love to travel; I have already been to many cities and countries. But Yekaterinburg will forever be in my heart because I consider this city the beginning of my life. My great-grandfather fought and was awarded the Order of the Red Star and the medal "For the Defense of Moscow." Another great-grandfather worked at the metallurgical plant from the age of sixteen until retirement. My mother has owned a beauty salon for over thirty-five years, making people beautiful, and therefore, happy. I am very proud of all this. Wherever I am, I always want to live in a way that constantly feels warmth, tenderness, and radiates kindness. I find all of this when I come back to my beloved and unique Yekaterinburg.
Never stop believing in yourself! You have to pursue your goal no matter what! And, most importantly, it's desire. When there is a desire, there will also be an opportunity. I can advise you to do what you love, listen to your heart, not other people's opinions. And everything will work out!
