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Anna Selezneva backstage at Fendi, Milan, September 25.
(Photo: Benhamin Lowy) |
Anna Selezneva
Birthday: July 29, 1988
Hometown: Moscow, Russia
Agency: Silent
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Backstage at Gucci, Milan, September 24.
(Photo: Firstview) |
The breakout star of spring 2009 is Anna Selezneva. The 20-year-old Russian walked as an exclusive for Calvin Klein in New York this season, a spot previously occupied by Kate Moss and Natalia Vodianova. “Anna is current and sexy, and I loved working with her,” says Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa. “This is clearly just the beginning of a great future ahead for her.” Her momentum continued overseas, where she was both opener and closer for Balmain and Emanuel Ungaro, was the last look at Valentino, and walked runways at Christian Dior, Karl Lagerfeld, Lanvin, and Louis Vuitton, among others.
Selezneva was discovered in Russia last year in an unlikely place—McDonald’s. “A boy of my age comes to me and says, ‘Listen, you are so pretty, don’t you want to become a model?’ ” Selezneva recalls in her lightly accented English. “I said, ‘I didn’t think about it, but if you have a real opportunity to send me abroad— ’ He said, ‘Where do you want to go?’ So, in two months I was in Paris.”
After signing with Silent management in Paris, Selezneva debuted on the runways there last October for designers like Dries Van Noten and Celine and was Italian Vogue Gioiello’s November 2007 cover. Her first star turn was this February, when she closed the fall 2008 Yves Saint Laurent show. In March, Mario Testino photographed her for a V magazine editorial, and Terry Richardson shot her for French Vogue. She currently appears in Calvin Klein Jeans ads. Asked what city she lives in, she replies, “It’s more like ‘In what airport do I live now?’ When I’m not traveling, I split my time between Paris, New York City, and Moscow.” Busy, yes; focused, too. Selezneva finished her undergraduate degree in psychology and is considering an advanced degree in the subject—that is, when her modeling career slows. After that Calvin Klein runway exclusive, a Collection campaign might not be far off. Settling down doesn’t look imminent.
