Natasha Poly
Natasha Poly | |
|---|---|
| Born | Natalia Sergeevna Polevshchikova July 12, 1985 Perm, Russian SFSR |
| Occupation | Fashion model |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Known for | One of the most in-demand models of the 2000s; Vogue Paris top 30 models of the decade; industry icon according to Models.com |
Natalia Sergeevna Polevshchikova (; born 12 July 1985), professionally recognized as Natasha Poly, is a prominent Russian fashion model. Since her debut in 2004, Poly has been featured in leading high-fashion advertisements, magazine covers, and runway presentations. She emerged as one of the most in-demand models during the mid to late 2000s, with Vogue Paris listing her among the top 30 models of that decade. Poly has graced 61 covers of Vogue and holds the title of industry icon according to Models.com.[1]
Early life and career beginnings
Originating from Perm, Russian SFSR, Poly started modeling within her hometown in 2000. At age 15, she was discovered by Mauro Palmentieri and earned second place at Moscow’s "New Model Today" contest.[2] Her runway debut took place in 2004 under the representation of Why Not Model Agency, where she walked for Emanuel Ungaro. That year marked her breakthrough as she participated in 54 shows across fashion capitals such as Milan, Paris, and New York City, while also securing back-to-back covers for Vogue Paris.[3]
Initial phase: 2004–2005
In 2004, Poly was featured in advertising campaigns for Alberta Ferretti and Louis Vuitton’s jewelry line and made her first appearance on the Emanuel Ungaro runway. Throughout that year, she walked in 54 shows for prestigious designers including Calvin Klein, Fendi, Gucci, Oscar de la Renta, and Versus Versace. Her unique aesthetic earned her editorial spots in Australian Vogue, Russian Vogue, and French Vogue, including two covers for Vogue Paris along with one cover each for Vogue Russia and Vogue Australia.
The following year, she starred in Roberto Cavalli’s Fall/Winter campaign and appeared once more on Vogue Paris alongside Mariacarla Boscono and Vlada Roslyakova. In 2005, Poly impressively walked in 130 shows and made a significant appearance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Ascendancy: 2007–2010
By 2007, Poly had broadened her experience to include walking in approximately 250 shows for designers such as Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, Bill Blass, and Oscar de la Renta.
She was among fourteen models featured on the September 2008 cover of V magazine, photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. That same year, she appeared in multiple advertising campaigns including Louis Vuitton, Roberto Cavalli, and Sonia Rykiel—participating in seven campaigns during the Fall/Winter season. Russian Vogue also dedicated a cover to her.
Poly achieved the top position on Fashion Television’s First Face ranking three times consecutively (Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009), which ranks models based on the number of runway show openings per season. Additionally, she consistently ranked within the top seven across various seasons from 2007 to 2010. Vogue Paris honored her as one of the leading models of the 2000s decade.
Sustained prominence: 2010–present
In 2010 alone, Poly appeared on ten different Vogue covers—including twice each on Vogue Paris and Vogue Russia—and took part in an H&M campaign.
At the Cannes Film Festival in 2012, she made a notable appearance wearing a dress by Gucci and continued active runway participation throughout that year. Subsequently, she was appointed as a brand ambassador for L'Oréal.
Poly featured alongside Gigi Hadid and Raquel Zimmermann in Versace’s Spring/Summer 2016 campaign shot by Steven Klein. She also starred in a Mercedes-Benz commercial titled "Obsession with an Icon," highlighting the Mercedes-Benz SL model. Furthermore, she became the face of Kurt Geiger’s Fall/Winter 2016 campaign.
Her portfolio expanded with appearances in Balmain’s S/S 17 campaign alongside supermodels Isabeli Fontana and Doutzen Kroes, as well as campaigns for Dsquared² and Thierry Mugler during the same period.
For the 2023/2024 fashion season, Poly walked for renowned labels such as Blumarine, Dolce&Gabbana, Michael Kors, Boss, Givenchy, and Mugler. In the Haute Couture shows of 2024, she appeared on runways for both Schiaparelli and Fendi.
Personal life
On 16 April 2011, Poly wed Dutch entrepreneur Peter Bakker in Saint-Tropez. The couple has two children: a daughter, Aleksandra Christina, born in May 2013, and a son, Adrian Grey, born in April 2019. They currently live in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Poly is proficient in both Russian and English.
External links
- IMDb
- Models.com
- FMD model