Sasha Pivovarova

Modeling career

As an art history student at the Russian State University for the Humanities, Pivovarova never dreamed of becoming a model until her friend and future husband, photographer Igor Vishnyakov, took photos of her in 2005 and gave them to international modeling agency IMG, thus beginning her career. After signing with IMG, her first runway show was for Prada, who then signed her to a three-year exclusive advertising contract.

To date, Pivovarova has appeared in campaign ads for Prada, Chanel, Balenciaga, Dior Beauty, Miu Miu, Yves Saint Laurent, Mulberry, Chloé, Jimmy Choo, Max Mara, Hugo Boss, Giorgio Armani, Michael Kors, Lanvin, Juicy Couture, Etro, Frame Denim, Giada, H&M, Alberta Ferretti, Dsquared2, Massimo Dutti, Toteme, Shiseido, Pringle of Scotland, Paul & Joe, Longchamp, John Galliano, Biotherm, Kenzo, Thomas Wylde, Paco Rabanne Fragrance, Moncler, PHI, Olay.

In the May 2007 issue of American Vogue she was featured on the cover with Doutzen Kroes, Caroline Trentini, Raquel Zimmermann, Jessica Stam, Agyness Deyn, Coco Rocha, Hilary Rhoda, Chanel Iman, and Lily Donaldson as the "World's Next Top Models." In her interview, she talked about her love for art and reading.

Pivovarova has been featured on the covers of various international Vogue's, including the US, British, Italian, Paris, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Australian editions. As a favorite of renowned photographer Steven Meisel, she has appeared on the cover of Italian Vogue 9 times as of 2016.

Pivovarova appeared in the 2008 Pirelli Calendar. Spain's Marie Claire awards 'Prix de la Moda' awarded Pivovarova as "Prix International Best Model" on November 20, 2008. In December 2009, she became the face for Giorgio Armani and Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott photograph Pivovarova for Longchamp, alongside Kate Moss.

In May 2008, she opened the spring show for Chanel couture in Paris. In July 2008, she closed the fall show for Chanel couture in Paris and walked for Jean Paul Gaultier couture. In September, she opened the show for rag & bone, Rodarte, and Pringle of Scotland in Milan and New York. In October, she posed for the inaugural cover of Numéro Korea. In January 2009, she walked the Christian Dior, Chanel, Elie Saab, and Valentino couture shows in Paris. In February 2009, she opened the shows for Shiatzy Chen, Miss Sixty, Rodarte, and MaxMara shows in New York and Milan; closed the fall PHI, MaxMara, and Pringle of Scotland shows.

In early 2009, Pivovarova was ranked second on the Models.com Top 50 Models Women list, sharing the spot with Natasha Poly, but moved to number four on that list by March 2011. As of 2013, she is listed on the "Industry Icons" list. Vogue Paris declared her one of the top 30 models of the 2000s (decade).

Throughout 2011, Pivovarova has appeared in numerous ad campaigns, most recently for Giorgio Armani, Hugo Boss, Paul & Joe, Alberta Ferretti, Miu Miu, Juicy Couture, Roberto Cavalli, and numerous others. During the spring-summer season she featured in six campaigns, while in the fall she has appeared in eight. Pivovarova is considered one of the fashion industry's biggest models and continues to star in ad campaigns for illustrious brands such as Prada and Chanel. Pivovarova was on the cover of French Vogue for the October 2011 issue.

Her agencies are: IMG Models in New York City, and Donna Models in Tokyo. Took her own self-portrait for the new Rag & Bone Do-It-Yourself ad campaign spring 2011 along with models Abbey Lee Kershaw and Lily Aldridge.

In 2013, Pivovarova made a comeback in print ads after giving birth to her daughter Isis in 2012. She appeared in Prada and Prada Resort Spring/Summer 2013 Campaigns shot by Steven Meisel. Pivovarova also appeared in Fall/Winter 2014 campaigns for Massimo Dutti, Chloé, and H&M.

In 2015, Pivovarova appeared in numerous Spring/Summer campaigns for Balenciaga, Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Fragrance, Etro, Frame Denim, Giada and Fall/Winter campaigns for H&M Beauty, Alberta Ferretti, Toteme and Michael Kors Resort. She also returned in the runway for Karl Lagerfeld's Chanel Fall/Winter collection.

In 2016, shot by photographer Steven Meisel, Pivovraova returned as the model for Prada's 2016 Spring/Summer campaign along with Natalia Vodianova and Dutch newcomer Yasmin Wijnaldum, as well as the Max Mara 2016 Spring/Summer campaign. Pivovarova appeared on the cover of Vogue China's February edition along with Anja Rubik. Pivovarova was on the cover of Vogue Italia for their June 2016 edition photographed by Mario Sorrenti, she then appeared in the AD Campaign for Prada's Pre-Fall 2016 collection. Pivovarova also appeared in the Ad campaign for Jimmy Choo Fall/Winter 2016 photographed by Craig McDean. She walked in an A Listed models lineup (whom also included Karen Elson, Joan Smalls, Carolyn Murphy, Irina Shayk, Mariacarla Boscono, Andreea Diaconu, Jamie Bochert, Bella Hadid, Taylor Marie Hill, Anna Ewers, Saskia de Brauw, Iselin Steiro) for the Atelier Versace Haute Couture Fall/Winter 16 collection. Photographed by Steven Meisel, Pivovarova was again one of the models chosen for Prada's Fall/Winter 2016 which was her 19th Prada AD Campaign - a record Pivovarova has set for the brand. She again became the face for H&M'S Fall/Winter 2016 campaign.

In 2017, Pivovarova became one the faces for Lanvin in their Fall/Winter 17 campaign and for Dsquared2 in their campaign for Fall/Winter 17 co starring other models such as Joan Smalls and Natasha Poly.

Cameo appearance

Pivovarova made her acting debut in the science-fiction thriller In Time, opposite Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried. Pivovarova played Clara, the 130-year-old mother-in-law of Vincent Kartheiser's character, Philip Weis, who is 90 years old.

Personal life

Pivovarova is married to photographer Igor Vishnyakov. They married in Thailand and recreated the scene for a photo shoot in the June 2009 edition of American Vogue with close family and friends, including Jessica Stam and Irina Kulikova. Pivovarova gave birth to their first child, daughter Mia Isis, in New York in May 2012.

Born in Moscow, Pivovarova now lives in New York, where her home doubles as an art studio. Pivovarova said in a Teen Vogue interview, "I was playing with pencils while the other girls were playing with dolls." In her free time, Pivovarova paints and draws. Her paintings have been displayed in a gallery in Paris, Mansion Grand in New York, and have been published in French Vogue. She said in an interview with CNN that she uses anything as a canvas: hotel papers, casting and itinerary papers—anything she can find. She has created a sleepwear collection inspired by fairy tales for Gap, launching on December 1, 2011.