Sixteen years after her last V cover, Natasha Poly makes a grand return, rising like a Phoenix in THE dress of the season from Pierpaolo Piccioli’s debut Balenciaga collection.

Having entered the industry in the early ‘00s, the renowned Russian supermodel has witnessed its transformation firsthand. Reflecting on the changes steeped in today’s fashion mythology, she says: “Models today have a voice and an identity beyond the runway. There’s much more room for personality, background, and individuality. When I started, the focus was almost entirely on the image. Now, the person matters just as much, and I think that’s a very healthy evolution for the industry.”

V: What’s your favorite part about spring? Are there any fond memories you associate with the season?

Natasha Poly: “Spring always feels like a quiet reset for me. I associate it with the beginning of show season when I was very young, running from castings in cities that still felt unfamiliar, full of hope and adrenaline. There’s something about that mix of exhaustion and excitement that still lives in spring for me. It feels like a possibility.”—Natasha Poly

V: Many of the Spring 2026 collections were debuts for certain designers, opening up a larger conversation around fashion’s need for renewal. How are you feeling about the recent creative shake-ups at these fashion houses?

NP: I think renewal is essential for fashion. It’s a living industry, and it needs new energy to stay relevant. Of course, it can feel emotional when a long creative chapter closes, especially when you’ve built memories with a house, but there’s also something very beautiful about watching a new vision take shape. It keeps everyone alert, curious, and inspired again.

V: What excites you most about the current state of modeling today?

NP: Models today have a voice and an identity beyond the runway. There’s much more room for personality, background, and individuality. When I started, the focus was almost entirely on the image. Now, the person matters just as much, and I think that’s a very healthy evolution for the industry.

V: A designer’s debut collection is often a statement of identity. Do you remember what you wanted your first major season to say about you? How did you personally manage the pressure of being “introduced” to the industry?

NP: I don’t think I was thinking in such strategic terms at the time. I was just trying to survive it. I wanted to be professional, reliable, and strong. I remember feeling that every show could change my life, so I approached everything with total seriousness. The pressure was huge, but I was so focused on doing the work that I didn’t have time to overthink it.

V: What do you see as the parallels between a model’s first runway moment and a designer presenting their first collection?

NP: Both moments are incredibly vulnerable. You’re showing the world who you are without knowing how it will be received. There’s courage in that exposure. It’s a mix of fear and pride at the same time.

V: Have you ever felt like you were growing alongside a designer who was just starting out? What was that experience like?

NP: Yes, and those are some of the most meaningful relationships in my career. When you grow together, there’s a sense of shared journey and trust. You remember the early days, the uncertainty, the experimentation. It creates a bond that feels very personal, beyond just work.

V: Do you think it’s better for a debut—whether for a model or a designer—to feel perfectly polished, or slightly raw?

NP: Slightly raw. Perfection can feel distant, but rawness feels human and memorable. That’s often what people connect to the most.

This story appears in the pages of V159: now available for purchase!

Photography Chris Colls
Fashion George Cortina
Model Natasha Poly (The Lions)
Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director Stephen Gan
Makeup Mark Carrasquillo (Streeters)
Hair Bob Recine
Manicure Honey (Exposure)
Casting Goran Macura
Executive Producer Dana Brockman (Viewfinders)
Producer Max Bonbrest (Viewfinders)
Production Assistant T. Harper
Digital Technician Jeanine Robinson
Movement Director Marly Phillips Nicol
Director of Editorial Film Mynxii White
Location Untitled Studios
Equipment Alex Bova
Photo Assistants Daniil Zaikin, Ben Carhartt
Styling Assistants Moses Moreno, Trevor McMullan,
Jared Benhart, Mary Reinehr Gigler
Tailor Yaqi Sun (Atelier YQS)
Makeup Assistants Shoko Sawatari, Yuui Vision
Hair Assistant Shinya Iwamoto
Set Designer Happy Massee (La La Land)
Set Design Assistant Kevin Murphy