Nobody walks like Natasha Poly, nobody looks like Natasha Poly, nobody is Natasha Poly. Known for her angular features and powerful command of the catwalk since her debut in the early 2000s, Poly has become, and maintained her status as, an indisputable modeling icon.

V: How do you think modeling will change moving forward?

Natasha Poly: I think the industry is becoming more human, which is a beautiful thing. There’s more individuality now, more personality, more openness to different ages, backgrounds, and stories. People connect with authenticity much more than perfection. Technology and digital fashion will also continue to change the industry in a big way. AI, virtual production, digital campaigns, but I still believe emotion and presence can never be replaced. Fashion is about energy, and human connection will always matter. I also think models today have more of a voice. In the past, models were expected to simply show up and look beautiful. Now they can be collaborators, entrepreneurs, mothers, creatives, and women with opinions and identities beyond the image.

V: What do you want people to know about modeling that you don’t think they do?

NP: People often see only the final image, the glamour, the clothes, the lights. But modeling is really about discipline, adaptability, and emotional strength. You constantly have to transform, travel, collaborate with completely different teams and energies, and still bring something authentic every single time. It’s not just about looking a certain way, it’s about telling a story without speaking. The strongest models are usually the ones who can make people feel something through an image. At the same time, there’s a huge amount of hard work behind the scenes that people never see. Early call times, long fittings, jet lag, pressure, constant change. You learn resilience very quickly.

V: What does growth mean to you as a person and as a model?

NP: Growth means staying curious and never becoming too comfortable. As a person, it means learning through every phase of life, becoming softer in some ways, stronger in others, and understanding yourself more deeply over time. As a model, growth means evolving without losing who you are. Every era teaches you something different. In the beginning, you want to prove yourself. Later, you realize confidence comes from experience, trust, and knowing your own value. For me, growth is also about gratitude, being able to look back at every chapter, every challenge, every beautiful moment, and understand how it shaped you into who you are today.

This cover story appears in the pages of V161: now available for purchase!

Photography Luigi & Iango

Fashion B. Åkerlund

Creative Director / Editor-in-Chief Stephen Gan

Model Natasha Poly (The Lions)

Casting Maxime Valentini (2b Management)

Makeup Georgi Sandev (Forward Artists) 

Hair Mari Watase (87 Artists) using Oribe

Manicure Jazz Style (See Management) using CHANEL LE VERNIS

Fashion Market Editor Copelyn Bengel

Styling Support Elanur Erdoğan (Forward Artists)

Producer Louis Guillemain (2b Management)

Cinematographer Santiago Montes

Photo Assistant Francisco Betancourt

Makeup Assistants Chloe Yang, Jack Titcomb

Production Assistants Juliet Lloyd, Angelina Aliano, Maksim Doraev