{"id":67242,"date":"2014-08-12T16:06:57","date_gmt":"2014-08-12T20:06:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=67242"},"modified":"2014-08-12T16:06:57","modified_gmt":"2014-08-12T20:06:57","slug":"ianas-outlook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/?p=67242","title":{"rendered":"Iana’s Outlook"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nPhotos Casey Vange<\/a> for Models.com<\/small><\/p>\n

Iana Godnia<\/a><\/strong>‘s striking face has become a familiar presence on top tier runways and in the pages of glossy magazines, but the Ukranian beauty isn’t some flash in the pan. The hardworking Iana has been steadily rising through the ranks, approaching her career with a dedication that is inspiring. During the fall shows Iana was one of the industry’s most in demand beauties, racking up an impressive lineup of shows including an exclusive spot on Calvin Klein’s influential runway and place in Nicolas Ghesqui\u00e8re<\/a>‘s Louis Vuitton debut collection. With her star on the rise and a series of prestige bookings on the horizon Iana is having the time of her life, taking in every new accomplishment with modest grace. <\/p>\n

When were you discovered? <\/strong><\/p>\n

IANA:<\/strong> I was discovered when I was 16, I was just discovered by an agency in Ukraine. I wasn\u2019t sure if I was really going to be doing it or not – I just went to the agency, then they took some polaroids and said, \u201cwe\u2019ll get in touch with you.\u201d I wasn\u2019t thinking much of it because I was just going to college and focusing on my studies. A few months later I received a call and they said, \u201cWe would like you to come! We have scouts coming from Paris and they\u2019d like to see you.\u201d I said, \u201cOkay!\u201d<\/p>\n

What was that experience like? <\/strong><\/p>\n

IANA:<\/strong> I didn\u2019t really know anything, I didn\u2019t speak any English, and I had never traveled outside of the country. I went to the casting and afterwards I received a call from my booker and he said \u201cIana, there was a filmmaker there and she wants you to be a part of her project.”<\/p>\n

I remembered I did one short interview besides the casting but I wasn\u2019t sure what it was for. Afterwards, I was like, okay\u2026 maybe I could meet her and try to talk to her and figure out what this is about. I couldn\u2019t speak English so she hired translators, which was really sweet of her. She explained that she was making this movie about modeling, using her own experiences and that of a newer girl. She wanted to find a girl from Ukraine who was going to be the new up and coming top model or something. She decided to go to Ukraine because she was always told that she would never be big because all of the girls that are successful are from Ukraine! <\/p>\n

What was it like to be a part of a documentary? <\/strong><\/p>\n

IANA:<\/strong> It was wonderful, we hung out for a few days and she filmed my normal life. She interviewed my mom, my friends, and a few days later she left. When she was there she was like, \u201cIana you will see, you will do so well, and I really believe in you and I\u2019ll see you in Paris!\u201d I didn\u2019t know if I was going to Paris, I was a first year in College and I was just trying to do that and didn\u2019t think much of it. At that time, my booker said, \u201cIana you need to go to Paris soon, we\u2019ve got an agency and I was like, \u2018 oh my god! It was all so excited, I had never done anything. I’m from a small town so just hearing about a trip to Paris was exciting to me. <\/p>\n

Was heading to Paris the first time difficult? <\/strong><\/p>\n

IANA:<\/strong> Parts of the trip were hard – I went to Paris with no understanding of the language and $200 in my pocket, but I was like, \u2018okay, I\u2019m going to try this!\u2019 It was definitely an experience because being out of your country and being alone you learn a lot about yourself. You need to be responsible and smart, learn how to just look out for yourself. When I look back I understand that now I would never do anything like that because it\u2019s so crazy to go by yourself with no knowledge, but I think that\u2019s the beauty of it. When you\u2019re young you find the courage – you’re just open to trying anything new. It was an amazing experience and it was just really great to be surrounded by fashion. I was at the model apartment, so I just tried to learn as much as I could. When I look back I realize I would not be the person I am now without that experience.<\/p>\n

\"casey-vange-iana-03a\"<\/p>\n

You’ve been modeling for some time now, but this season things went to another level.<\/strong><\/p>\n

IANA:<\/strong> I started almost 5 years ago. This season was like a breakthrough though which is amazing because I think when you really want something and you believe that it\u2019s got to be something it happens. I quit college and for me that was a big deal. I knew that I could have gone back home and gone back to school, but at the same time I just wanted to prove that I could do this. When it happened this season, it was amazing. My family was so excited and proud. My mom said, \u201cI told you! You\u2019re going to do great.\u201d Obviously at some points you get down on yourself and it\u2019s a really complicated industry.<\/p>\n

You’ve really grown up in the business – how do you feel you’ve changed from the start of your career until now? <\/strong><\/p>\n

IANA:<\/strong> It\u2019s really hard to start at such a young age – for girls especially, because you\u2019re so young and immature and you just want to always feel pretty – that’s all you want to hear, but with this industry you just feel like you\u2019re not good enough sometimes. You think, \u201cmaybe I need to get skinnier, maybe I have pimples, or there is something wrong with my hair?\u201d All the time, you\u2019re finding these things that make yourself unhappy which makes it harder to go to castings. It is hard to make people happy, because you\u2019re not happy inside. <\/p>\n

I think it\u2019s very important to find a peace that helps you to be yourself. As you grow you understand the person you are and I think people love when you can express that. I didn’t give up on myself. I used to think \u2018oh my god I\u2019m not 16 anymore! I\u2019ve got to like, hurry up because there is a time limit. But that doesn\u2019t matter as much in this industry anymore. As long as you look good and people are happy working with you that is what matters. There are a lot of models today who are older and gorgeous, they\u2019re mature and intelligent. It\u2019s a pleasure to work with them and I’d like to be like them as I continue in my career. <\/p>\n

So true. That is a great way to look at things. <\/strong><\/p>\n

IANA:<\/strong> When it happened this season, it was amazing and I\u2019m really thankful to people who decided to make me part of their show. I think that it was meant to happen now because I had met all of these people, but this is when it all came together. This season when it happened the people I’d worked with before were just so supportive, I had people come up to me and say \u201cIana I\u2019m so happy and so proud! You\u2019ve been doing this for so long..\u201d I was like, \u2018Yeah, my god it\u2019s been so long I can\u2019t believe it.\u2019When I talk to some other girls they\u2019re like \u2018yeah I\u2019ve been modeling for 8 years and it just happened now\u2019 so I understand that it\u2019s normal. Sometimes you can think, \u2018oh my god it\u2019s not happening right away, it\u2019s not going to happen.\u2019 But it\u2019s different for everyone and I\u2019m happy that it wasn\u2019t some overnight success. I had that experience because I think I worked hard enough to be where I am right now, so I think it gives me more appreciation than if I were a model who blew up overnight. <\/p>\n

Now I look back at some of the experiences I had in the past and it blows my mind how many incredible things I was exposed to. I was working with Azzedine Alaia when I was 17 for a fitting and I didn\u2019t even know who he was! When I go back and shoot for his lookbook, now I\u2019m like \u2018oh my god!\u2019 I think it\u2019s really important to develop that understanding and knowledge. If you don\u2019t have it, it\u2019s hard to get there because you need to know who you\u2019re working with and why it is important. This industry gives you so many opportunities to learn, to meet people, to see the world – it is important to appreciate that. <\/p>\n


\nIt really is – <\/strong><\/p>\n

IANA:<\/strong> It\u2019s crazy when you think about it! I remember I was dreaming of working with Calvin Klein but sometimes you put this barrier between you and the things you want. You think, \u2018oh I\u2019m never going to do that..\u2019 at some point I was like, \u2018why not? There\u2019s nothing wrong with me! I\u2019m tall, I\u2019m professional, I have the same opportunities as other girls! You just need to go out there and try.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"casey-vange-iana-01\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The gorgeous Iana Godnia proves hard work & a positive outlook pay off <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":176,"featured_media":67243,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,2],"tags":[9522,9426,1333],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67242"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/176"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=67242"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67469,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67242\/revisions\/67469"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/67243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=67242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=67242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/oftheminute\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=67242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}