Luksuz je bil vedno jezik identitete, vendar se njegov izraz spreminja. Če je modna industrija nekoč govorila predvsem skozi logotipe in dediščino velikih modnih hiš, danes najmočnejše modne zgodbe nastajajo iz nečesa veliko bolj pristnega – avtentičnosti, vrhunske izdelave in zgodb, ki jih ljudje ter modne znamke pripovedujejo o sebi. Spoznajte Anastasia Elektra (rojeno kot Shuoyi Chen).

Moja kariera je potekala v treh državah in treh različnih segmentih modne industrije – od komercialnega castinga v Chicagu in iskanja talentov med Kitajsko ter Zahodom do razvoja modelov za visoko modo v New Yorku. Ta pot mi je omogočila edinstven vpogled v to, kako se identiteta v modi oblikuje, razume in spreminja na različnih trgih.

Začela sem v Šanghaju pri agenciji KAT Agency, eni redkih kitajskih agencij, specializiranih za umeščanje mednarodnih modelov na kitajski trg. Delo mi je omogočilo pogled na obe strani modne industrije, ki je številni zahodni iskalci talentov nikoli ne spoznajo. Iskala sem mednarodne modele za azijski trg ter sodelovala z vodilnimi uredništvi, kot so Vogue China, Esquire China in Elle Men China, hkrati pa tudi z mladimi kitajskimi luksuznimi znamkami, kot sta Angel Chen in Jacques, ki kitajski luksuz gradijo na lastni identiteti in ne na posnemanju Zahoda.

Anastasia Elektra

Že zgodaj sem spoznala, da identiteta v modi nikoli ni univerzalna. Enak obraz, ista blagovna znamka ali celo ista revija lahko v različnih kulturnih okoljih pomenijo nekaj povsem drugega. Prav sposobnost povezovanja teh svetov je postala temelj vsega mojega nadaljnjega dela.

Naslednje poglavje moje kariere me je vodilo v Chicago, kjer sem se pri agenciji 10 MGMT posvetila komercialni modi. Sodelovanje z naročniki, kot so Target, American Airlines, Finish Line in JD Sports, pomeni hitro sprejemanje odločitev v okolju, kjer je najpomembnejše vprašanje vedno: Ali bo to nagovorilo potrošnika? Komercialni casting te nauči prepoznati široko privlačnost v trenutku in pod velikim časovnim pritiskom.

Prav ta izkušnja me je pripravila na prehod v New York in svet visoke mode. To ni bil preskok, temveč naraven razvoj. Medtem ko komercialni casting išče tisto, kar takoj pritegne pozornost, luksuz in editorial zahtevata nekaj več – prepoznati posameznika z izrazito osebnostjo, značajem in zgodbo. Pri modnih hišah, kot sta Comme des Garçons ali Dries Van Noten, ne iščeš zgolj lepega obraza, ampak osebo, ki lahko postane del njihove ustvarjalne vizije.

Danes kot talent managerka in iskalka talentov pri Crawford Models odkrivam nove obraze, razvijam njihove kariere ter jih povezujem z modnimi hišami, agencijami in publikacijami, kjer lahko resnično zaživijo. To je delo, ki temelji na intuiciji, zaupanju in dolgoročnem razmišljanju. Pot od prve testne fotografije do mednarodne kampanje pogosto traja več let.

Delo pri Crawford Models mi je omogočilo sodelovanje z nekaterimi najuspešnejšimi modeli današnjega časa, ki so nastopali v kampanjah za Zaro, Zegno in Dolce & Gabbano, obenem pa sem razvila tesne odnose tudi z uglednimi modnimi publikacijami, med njimi Vanity Teen. Prav pogled z obeh strani – agencijske in uredniške – razkrije, kako nastajata modna dediščina in ugled.

Skozi leta sem sodelovala s talenti, povezanimi z modnimi hišami Comme des Garçons, Bottega Veneta, Dries Van Noten in Louis Vuitton. Vsem je skupno razumevanje, da luksuz ni zgolj prestiž, temveč identiteta. Comme des Garçons skozi dekonstrukcijo pripoveduje zgodbe. Dries Van Noten poudarja rokodelsko znanje posameznih ateljejev in mojstrov. Bottega Veneta pa s svojim prepoznavnim prepletanjem usnja dokazuje, kako lahko vrhunska obrt postane zaščitni znak blagovne znamke.

Toda te zgodbe nikoli ne zaživijo samo skozi oblačila. Življenje jim vdahnejo ljudje, ki jih nosijo – modeli, odločitve casting direktorjev in uredniki, ki izberejo, kateri obraz bo krasil strani revij, kot sta Victor Magazine Brazil ali Icon.

Prav to pogosto manjka v razpravah o sodobnem luksuzu. Razvoj talentov je postal del modne dediščine. Spremljati nov obraz od prvih uredniških objav do kampanj za najuglednejše modne hiše pomeni soustvarjati prihodnost mode. Modna industrija dediščine ne ohranja zgolj – vsak dan jo na novo ustvarja.

Sodobni luksuz zato ni več le vprašanje tega, kaj visi na obešalniku. Določajo ga ljudje, ki oblačila nosijo, tisti, ki jih odkrijejo, in publikacije, ki njihove zgodbe predstavijo svetu. Po letih dela na vseh teh področjih verjamem, da bo prihodnost luksuza pripadala ne največjim logotipom, temveč najbolj iskrenim in prepričljivo pripovedovanim identitetam.

Digitalni portfelj in spletna stran pa odkrivajo še več: anastasia_elektra_

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Identity, Heritage, and Modern Luxury: An Insider’s View

By Anastasia Elektra (legal name Shuoyi Chen)

Luxury has always been a language of identity—but the dialect is changing. Where the industry once spoke almost exclusively through logos and legacy, today’s most compelling fashion narratives are built on something more enduring: authenticity, craftsmanship, and the stories that people and fashion houses choose to tell.

My career has unfolded across three countries and three distinct sectors of the fashion industry—from commercial casting in Chicago and cross-border scouting between China and the West to high-fashion talent development in New York. That journey has offered a perspective few people experience, allowing me to witness how identity is shaped, interpreted, and redefined across different markets.

My story began in Shanghai at KAT Agency, one of the few agencies in China dedicated to placing international models within the local market. The role allowed me to work from both sides of an industry that many Western scouts rarely encounter. I scouted international talent for Asia while building relationships with leading editorial titles including Vogue China, Esquire China, and Elle Men China, as well as emerging Chinese luxury brands such as Angel Chen and Jacques—labels redefining Chinese luxury on their own terms rather than following Western conventions.

Those early experiences taught me that identity in fashion is never universal. A face, a brand, or even a magazine can communicate something entirely different depending on the cultural context. Learning to translate between those worlds became the foundation of everything that followed.

My next chapter took me to Chicago, where I joined 10 MGMT and immersed myself in the world of commercial fashion. Working with clients including Target, American Airlines, Finish Line, and JD Sports meant learning to make quick decisions in a fast-paced environment where one question mattered above all else: Will this connect with consumers? Commercial casting teaches you to recognise broad appeal instantly and to make those judgments under constant deadlines.

That experience naturally prepared me for New York and the world of luxury fashion. Rather than being a dramatic shift, it felt like an evolution. Commercial casting trains you to recognise what immediately captures attention; editorial and luxury casting ask a deeper question—what feels unique, memorable, and capable of expressing a designer’s creative vision. Whether for Comme des Garçons or Dries Van Noten, the challenge becomes identifying not simply a beautiful face, but someone who embodies a narrative.

Today, as a talent manager and scout at Crawford Models, my work focuses on discovering new talent, developing careers, and connecting models with agencies, brands, and publications where they truly belong. It is a profession built equally on instinct, long-term relationships, and patience. A successful career rarely happens overnight; the journey from a first test shoot to an international campaign often takes years.

Working at Crawford Models has also placed me alongside some of the industry’s most successful talent—models who have fronted campaigns for Zara, Zegna, and Dolce & Gabbana—while allowing me to build strong relationships with respected editorial publications, including Vanity Teen. Experiencing both agency and editorial perspectives provides a rare understanding of how fashion heritage is created, preserved, and ultimately recognised.

Throughout my career, I have worked with talent connected to houses such as Comme des Garçons, Bottega Veneta, Dries Van Noten, and Louis Vuitton. These brands share something beyond prestige: they understand that luxury is rooted in identity. Comme des Garçons transforms deconstruction into storytelling. Dries Van Noten celebrates craftsmanship through textiles created by individual ateliers and artisans. Bottega Veneta’s signature intrecciato weaving demonstrates how exceptional craftsmanship becomes synonymous with brand identity.

Yet these stories are never told by clothing alone. They come to life through the people who wear them—the models selected for campaigns, the casting decisions made behind the scenes, and the editorial choices that determine who appears on the pages of magazines such as Victor Magazine Brazil or Icon.

This is often the missing piece in conversations about modern luxury. Talent development itself has become part of fashion heritage. Watching a new face evolve from early editorial features into campaigns for historic fashion houses is itself an act of building identity. The fashion industry does not simply preserve heritage—it continuously creates its future.

Modern luxury, therefore, is no longer defined solely by what hangs in a boutique. It is shaped by the people who wear it, the professionals who discover them, and the publications that choose to tell their stories. Having experienced that entire journey—from scouting and management to editorial collaborations—I believe the future of luxury belongs not to the loudest logo, but to the clearest, most authentic expression of identity.

The digital portfolio and website reveal even more: anastasia_elektra_