Diana Nikitiuk: v svojem ritmu

Na terasi pariškega hotela Le Meurice, pod nežnim jutranjim soncem, se srečamo z njo, za katero se zdi, da živi več življenj hkrati. Model. Vplivnica. Ustanoviteljica marketinške agencije. GRAZIA predstavlja žensko, ki igra po svojih pravilih: v modi, karieri in življenju. Diana Nikitiuk je spregovorila o moči, lepoti in svobodi biti to, kar je: »Ne igram vlog. Znam le biti to, kar sem.« In preprosto ženska, ki ne čaka na dovoljenje, da bi bila to, kar je. Njen Instagram profil je galerija čustev, stilov in razpoloženj, medtem ko je njeno življenje elegantno potovanje skozi modo, poslovanje, umetnost in sanje.

Vaša podoba je vedno večplastna. Pogosto se kažete v zelo različnih vlogah. Gre za premišljen pristop ali vaše naravno stanje?

Zame je to popolnoma naravno stanje, ki je postalo življenjski slog. Ne trudim se biti drugačno – preprosto sem. Moja realnost se spreminja vsak dan in razvijam se z njo. Ne menjam samo oblačil ali vlog – živim jih. V ponedeljek sem kreativna strateginja v digitalni agenciji, v sredo sem obraz kampanje v Barceloni. V petek morda ustvarjam glasbo ali boksam. In še veliko, veliko več. Naučila sem se hitro preklapljati: z jutranjega sestanka pred fotoobjektiv, medtem ko si prepevam melodijo, ki jo lahko kasneje spremenim v pesem. Včasih se zdi, kot da živim več življenj hkrati. A vse te vloge so moje in so resnične. In rada jih mešam – predvsem pa rada uživam v njih.

 

Manekenstvo in marketing se zdita kot dva zelo različna svetova. Kako vam uspe živeti v obeh?

Bolj sta si podobna, kot si mislite. V obeh moraš čutiti ljudi. Med snemanjem usmerjam idejo nekoga drugega skozi sebe – svoj obraz, svojo izvedbo. V marketingu pa je ravno obratno: svojo idejo izrazim skozi blagovno znamko nekoga drugega. Gre za intuicijo, hitro razmišljanje in sposobnost videti onkraj lepe slike.

Zdite se nam kot ženska, ki živi po svojih pravilih …

Ker je res. Svoboda ni privilegij ali darilo. Ni nekaj, kar ti je dano. In ni nekaj, kar podeduješ ali zaslužiš. Je nekaj, kar vzameš in izbereš. Ta tema je zame zelo osebna in pomembna. Verjamem, da je svoboda temelj vsega, najpomembnejša stvar, ki jo lahko človek ima. Svoboda zame ni zunanja dovoljenja, temveč notranji dogovor s sabo: imam pravico biti to, kar čutim, da sem v vsakem trenutku. Brez razlag, brez opravičil, brez popustov za pričakovanja drugih. Ne opravičujem se za svojo moč in ne pristajam na nič, kar me zmanjšuje. To je notranja odločitev. Včasih vsakodnevni boj. Poznam veliko žensk, ki imajo navzven vse, a si ne dovolijo biti resnične. Ker je to strašljivo. Ker nihče ne bo razumel. Svet ženske že dolgo uči, naj bodo tiho, naj ne izstopajo, naj ugajajo. Jaz nisem nič od tega. In prav zato sem tam, kjer sem. Ne bojim se biti nevšečna – ker se v tej ‘nevšečnosti’ rodi prava moč in se razkrije značaj.

Kaj za vas pomeni moč?

Tudi sposobnost reči ne – ne iz ega, ampak iz samospoštovanja – je moč. Ne poskušam ugoditi svetu. Počutim se močno, ko se odločam: s kom delam, kam potujem, kaj objavljam, čemu posvečam svoj čas. Sprejemam hitre odločitve – da – vendar vedno mislim na posledice. Moja svoboda ni kaos, ampak globok notranji koordinatni sistem. Sem zelo odgovorna. Če se nečemu zavežem – to bom storila, tudi če je težko. Ker biti močan pomeni tudi biti zanesljiv.

Ali kdaj dvomite vase?

Seveda. Verjamem, da dvom ni šibkost, ampak dokaz inteligence in zdravega kritičnega mišljenja (se nasmehne). Ključ je v tem, da se vanj ne zatakneš. Verjamem v gibanje. In v ideji, da ima ženska danes vso pravico biti kompleksna, nepopolna, čustvena – in še vedno ostati profesionalna, močna, vidna in izražena.

Kateri bo vaš naslednji korak v karieri?

Globalnost. Ne v geografskem smislu – že danes delujem med Barcelono, Dubajem, Parizom in Londonom. Ampak v smislu globine. Želim ustvarjati ne le lepe kampanje in projekte, temveč smiselne. Kjer podoba nosi resnično vsebino. Kjer moda ni le estetika, ampak orodje vpliva. Želim ustvarjati vizualne pripovedi, ki imajo moč spremeniti dojemanje. Še posebej za ženske. Da lahko vidijo: vse je mogoče – če se ne bojiš razbiti vzorcev in predlog, ki so nam vsiljeni že generacije. Ker moč ni v tem, da se popolnoma prilagodiš. Moč je v tem, da se ne bojiš ostati zvest sebi, tudi ko je težje.

Kaj je najpomembnejše sporočilo, ki bi ga želeli predati dekletom, ki trenutno iščejo sebe?

Iskanje same sebe je večno in kompleksno vprašanje. Iskreno, tudi sama veliko razmišljam o tem. Vsak od nas ima svoje izkušnje, svoje dvome, svoje rane in svoje prednosti. In nisem prepričan, da imam univerzalen odgovor. Vsi iščemo – sebe, smisel, svoje mesto. Včasih hitro. Včasih vse življenje. Morda pa je najpomembneje, da ne izgubimo stika s seboj. Ne živimo po scenariju nekoga drugega. Ne poskušajmo biti priročni, če to izda vašo notranjo resnico.

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“In Her Rhythm” – Diana Nikitiuk on Power, Beauty, and the Freedom to Be Herself.

“I don’t play roles. I just know how to be them.” – Diana Nikitiuk On the terrace of Paris’s Le Meurice Hotel, under the soft morning sun, we meet someone who seems to live several lives at once. Model. Influencer. Founder of a marketing agency. And simply a woman who doesn’t wait for permission to be herself. Her Instagram is a gallery of emotions, styles, and moods, while her life is an elegant journey through fashion, business, art, and dreams.

 

Your image is always multifaceted. You often show yourself in very different roles. Is that a deliberate approach or your natural state?

For me, it’s an absolutely natural state that has become a lifestyle. I don’t try to seem different — I just am. My reality changes every day, and I evolve with it. I don’t just change outfits or roles — I live them. On Monday, I’m a creative strategist at a digital agency, on Wednesday, I’m the face of a campaign in Barcelona. On Friday, I might be making music or boxing. And much, much more. I’ve learned to switch instantly: from a morning meeting to a camera lens, while humming a melody that I might later turn into a song. Sometimes it feels like I’m living several lives at once. But all these roles are mine, and they are real. And I love blending them — most of all, I love enjoying them.

 

Modeling and marketing seem like two very different worlds. How do you manage to live in both?

They are more alike than you’d think. In both, you need to feel people. During a shoot, I channel someone else’s idea through myself — my face, my delivery. In marketing, it’s the reverse: I express my idea through someone else’s brand. It’s all about intuition, fast thinking, and being able to see beyond a beautiful image.

 

You seem like a woman who lives by her own rules…

Because it’s true. Freedom is not a privilege or a gift. It’s not something you’re given. And it’s not something you inherit or earn. It’s something you take and choose. This topic is deeply personal and important to me. I believe freedom is the foundation of everything, the most important thing a person can have. Freedom for me is not about external permissions, but an internal agreement with myself: I have the right to be who I feel I am in every moment. No explanations, no apologies, no discounts for others’ expectations. I don’t apologize for my strength, and I don’t agree to anything that diminishes me. It’s an inner decision. Sometimes, a daily struggle. I know many women who have everything on the outside, but don’t allow themselves to be real. Because it’s scary. Because someone won’t understand. Because “that’s not how it’s done.” The world has long taught women to be “convenient”: to be quiet, not stand out, not argue, to please. I am none of that. And that’s exactly why I am where I am. I’m not afraid to be inconvenient – because in that “inconvenience,” real power is born, and character reveals itself.

 

What does “strength” mean to you?

The ability to say “no” — not from ego, but from self-respect — is also strength. Not trying to please the world. I feel strong when I make choices: who I work with, where I travel, what I post, what I spend my time on. I make quick decisions — yes — but I always think of the consequences. My freedom is not chaos, it’s a deep internal coordinate system. I’m very responsible. If I commit to something — I’ll do it, even if it’s hard. Because being strong also means being reliable.

Are there moments when you doubt yourself?

Of course. I believe doubt is not weakness, but proof of intelligence and healthy critical thinking (smiles). The key is not to get stuck in it. I believe in movement. And in the idea that a woman today has every right to be complex, imperfect, emotional — and still remain professional, strong, visible, and expressed.

How do you envision your next step in your development and career?

Globality. Not in the geographical sense — I already work between Barcelona, Dubai, Paris, and London. But in the sense of depth. I want to create not just beautiful campaigns and projects, but meaningful ones. Where image carries real substance. Where fashion is not just aesthetics, but a tool of influence. I want to create visual narratives that have the power to shift perception. Especially for women. So they can see: everything is possible — if you’re not afraid to break the patterns and templates that have been imposed on us for generations. Because power is not about fitting in perfectly. Power is about not being afraid to stay true to yourself, even when it’s harder.

What is the most important message you would like to give to girls who are currently searching for themselves?

The search for oneself is an eternal and complex question. Honestly, I think about it a lot myself. Each of us has her own experience, her own doubts, her own wounds and strengths. And I’m not sure I have a universal answer. We are all searching — for ourselves, for meaning, for our place. Sometimes quickly. Sometimes for a lifetime. But perhaps the most important thing is not to lose connection with yourself. Don’t live by someone else’s script. Don’t try to be convenient if it betrays your inner truth.