‘Manekensko življenje’ je dolgo pomenila bližnjica za glamur, prve vrste na modnih revijah, mednarodne modne piste in življenje, ki se s polno hitrostjo odvija med modnimi prestolnicami. A v kulturnem trenutku, ki vse pogosteje sprašuje »zakaj« prav tako kot »kaj«, se pomen manekenskega življenja tiho preoblikuje. Le malokdo ta premik uteleša jasneje kot Anya.
Anya je nedvomno vzpenjajoča se sila v svetu mode – nastopa na tednih mode v Parizu, Milanu in New Yorku ter pušča pečat na nekaterih najbolj ikoničnih modnih prizoriščih na svetu. Vendar njenega vzpona ne določa le to, kje hodi, temveč predvsem to, kako se odloča stopati skozi ta trenutek. Zanjo manekensko življenje ni opredeljeno zgolj z dostopom. Meri se v usklajenosti med ambicijo in namenom, med prepoznavnostjo in odgovornostjo.
Kot mlada in uspešna podjetnica sprejema premišljene in strateško močne karierne odločitve, hkrati pa zavestno razmišlja o tem, kaj sledi. Filantropije ne razume kot obrobne dejavnosti, temveč jo je postavila v ospredje svojega razvoja. Nedavno je povezala strast in poslanstvo kot ambasadorka organizacije Runway to Hope, kjer aktivno podpira otroke in družine, ki se soočajo z rakom pri otrocih. S svojo platformo povezuje modo in družbeni vpliv ter prepoznavnost spreminja v smiselno zagovorništvo.
Ta filozofija presega dobrodelnost in se odraža tudi v njenem razumevanju vpliva. Nedavno je postala investitorka in glavna strateška svetovalka gibanja Slay the USA – nagrajenega nacionalnega gibanja za pripovedovanje zgodb žensk, namenjenega krepitvi glasov uspešnih žensk po vsej državi. V digitalni dobi, nasičeni s površinskimi narativi, njena zavezanost pripovedovanju razkriva globlje razumevanje moči: spoznanje, da zgodbe, ki jih povzdigujemo, oblikujejo kulturo, ki jo bomo podedovali.
V načinu, kako Anya stopa skozi to poglavje svojega življenja, je zaznati tiho samozavest. Ne lovi vsake priložnosti in ne želi biti povsod hkrati. Namesto tega premišljeno oblikuje življenje in kariero, ki odražata razsodnost. Na modni pisti prinaša prisotnost. Izven nje perspektivo. Oboje je ključno za njeno razumevanje manekenskega življenja.
Ta razmislek še jasneje zaživi ob izidu njene prve knjige Model Life, ki prihaja v času jesenskih tednov mode. Knjiga prepleta njeno osebno zgodbo z zgodbami drugih močnih žensk ter ponuja večplastni pogled na ambicijo, vztrajnost in resničnost, ki se skriva za navidezno popolno podobo. Ne govori toliko o popolnosti kot o procesu – opominja, da najbolj prepričljiva življenja niso uprizorjena, temveč zgrajena.
V svetu, ki je še vedno obseden s podobo, Anya predstavlja širšo vizijo tega, kaj pomeni biti zgled življenja, vrednega občudovanja. Lepota je v njenem svetu neločljivo povezana z vsebino. Uspeh se ne meri le s prepoznavnostjo, temveč z vplivom. In manekensko življenje, kot dokazuje sama, ni več le nekaj, kar živiš. Je nekaj, za kar stojiš.
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Anya Labonville’s Model Life
The phrase “the model life” has long been shorthand for glamour, front-row seats, international runways, and a life lived at full speed between fashion capitals. But in a cultural moment that increasingly asks why as often as what, the idea of a model life is quietly evolving. Few embody that shift more clearly than Anya.
Anya is undeniably an ascending force in fashion, walking Paris, Milan, and New York Fashion Weeks and leaving her mark on some of the world’s most iconic stages. What distinguishes her trajectory, however, is not just where she walks, but how she is choosing to move through this moment. For Anya, a model life is not defined by access alone. It is measured by alignment between ambition and intention, visibility and responsibility.
As a young and successful entrepreneur, she is making strategic, powerful career moves while remaining intentional about what comes next. Rather than treating philanthropy as a side note, Anya has placed giving back at the forefront of her evolution. She recently aligned passion and purpose by becoming an ambassador for Runway to Hope, where she actively supports children and families facing pediatric cancer. Through her platform, she bridges fashion and impact, transforming visibility into meaningful advocacy.This philosophy extends beyond charity and into how Anya thinks about influence. She recently became an investor and Chief Strategic Advisor for Slay the USA, an award-winning national women’s storytelling movement dedicated to amplifying the voices of accomplished women across the country. In a digital age saturated with surface-level narratives, her commitment to storytelling reflects a deeper understanding of power, recognizing that the stories we elevate shape the culture we inherit.
There is a quiet confidence in the way Anya navigates this chapter of her life. She is not chasing every opportunity, nor is she interested in being everywhere at once. Instead, she is curating a life and a career that reflect discernment. On the runway, she brings presence. Off it, perspective. Both are essential to her definition of a model life.
That reflection comes into sharper focus with the release of her debut book, Model Life, arriving in time for fall fashion weeks. The book weaves her personal story with the stories of other powerful women, offering a layered look at ambition, resilience, and the reality behind the highlight reel. It is less about perfection and more about process, a reminder that the most compelling lives are built, not staged.
In a world still obsessed with image, Anya represents a more expansive vision of what it means to model a life worth aspiring to. Beauty, in her world, is matched by substance. Success is measured not only by visibility, but by impact. And the model life, as she is proving, is no longer just something you live. It is something you stand for.
Follow Anya: @anyalabanya (Modelanya.com)
Fotografije: Kateryna Shutko @katya_shutko
Stiliranje: Odile Iturraspe @odileiturraspe
Asistentka stilistke: Zoe berteloot @zoe.berteloot
Ličenje in pričeska: Claudia Oyanedel @claudia_oyanedel
Produkcija: @parisrunwayofficial (@onceuponatimebrit)
