ERIKA KALUZHSKAIA

How were you discovered? Tell us your story.

Modeling came to me unexpectedly, one day I was just walking around the city and one photographer (now he's my friend) took a picture of me from the bus when I was standing at the bus stop and posted it to his story with the question "help me find this girl I want to take a picture of her." At that time, I had a very small Instagram of 20-30 subscribers, but after I saw how many people were writing to me and showing me the story of this photographer, I was shocked. I didn't consider myself beautiful or photogenic. We contacted him then and agreed to shoot. After his post from our joint photo shoot on social media, many modeling agencies started writing to me and offering me a contract. I was very hesitant at the time whether I should start, but now I realize that this accidental event was big for me and changed the course of my life enormously.

You have one free day in Milan, where are we finding you?
 

I really like Milan, walking around this city, feeling its atmosphere. It's all energizing. I think the most correct answer to where to find me in Milan will be museums and restaurants. My family loves watching my travels very much, so I call them on the phone and we "walk together". I show them everything: the city, the streets, and the sights. Of course, I love restaurants too. It is always very interesting to try different cuisines and local food. Sometimes I even like to start dialogues with waiters and learn from them about local dishes, it can be very useful.

Do you have a favorite motto or quote you live by?
 

My favorite quote will always be "don't cry that it's over, be glad that it was." I am a very empathic and emotional person. I skip through every acquaintance, meeting, and trip, and after that I need a few days to feel better. When everything ends, I feel sad for a long time, but at the age of 13 I heard this quote and realized that in any situation you need to find advantages! As my mother likes to say, and my grandmother used to say before her, "it's very easy to find the cons in life, it's art to find the pros." So I try to always keep positive and remember my favorite moments in life. Even now, when I answer these questions, I am very happy because it is a unique experience. 

Have you used AI recently? What’s the weirdest/funniest thing you asked?

I try to use AI a little, because I believe that people have stopped trying to find answers on their own, to think on their own, but I do not exclude progress. It helps a lot of people. My last request was about snakes, I am very afraid of them and I was wondering how many species of venomous snakes there are on earth. Nothing unusual, but here's a fun fact about me.

 
Do you have a model or a public figure you look up to, either for style or mindset?
 

Everything is very simple. My mom's style, my dad's mind. I always take an example from people I've known for a very long time, I know their history and what they've been through. My mom taught me feminine strength and grace, my dad taught me to strive and achieve goals. Thanks to them, I became what I am now. To this day, they are my main motivation and inspiration.

 
Is there a film, series, or song that currently represents your mood or life phase?
 

It's A-ha's song “Take on me". I love this song and the lyrics of this song! They reflect some of my thoughts very well.