Her idol is Victorias Secret model Candice Swanepoel, but 19-year-old Russian, Alexa who travelled the world since 14, is also an avid dancer, who likes to explore vivid cultures
By Asmita Aggarwal
It is quite daunting for a 14-year-old to take a giant step, leave a small town near Moscow, Russia and travel to an unknown destination like Japan and work as a model. Alexa, did just that and today at 19, she has graced the runways of South Korea, Thailand, China (they love her there, she says) and now India. I was always a shy person, so modelling kind of made me come out of my shell, as I interacted the people from different cultural backgrounds. Like Japan was so technology forward, I felt like I was living in the future, straight out of a sci-fi film. It exposed me to all kinds of people so I learnt more from life than textbooks, she adds.
Sent to a modelling school, by her mom at the age of 13, where she was taught all the aspects of the runway, camera, lights, poise and confidence, it also helped that Alexas older sister was a model. I was really young, but she kind of always guided me, though when I travelled alone, unsupervised, without my parents, I was nervous and had no clue about what the future holds for me, she admits.
Coming to India, was a challenge for Alexa, as she had heard many stories which kind of made her anxious, but she says that people are friendly, always willing to help and the kindness that she sometimes is witness to from random strangers makes her believe that there is good and bad everywhere. My next stop is Philippines, but before that I want to go home and see my parents, she concludes.