PHOTO/STYLE:GREGORY REGINI / MUA: KETA NUKRADZE / HAIR: ELEVEN STUDIO/ APPAREL: SIMON MACHABELI

TAKO NATSVLISHVILI

16-YEAR-OLD GEORGIAN MODEL, TAKO NATSVLISHVILI, USED TO PLAY TENNIS AND WANTED TO BECOME A TENNIS-PLAYER IN HER YOUNGER DAYS, BUT THE FLOW OF LIFE TOOK HER IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT DIRECTION: TO THE GLAMOROUS WORLD OF FASHION. TAKO’S MOTHER NINO TSKITISHVILI, A FORMER MODEL AND A FOUNDER OF THE “LOOK MODELS” MODEL AGENCY IN GEORGIA, INSPIRED HER DAUGHTER TO CHOOSE A MODELING CAREER AND, AT PRESENT, STUNNING TAKO NATSVLISHVILI IS THE FIRST EVER GEORGIAN FASHION MODEL TO WORK FOR LOUIS VUITTON, DOLCE & GABBANA, CHRISTIAN DIOR, CALVIN KLEIN AND MANY OTHERS.
SHE ALSO APPEARED AT THE VERSACE FASHION SHOW IN PARIS THIS YEAR. PHOTO SESSIONS, CASTINGS, WALKING THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS CATWALKS AND A CELEBRITY ENTOURAGE HAVE BECOME THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS AND A ROUTINE FOR THE YOUNG MODEL. TAKO RECENTLY VISITED HER HOME TOWN TBILISI FOR COUPLE OF DAYS IN ORDER TO TAKE SCHOOL GRADUATION EXAMS. SHE FOUND TIME, HOWEVER, TO TALK TO US AT GEORGIA TO SEE.

• TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER, HOW DID YOU GET INTO MODELING?

My mother has the “Look Models” model agency in Tbilisi and I started with her. One day the Next Model Management
group visited the agency – I thought they would choose blond girls but they liked me and told my mother that they wanted
to meet my parents. It was really very funny! That’s how it all started and I joined Next Model Management. First I went
to Hong Kong and worked very hard there, a very important experience for me which later helped in Europe.

• WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION AND HOW DO YOU SEE WORKING WITH WORLD FAMOUS DESIGNERS?

To me, the most challenging part of working in the fashion industry is to break into it, travel a lot and communicate with
interesting and positive people. I love what I do and it makes me believe in myself. To tell the truth, I prefer walking
catwalks to photo shoots. I know it’s a big responsibility to work for such famous brands and I was very nervous at the
beginning, but people around me and my agency were always very helpful. Before arriving in Paris, I imagined everything
being quite different, but I soon realized that it’s not difficult to live alone. My mother is also helping me from Georgia. Of
course, I miss home, my family and friends, but I enjoy living in Paris and being there is a brilliant chance for me to gain
skills and professional experience.

• YOUR FAVORITE FASHION DESIGNERS?

I absolutely love Giorgio Armani – he is always so kind to me. I love chic Christian Dior too and Alexander McQueen is also

one of my favorites.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?

It depends on my mood. I can’t say that I wear only brands- I like casual clothing too. When going out, I often put on

something by Alexander McQueen.

• YOU TRAVEL A LOT. WHICH HAS BEEN THE MOST MEMORABLE PLACE IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

Of course Paris, I love that city and everything is beautiful there and, besides, I did my first couture in Paris.

• HOW DO YOU STAY IN SHAPE?

I walk a lot in Paris, sometimes even several kilometers a day… So, it really helps. I also try to eat low-fat food and lots of

vegetables. But when I come back to Georgia, everything turns upside down…

• WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER BEEN GIVEN?

In the beginning I was very nervous and before walking catwalks, one of my colleagues and friends advised me to be

confident and repeat “Yes” three times in my heart- and it really worked. Thanks to this magic “yes, yes, yes,” my fears

disappeared.

• WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE ASPIRING GIRLS DREAMING OF BECOMING MODELS?

Try to be confident, motivated and flexible, don’t stress, work hard, and of course, believe in yourself and believe that you

can achieve what you dream of.

• YOU ARE GRADUATING SCHOOL THIS YEAR, SO WHAT ABOUT YOUR FUTURE PLANS? WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO CONTINUE YOUR STUDIES?

I’m not going to enter university for a couple of years and I plan to take my modeling career further. So, after several years

I’m thinking of studying business somewhere in Europe and I hope it will be related to the fashion industry sphere as well.

So, let’s see…