From Basic to Bombshell

Ukrainian supermodel in-the-making Tanya Kizko traded engineering for fashion, and hasn’t looked back

- By Zeynep Yenisey. Photography by Gilles Bensimon

Tanya Kizko might be relatively new to the modeling world, but she’s already crushing it—and it’s no wonder why. Judging by her impossibly long legs, ethereal icy blue eyes, and cascading curly amber hair, it’s blindingly obvious that the Ukrainian showstopper was destined to become a model.

Her graceful personality fits the bill, too. “I was always a girly girl, and I’ve always loved everything about women and feminine energy,” she tells us. And she truly embodies everything about beauty and femininity: quietly intelligent and breathtakingly beautiful, with flawless, delicate curves in all the right places.

Despite her head-spinning good looks, modeling wasn’t something that was on her mind from the start. “I never thought I would be a model, but I was always amazed by beautiful women,” she says, echoing a thought shared by many. “The Victoria’s Secret fashion show was something special for me when I was a kid.” Born and raised in the small town of Donetsk, Ukraine, Kizko was a self-proclaimed nerd growing up, and spent much of her time with her nose in a book. “I was obsessed with studying,” she says, “especially history, math and literature.” Smart and beautiful—an irresistibly alluring combination.