loveFMD Magazine issue4

INTRODUCING | NEW FACE - SOFIA MECHETNER
Sofia Mechetner
The RESPONSIBLE, QUIET & DISCIPLINED
Model
by Iva Mirbach
„
To be Raf Simons‘ muse is a big honor. He is so talented.
I love his creations – very elegant and classic
but also very young and romantic.
„
Sofia Mechetner is an Israeli fashion model, whose sense of
achievement reminds someone of a Cinderella fairy-tale. The
new face of luxury fashion house Dior, she has had a tough life.
When Sofia was aged 10, her parents, who were immigrants
from Russia, divorced and hence she grew up with her mother
and her two siblings in a small apartment where she had to
share a crowded room with her sister and brother. Being the
eldest child, it was up to Sofia to help her mother and thus she
picked up her younger brother and sister from school every
day, cooked them lunch, did laundry and cleaned the house.
After being stopped in the street on numerous occasions by
those asking if she was a model, Sofia decided to try her luck
and went for a spot to the Roberto modelling agency in Tel
Aviv where the 14-year-old was signed immediately. Without
any modelling experiences, her agency was very much positive
about Sofia’s looks that they made the unusual decision to send
her right away to Paris to introduce her to an exclusive French
boutique-modelling agency. Once there, Sofia was instantly
rejected by the agency, not only because of her inexistent skills
as a model but also due to her age.
Having some free time left in Paris, Sofia and her chaperon
Rotem Gur, Roberto’s CEO, decided to tour Paris. Walking
down the iconic Avenue de Montaigne, renowned for its high
fashion boutiques and celebrities, they decided to go inside
the Christion Dior store where accidentally none other than
Dior’s creative director Raf Simons was standing by the register.
Rotem immediately used the opportunity and introduced
the Belgian fashion designer to Sofia and telling him why they
have come to Paris. What followed was a series of activity. The
designer contacted Dior’s casting director to tell him about Sofia,
who then called the Paris agency that had just rejected her,
to tell them that Raf Simons wants to book “Sofia from Israel”
for their next fashion show in July. Though it was Sofias first
ever job, she soon got the even more startling news that Dior
wanted her exclusively to be the “first face” on the runway, for
which they offered her to sign a $265,000 two-year modelling
contract, which also includes a commitment that Sofia has to
travel four times a year to Paris.
The first ever appearance of the 5’10 inch tall model during
the Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2015/16 lead to furious
debate about the fashion industry’s use of young models. Sofia
responded to the criticism saying that she feels ready and
that her age is not an issue for her as she is treated very well.
She plans to use her modelling income to help her mother
and siblings. Moreover, the use of a young model in fashion is
not new and full of impressive success stories. Kate Moss was
scouted at 14 while Gisele Budchen was only 13 and there are
many more now very famous models who were discovered at
a very young age like Karlie Kloss, Jourdan Dunn, Lara Stone
and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, just to name a few.
Although Sofia’s modelling career is very controversial, she
already has a very strong social media public following with
her Instagram account reaching up to more than 17k and her
Facebook 6k followers. The Israeli beauty has been said to look
like Claudia Schiffer and Anna Ewers. As close as her appearance
is with the two models, we are sure that her success in the
fashion industry will be too.
„
My family and friends support me very much. They
are so happy about my success.
The only negative comments that I hear are about
my young age (15 years old). Some people say it‘s
too early to start modeling in my age, but I disagree.
My confidence improved so much since I‘m modeling,
I can help my family with the money I make,
I get to travel and see places I haven‘t been to. I also
work hard in school and study all the days I miss
because of my modeling (I usually don‘t miss much
actually), I don‘t travel alone, my agent Rotem is
coming with me everywhere. I‘m
„
the only model
who comes with my agent‘ who became like a big
sister to me.
Mostly I hear positive comments so it‘s very
touching and nice to hear, so I want to thank you all
for the support.
16 | loveFMD.com