Natalia Gorelova may be a new face to most people in the US but she is a well-known model in Europe, New Zealand and Australia. While the US population may not have seen that much of her, US brands like Green Giant, Zyrtec, and many others have seen her quite often as they make use of her accomplished skills. Every story starts somewhere and Gorelova’s started in post-communist Russia. During a very turbulent time in the country’s history, Natalia’s parents decided that it was best to move the family to New Zealand. She was admittedly self-conscious about her Russian accent and spent a fair amount of time in the library where she discovered an affinity for fashion magazines. The happy and confident people shown in these periodicals were always relatable and had a sense of individual style that Gorelova could appreciate. New Zealand’s Pavement Magazine fully embraced that they were a fashion and pop culture magazine indicative of NZ and were unabashedly proud of their edgy personality. This was even more attractive to Gorelova and makes it ironic that this somewhat self-conscious transplant would be approached by Pavement’s art director and co-owner Glenn Hunt, igniting Natalia’s modeling career. It was a truly serendipitous moment that would change the entire direction of this young girl’s life. Being associated with and having a strong relationship with a magazine has always been the cornerstone of a model’s career and Gorelova is modern proof of this.
When a nineteen year-old Natalia was randomly approached by Pavement Magazine’s Glenn Hunt, she was unsure. Any young lady who is approached out of the blue and told that she has a great look is aware of those who might be using this as a line. To her great fortune, Gorelova found that the man approaching her was in fact something of an icon in the New Zealand fashion world. Working at the front desk of an advertising agency while getting over a recent long term relationship, Natalia felt that she was ready to try something new although she admits to being unsure. She comments, “Pavement Mag had a huge influence on me in terms of how I approached fashion, but I didn’t think I was tall enough to be a model. I was also quite shy and didn’t think it was an option for me. I would get easily embarrassed about my Russian accent and English pronunciation so I didn’t consider pursuing acting either. Meeting Glenn Hunt was a happy accident and I will forever be grateful for that evening.”
In her own “speak it into existence” moment, Gorelova donned a confident demeanor. Spending time with her friends in New Zealand’s Underground music scene and spending time in front of the camera allowed her inner style and exuberance to blossom. It wasn’t immediate though. She recalls, “My first photoshoot was with three other models on Muriwai Beach styled by Rachael Churchward and photographed by Glenn Hunt himself. I was pretty nervous as I was working with well-established and seasoned models. I was also the smallest, which made me feel even more insecure. The day was long and Murawai was looking gloomy and grey as we were getting ready. By the time we were dressed and styled, the clouds parted and it turned into a gorgeous sunny day. I eventually started feeling more and more comfortable and relaxed, thanks to the team who were so supportive and kind. When the magazine came out, there were a lot of comments from friends and congrats from agents. That was big exposure for me and work started rolling in with rising interests from other fashion photographers, designers and stylists. It felt like that moment in which you take a chance on yourself and it pays off.”
Golelova has had a long relationship with Pavement Magazine over her modeling career. Over time, she worked with Glenn, Rachael Churchward and Karen Inderbitzen-Waller. She credits all three photographers with inspiring her and changing the way she approached fashion. She feels that this relationship cultivated her personal style rather than a trendy approach to fashion. This is the perspective of the magazine itself as Natalia declares, “I loved that Pavement didn’t go for a typical glossy style and instead focused on creativity, youth culture and edgy fashion. I read it from cover to cover and used it as sort of a guide to discover new designers, films and music. I learned so much from reading the magazine as well as being in it. One of the experiences I remember fondly taught me something unexpected. We did a small feature about the winter boots from NZ top designers like Zambesi and Mi Piaci. It was myself and two other models. At one point, we all ended up in a bubble bath with our boots out. We were drinking champagne and laughing so hard; the picture came out really well. It was one of those ‘real’ moments of silliness. I still smile thinking about it. Through situations like this, I learned to be very comfortable in front of camera and to be prepared for the unexpected requests (like the bubble bath ha-ha). It’s important to be open minded and to be a pleasure to work with. Of, course I’m not saying that you should do anything that doesn’t feel comfortable. I also make sure that I ask enough questions to understand what the general feel of the photoshoot is, ask for examples if my agent hasn’t provided them to me already. The more I understand what the client is looking for, the better my research and my performance.”
These days Natalia’s individual and intense work ethic have made her a popular choice as a model for the commercials of many international brands. She recently worked with David Palmer, a 30 year veteran who has worked with Bradley Cooper, Kristen Bell, Beau Bridges, and Tom Arnold, among many others. Palmer states, “I recently worked with Natalia on a global commercial campaign. She was cast because she brought that ‘something special’ to the role. She has a unique and inspired style of improvisation that sets her apart from the crowded field … For a director, we are at our best when we have talent who bring the unexpected to each role. Natalia does just that.” From a self-conscious young girl to impressing major Los Angeles players; Natalia may have possibly grown more than even she knows.