Katya Zharkova HNS Industry Ambassador

Katya

“I love being a girl because girls know how to love… and I love to

fill the world with love. ”!

Katya is a plus model from Russia. She was born in a small city called Smolensk, and she grew up in Moscow. Katya started modeling at age fourteen, and still models today at almost thirty years old. She graduated from Moscow University of Art and Culture as a TV producer. She created shows on Russian TV. Her friends advised her to go to a casting call for a TV show in Moscow and she got a second job as a TV presenter. She hosted a show where she helped women love themselves. Now Katya is living in New York and perusing her plus size modeling career but is being told she is not PLUS ENOUGH. She is smart, healthy, and beautiful perfect for HNS.

Why do you feel so passionate about Healthy is the New Skinny and the message it brings?

For me it’s the goal of my life. This movement is something that I have been living for 29 years. Its something that helped me find myself in this world. I have overcome not feeling confident and good enough, and finally I feel myself… beautiful. I want girls to find their individuality and love themselves for who they are.  There are millions of women, all of them are different and beautiful. AND they are beautiful in their own variety. Beauty is not in the standards, beauty is in variety! Beauty cannot be the same, Beauty is Variety, Beauty is Health!

Happiness is to live your life and love living it. If we are here that means somebody meant

it to be this way.!

If you could go back to high school and give yourself a message from the future what would it be and why?

I would tell her to study English because she is going to need it! LOL

What knowledge have you gained from your experience in the industry that has helped you realize what is important in your life? I learned to be myself. Four years ago I was told I'm TOO fat, now I'm told that I'm not FAT ENOUGH. I'm not going to follow standards, I will make standards work for me:)

LOL!!!!!WE LOVE THIS!!!!!

Do you think change is possible?

Do you think if more women could better understand the industry, they would be able to have a more clear perspective of what is most important in their lives? If the girls knew and were able to see the inside and difficulties of modeling business, they would be concentrated on getting their education and not dreaming about modeling. I'm thankful to my mother for having a profession and career going, and for being able to make money with my brain, not only my beauty. I think modeling should be an addition to the professional career not the goal in life.

Everything is possible! The most important thing is to be willing and open to change. Changes are impossible until somebody decides to show his / her individuality and once it happens changes are possible and they will turn out great.

Today I was talking to my mother about happiness. What is it? Its a rhetorical question which is impossible to answer and the answer is so simple that is difficult to accept. Happiness is when people (relatives, friends coworkers) understand you without asking questions "why?" "what?". Happiness is when you know that there are people on this planet that understand you when you can call or write them and in casual conversation they will get what you really mean. Happiness is to be real and to understand your own feelings. Happiness is not to make stuff up to each other. Happiness is to realize that you are ALIVE and enjoying the moment. Enjoy each other and be thankful to live in the moment! Live today and don't wait until tomorrow!!!!!

Think of your favorite picture of you as a child.... if you could go back to that day and give yourself a message, what would that be? All your wishes will come true, you will get everything you want:)

Katya Zharkorva Height: Tall Size: Healthy Weight: Who cares….. Representation: Wilhelmina Models

Tell us something people would not know about you from your looks alone….

“Sometimes I cry when something unexpected comes up, and makes it very difficult for me to handle. I am human I can’t help it.” - Katya !

HEALTHY IS THE NEW SKINNY