Alona Ariichuk: "Life has already said yes to you, spread your wings and fly"

Alona Ariichuk - runway model, TOP Model UK'23 and co-founder of the SOFI RICH LONDON brand. Her path has united the model industry, entrepreneurship and motherhood, and her personal philosophy is based on trust in her own inner voice.

"Life has already told you yes, spread your wings and fly," the DIGITAL heroine of the cover of the BOMOND VIP fashion magazine is convinced.

In a new interview, Ms. Alona talks about the path from mathematical education to international catwalks, participation in London Fashion Day and TOP Model UK, creation of the family brand SOFI RICH LONDON, the role of motherhood in the formation of personality and the modern image of a woman who chooses her own path without regard to other people's expectations.

About inner freedom, the power of personal choice, female realization, support, family values and the ability to hear their true desires - in an exclusive interview for the magazine.

Mrs. Alyona, I would like to start our conversation today with your words, which you left between the lines of reflections in one of your own publications: "Your soul leads you... trust me."

After all, behind every success and every story there is always a path that is not always easy, and sometimes it can break the heart. Please tell us what was the beginning of your history, the way of forming your values and how you came to the world of fashion and the modeling industry?

... And I want to continue: "Life loves you so much that it is able to break your heart to heal your soul."

I am very pleased to be here and share a piece of my story with everyone who is reading these lines now.

I am convinced that many people do not live their lives. They live through fear of judgment, through imposed roles, expectations of society or opinions of people “behind the scenes”. And in this noise it is so easy to lose your true self.

But I believe that every person comes into this world with their own special mission. And the most important thing is to let yourself hear it. Each of us has an inner voice, an intuition that never lies. It is the soul that always knows the right direction, even when the mind doubts.

At a certain point in my life, I realized a very important thing: you need to learn to trust life even when everything around you is collapsing. Because it is the most painful moments over time that become our greatest transformation and most valuable memories. It seems to me that it is because of pain that a person most often returns to his true self. When everything superfluous is destroyed, only you, your soul and honesty remain with yourself. And that's when real life begins.

I don't think I was a creative child at all — I was fascinated by numbers, logic, and mathematics. I graduated from a mathematical lyceum, then a university of finance, and then studied in Poland in the same direction. Of the creativity in my life were only ballroom dancing, which I did for about seven years, and which later became my favorite hobby.

But at the same time, my mother was always next to me, a person who has been working in the field of sewing for more than 30 years. She created incredible ball gowns for me, each of which was special, created with love and attention to detail. Since childhood, I have felt how much clothes can affect not only the appearance, but also the internal state of a woman. When you wear a thing made just for you, you seem to allow yourself to shine in a different way. Perhaps it was then, still completely unconsciously, that my love for the fashion world was born.

The real turn happened in adulthood. In 2020, I became a mother twice: I gave birth to a son and at the same time we created our own clothing brand SOFI RICH LONDON. And that's when one of the most interesting stages of my life began.

While the world was closing businesses because of Covid, we decided to take a risk. But for us, it was never just about clothes. It was a story about family values, about love for people, about femininity, individuality and emotions that can be conveyed through fabric, silhouette and details.

We have a very special tandem: my mother created products from the first idea to the finished dress, and I was responsible for the digital direction, shooting, communication and visual history of the brand. I have always loved the camera, creativity and the moment when you can convey an emotion through the frame. That's how I was on the podium for the first time.

Immediately after the pandemic, the war began. And, of course, there were times when I wanted to stop everything. We switched to volunteering — for more than a year, we sent aid to Ukraine every two weeks, and the brand took a back seat.

n 2023, I received an invitation to participate in Top Model UK. And for me, it was much more than a competition or a modeling experience. It was an opportunity to remind the world about Ukraine once again. We created a dress in Ukrainian colors, which caused an incredible number of emotions and compliments, and I won according to the results of the audience vote.

After that, we began to restore the brand step by step, participate in fashion shows and London Fashion Week. And today I know for sure: when you follow the voice of the soul, life always leads you to where you should be. Even if the road at first seems scary, incomprehensible or not at all like a “perfect plan”.

If you, as an artist, created a portrait of a modern woman, what would this image be like on canvas? What colors, features would be inherent in it? What kind of woman do you see today?

If I painted a portrait of a modern woman, it would definitely be about lightness, freedom and wings that are always behind our shoulders.

It seems to me that today a woman no longer wants to live in frames or imposed roles. She is no longer afraid to be different: strong and gentle at the same time, ambitious and sensitive, realized and at the same time loving.

I am very happy to see how women begin to choose themselves - not selfishly, but honestly. They begin to hear their desires, discover their talents, allow themselves to dream and not diminish themselves for the sake of other people's expectations.

For me, a modern woman is not about perfection. It's about the inner light. About harmony with yourself. About the courage to be real, live in the moment and follow the call of your own soul, even if the whole world tells you to choose a different path.

You look very harmonious on the catwalk, and your participation in London Fashion Day attracts special attention. This project was not only a professional experience, but also an opportunity to talk about Ukraine at the international level. What was this experience for you? What key thoughts and internal changes did he leave behind?

In that difficult period for our country, participation in any projects, including London Fashion Day, was much more for me than just a professional experience. It was an opportunity to speak about Ukraine in the language of art, beauty and feminine power.

In fact, being in London, there is a lot of support from the very beginning of a full-scale war. Therefore, every event and public exit is always a great opportunity to declare Ukraine to the whole world.

Each show is about new acquaintances, magazine posts, people fascination, and a small victory that brings incredible excitement, despite the weeks of preparation and the non-stop mode in front of the podium. But it is at such moments that you especially feel life. You feel how much your eyes burn when you do something not only for yourself, but also for something more.

After each such experience, I am even more convinced: fashion is not only about beautiful things. It's about senses, energy, cultural code, and the ability to talk to the world without words.

During your participation in the shows, you tried on a lot of images. Is there the one that you remember the most? What was he and why did he become close?

Each fashion show for me is a separate story and a separate mood.

In the runway sphere, you do not always choose the image yourself, because the main task of the model is to convey the designer's vision, the brand atmosphere and the emotion of the collection. Sometimes it even happens that you look at yourself in the mirror and do not recognize yourself - but this is exactly what the art of reincarnation is all about.

However, I certainly get the greatest pleasure when I present my own brand SOFI RICH LONDON. Because it's not just an image anymore — it's a part of me.

The main accent of the brand is silk, which conveys femininity, lightness, elegance and inner chic. This is a fabric that seems to come to life on a woman and emphasizes not only beauty, but also condition.

Each thing is individual, sometimes even created in one copy. It's not about mass. It's about the art, character and energy of a woman. The realization that you are wearing a thing created almost like a work of art in a single copy, gives a special state. It's not just clothes anymore — it's an emotion that belongs only to you.

I would like to pay special attention to the fact that you are a co-owner of the SOFI RICH LONDON clothing brand, which combines modern design with timeless elegance. How was the idea of its creation born? What philosophy do you put into the brand's collection?

SOFI RICH LONDON was born not just as a clothing brand – it was born as a continuation of our family history.

We created it with great love for women and with the desire to remind everyone of their uniqueness. For us, clothes are not just fabric or trends. It is an emotion, a state and a way of feeling yourself.

The peculiarity of the brand is that there is a real family history behind it. My mother has been working in the field of sewing for more than 30 years, and it was her talent, experience and incredible attention to detail that became the heart of the brand.

Our philosophy is to create things out of time. We are not following fast fashion. We are close to elegance, femininity, quality and a sense of inner confidence that a woman gets by putting on a thing.

Emotions and inner state are very closely related to appearance. The way we feel in our own body and image affects our mood, confidence and even the way we interact with the world.

We want a woman to not just “look good”. We want her to look at herself in the mirror and remember how beautiful, alive, special and valuable she is.

SOFI RICH LONDON is not just about style. It's about the condition of a woman who allowed herself to be herself.

Often behind professional achievements there is an unconditional support ...family, close people and personal values. You are not only a model and co-owner of the brand, but also a mother. How has motherhood changed you? What values in education do you define for yourself as the most important?

Motherhood is perhaps the most profound transformation a woman can undergo.

This is a role in which you first lose yourself, and then you are born again completely different - stronger, wiser, deeper.

Combining motherhood, business, family and self-realization is not easy. It requires a huge amount of energy, love and inner resources. And, of course, like every person, I had my own falls, doubts and moments of exhaustion.

But at the same time, motherhood gave me a completely different level of love and meaning. It taught me to be more sensitive, patient and to appreciate simple moments.

Children are allowed to be children in adulthood. To see through the fingers, to enjoy the simple things that are so often devalued in adulthood. To be here and now, out of time, out of bounds and any limitations.

Children are about authenticity. Life without masks. About the depth of this world and us as an integral part of it.

For me, the most important thing in education is to raise a child who is not afraid to be himself. A child who knows how to love, respect people, trust himself and the world. Allow yourself to be different: sometimes incomprehensible, sometimes funny. Show emotions, not be afraid of tears, mistakes and constantly know yourself.

Being a mother today is quite difficult, because the world is changing very quickly. And you are constantly learning to balance between modernity, trends and the desire not to lose the present.

We are all in a hurry. We are in a hurry to make it. But what if the meaning of life is not in a constant race? Or just the ability to be and feel the moment?

Because, perhaps, real life is not somewhere “later” when we have time for everything. It's already here. In the laughter of the child. In a casual hug. In tired evenings. In moments that will never happen again.

Today we live in a world where a woman has a lot of expectations, both professionally and in her personal life. And often it is these external ideas that can restrain on the way to self-realization. How do you manage to maintain inner harmony in this rhythm and not betray yourself? And what advice would you give to women who strive to move according to their own desires, without losing themselves in the midst of external pressure and expectations?

It seems to me that we live in a very special time when the role of women in the world is becoming more valuable and meaningful. And it is wonderful that today a woman may not choose one thing between family, motherhood or fulfillment.

The world is increasingly away from roles and stereotypes. Parenthood becomes a shared responsibility, and a woman gets more space for development, creativity and self-expression.

Support from a man becomes not something “wow”, but the norm. Personal boundaries are no longer about rigidity, but about respect, care and the ability to hear each other's needs.

For me, inner harmony begins with honesty in front of myself. With the ability to hear yourself, your desires and not betray your own feelings for the sake of other people's expectations.

It's not about wanting too much. It's about to afford the life that your heart responds to.

I would really like every woman to remember: you don't have to reduce yourself to be “comfortable” for the world. Each of us has our own light, which should illuminate not only our own path, but also illuminate the way for others.

Today, a woman is a woman's friend. There is no place for jealousy, the desire to prove who is better. We become a support for each other, a support and a reminder that being real is enough.

And it is then, when a woman ceases to hide her true self, she begins not only to inspire - she gives others the courage to be themselves too.

Life has already said yes to you, spread your wings and fly!

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