Karyna Pavlenko: “Authenticity Will Be the Strongest Voice of Ukrainian Art”
A woman does not need to confine herself to a single role, conform to other people’s ideas about age, or prove that she has the right to begin anew. Her individuality is defined not by the number of her achievements, but by her ability to remain true to herself, whatever the circumstances or path she chooses.
Karyna Pavlenko, holder of the titles 1st Runner-Up Ms Prestige Continental Europe 2026 and Queen of Creativity Continental, is the subject of BOMOND VIP’s DIGITAL cover. An Age+ model and theatre actress, she has built a professional journey that brings together the worlds of fashion and the performing arts.
In this interview, we discuss her acting career, the theatre roles that have left a lasting impression, her experience at an international pageant, and the contemporary interpretation of the Age+ concept. We explore femininity beyond age boundaries, Ukrainian art on the international stage, and the discipline, trust, and responsibility that connect her different professional pursuits. Karyna captures her personal philosophy in words that undoubtedly become the leitmotif of her story in the pages of the magazine: “I do not try to be perfect. I choose to be authentic. And I believe that this is precisely where the special strength of a woman today lies.”
Ukrainian art is increasingly stepping beyond the country’s borders, introducing the world to its distinctive aesthetic. Your creative journey encompasses both fashion and theatre. Karyna, how do you see Ukrainian art today?
I see Ukrainian art today as vibrant, bold, and authentic. It has long since ceased to need permission to be heard and seen by the world.
I believe our strength lies precisely in our authenticity. Ukrainian art possesses its own energy, depth, emotional richness, beauty, and tremendous inner strength. We can embrace contemporary global trends, but it is essential that we never lose sight of who we are.
For me, art is about far more than a beautiful image. It is about a person’s story, character, experiences, memory, and culture. That is why I feel equally connected to fashion and theatre: in both, there must be a personality behind the outward image.
Today, as Ukrainians appear on international stages and runways, perform at theatres, and represent Ukraine in different countries, we are, in essence, telling the world our story. And I deeply want the world to see Ukraine not only as a country that is fighting, but also as a country that creates, feels, dreams, and continues to live.
A contemporary woman can take many forms: she can build a career, create, transform the world around her, and still preserve her own distinctive voice. What, in your eyes, defines the woman of today?
Yes, a contemporary woman can be many things. And the image of a woman living in Ukraine is particularly distinctive — complex and multifaceted. She is not only a wife and mother, but also a woman serving as a soldier, a rescuer, a medical professional working under extreme conditions, or a volunteer. And these are far from all the roles Ukrainian women take on today.
I admire every woman who has refused to give up, who remains open to life, continues to work, raises children, learns new things, and sometimes begins again from a blank page.
I am from Kharkiv. From the very first day of the full-scale invasion, I remained in the city, alongside those whom I could not leave without support and help.
The war has changed so much. It has compelled us to look at our lives differently and taught us to value every single day. Many of us have reassessed our desires, dreams, and goals. Above all, the woman of today is a woman who finally allows herself to be who she truly is. Not perfect, not the person others expect her to be, but authentic.
She can be strong while allowing herself to be vulnerable. She can build a career, devote herself to her family, pursue creative interests and the work she loves, or begin something entirely new at 30, 40, 50, or 60. She owes no one an explanation for her right to do so.
I feel very close to the idea that femininity is not defined by age, certain standards of appearance, or clothing. It is an inner state — the ability to feel, to love, to grow, and to remain curious about oneself.
I do not try to be perfect. I choose to be authentic. And I believe that this is precisely where the special strength of a woman today lies.
Theatre has always demanded more of an actor than the ability to transform into a character. It leaves behind an experience that can sometimes be difficult to separate from one’s own personal story. What drew you to acting, and what was your first role?
I am a creative person, and theatre has always been my love. My parents were theatre enthusiasts, so I loved going with them to performances at the drama theatre and the musical comedy theatre.
I believe it was not only my love of theatre that drew me to it, but also my curiosity about people.
I have always been fascinated by observing people and understanding why they behave the way they do, what lies behind their words, and where outward behaviour ends and genuine feelings begin. Perhaps that is why such different fields as cynology, education, psychology, and later photographic modelling and theatre have come together so naturally in my life.
I came to acting as an adult, with a wealth of life experience behind me. That is why, for me, theatre is not simply about acting or transforming into another person. It is an opportunity to explore human nature through myself.
At first, I performed monologues and poetry on stage and took part in short theatrical scenes. Later, I began appearing in full productions. My first role in the play The Society of the Emancipated Women of Belgrade (TEŽ), based on a work by Serbian playwright Branislav Nušić, was Madame Arsić, one of the active members of the society’s governing board and a vivid satirical character.
I remember how much it meant to me at the time simply to step onto the stage and experience that feeling: for a while, you cease to be yourself, yet at the same time discover something entirely new within yourself.
Theatre taught me another important lesson: not to be afraid of stepping beyond the familiar image I have of myself.
For me, theatre is a place of strength, inspiration, and personal growth. It is also a space where the energy of the actor and the audience meet. That exchange of energy is extraordinarily beautiful.
Some roles remain in professional memory, while others, in a curious way, continue to live within us long after the performance has ended. Which role has been particularly significant to you? And is there a character, a play, or a film that you find yourself returning to in your thoughts?
The role of Trisha in Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, based on the play by Alan Ball, has been particularly significant to me.
The role both attracted and repelled me, demanding a complex psychological adjustment. Such roles are often described as roles of resistance.
On the surface, Trisha is vibrant, free-spirited, sharp, independent, ironic, and provocative. She seems afraid of nothing and attached to no one. But when you look deeper, behind her irony and demonstrative freedom lies an entirely different person, with her own painful experiences, loneliness, and inner contradictions.
I was interested in discovering what lay beneath the surface, what remained hidden. And do you know what I found particularly fascinating? In real life, I am fundamentally unlike Trisha in many ways. Yet I was astonished to discover in her something deeply concealed not only within my character’s soul, but within my own.
Perhaps that is precisely why this role has stayed with me. It reminds me that behind every person’s outward behaviour lies an individual story. Sometimes, all we see is the “armour”, without knowing what lies beneath it.
We all have our favourite films. I have a collection for every occasion. I enjoy returning to characters who leave us with questions rather than ready-made answers. I believe those are the characters who remain with us the longest.
In the fashion industry, the Age+ category is increasingly moving beyond traditional perceptions of age. This year, you received the title of 1st Runner-Up Ms Prestige Continental Europe 2026. What does this recognition mean to you, and what place do you believe femininity beyond age boundaries holds in global fashion culture today?
For me, this title means far more than a crown or an impressive line on a résumé.
It has affirmed that one’s life journey, professional experience, character, creativity, and inner energy can be just as significant as outward appearance.
The Continental Pageant Europe 2026 was a particularly meaningful experience for me because it was about much more than beauty. Above all, it was about a woman’s personality, her story, achievements, individuality, charisma, and sense of purpose.
I would very much like women to stop perceiving age as a limitation. At a certain point in life, you suddenly realise that you no longer wish to live up to someone else’s expectations. You simply want to live, create, explore new possibilities, and remain interesting to yourself.
I feel a strong connection to the contemporary Age+ concept because it restores a woman’s right to be seen.
Fashion should never say, “You are too old for that now.” It can say, “You can. And now is your time.”
Your professional interests extend beyond fashion and theatre. You also work as a judge and instructor in canine sports. What does this field, so different from the stage and fashion industry, bring into your life?
Yes, these fields are entirely different, but I bring a creative approach to the learning process, striving to make it not only effective but also engaging.
I have worked in professional cynology for almost thirty years and have headed the Brig Dog Training Centre for many years. I work as an instructor and judge. I have participated in eight World Championships in canine sports as both an athlete and a coach. Over the years, I have come to understand one simple truth: it is impossible to truly teach someone if you do not love what you do.
Cynology has taught me to understand behaviour — both animal and human — with greater insight. Professional work with a dog requires patience, attentiveness, discipline, trust, and deep respect for one’s partner, above all, a genuine love for our smaller companions.
Dogs are remarkably honest and love us unconditionally. They do not respond to professional positions, titles, or an attractive image. They sense how you truly feel.
I teach not only dogs, but people as well. My profession brings together working with animals, education, and psychology. I enjoy writing articles and sharing my impressions and experience.
For me, cynology is about honesty, partnership, and responsibility. And, perhaps unexpectedly, these very principles serve me equally well in theatre and in life.
Today, Ukrainian artists are increasingly engaging with the world not only through their art, but also through their presence on the international stage. How do you envision the future of Ukrainian art beyond the country’s borders, and what, in your view, could become its strongest voice?
I believe the future of Ukrainian art is international.
It is very important to me that, when we step onto the world stage, we do not try to become more “convenient” or resemble someone else. Quite the opposite: we must speak even more confidently about who we are.
Ukrainian culture has extraordinary depth. We have traditions, music, literature, theatre, visual arts, fashion, and craftsmanship. At the same time, a new generation of people is emerging, creating a contemporary Ukrainian aesthetic.
I believe authenticity will be the strongest voice of Ukrainian art.
It should not be solely a story of war and pain, although these are part of our history. It should also tell the world who we truly are: about our strength, beauty, freedom, talent, and love of life.
I want the world, when it sees a Ukrainian woman on stage or on an international runway, or hears a Ukrainian actor, musician, or artist, to understand that it is witnessing more than simply a representative of a particular country.
It is a person with a story, a character, and a voice of her own.
Perhaps that is why I love representing Ukraine wherever life takes me. For me, Ukraine is not simply a name written in the “country” field.
Ukraine is in my heart. Kharkiv is in my soul.
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