Backstage Photo
Joanna Borov is a Polish-born fashion model and influencer currently living in the USA. She has worked with several prominent brands and designers and graced events such as Paris Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, and Los Angeles Fashion Week. Editorials about Joanna have been published in different magazines including British Vogue, L’Officiel, Elegant, and Marie Claire magazine. She was also on the cover of Playboy Ukraine and she has been featured in Maxim magazine.
Joanna earned two master’s degrees from the University of the Arts London and the University of Warsaw. She also won two beauty pageants Miss Motors F1 Silverstone and World Beauty Queen Poland and represented Poland in the World Final in Korea. After that, she was a judge in Miss Film Festival Argentina 2019.
We recently caught up with Joanna to discuss her journey in the entertainment industry and here’s what went down:
1. Could you please tell our readers a brief background about yourself and how you started in the industry?
I was born in Poland and I moved to London to study at the University of the Arts London. I have always been passionate about fashion so studying fashion was a dream come true. I also started to work part-time as a model. I didn’t take it very seriously till I won a beauty pageant Miss Motors Formula 1 and I went to Monte Carlo where I got a lot of job offers. I have worked at London Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, Los Angeles Fashion Week, and Miami Swim Week among many others. I also judged a number of beauty pageants. I moved to Los Angeles to continue my career. Recently, I also started to design women’s clothes and I’m about to launch my first collection.
Backstage Photo
What do you like most about being a model?
I like the opportunity being able to travel and meet fabulous people. I also love unique and creative projects. I had a chance to see myself in different makeup and clothes and create different images.
Downside to being a model?
It’s hard work and can be tiring sometimes yet a lot of people don’t realize it and think it’s not a real job.
What has been the most memorable experience of being in the modeling industry so far?
The most memorable experience was participating in Paris Fashion Week. This was the time I visited Paris for the. Very first time and I loved it. The event was amazing.
Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?
I have met a lot of interesting people throughout the years, some of them became my friends or regular co-workers. Venera Tabakin, London based designer who is often seen on the red carpet in Cannes, was the person that encouraged me to pursue my modeling career.
What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while in the modelling industry. This can be about the industry or about yourself.
I’ve learned that patience and persistence are very important. It’s important not to get discouraged with failure or rejection. We like to share and post our achievements but I’ve been rejected many times. Sometimes I felt discouraged but I still kept on going.
Photographed by Anastasiya Sazhina / HMUA: Reyna Khalil
Is your family supportive of you being a model?
Although it’s not what they dreamt about, my family members support me and want me to be happy. They have all in the magazines I’ve been featured in, some of the members of my family joined social media to follow my career.
Photographed by: Isabel Ruen /HMUA Reyna Khalil/Designer: Vicky Vlasenko/ Jewelry by: Jimeye
If you could go back in a time machine to the time when you were just getting started, what would you do differently?
Everything happens for a reason and I’m happy with how things turned out, but if there’s something I could have done in the past it would probably be to start my career earlier.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Be patient! I have a very close friend, who achieved a lot and she. Always used to tell myself, in life you need to be patient, good things take time and if something doesn’t work at the moment doesn’t mean it won’t work in the future.
Photographed by: Isabel Ruen /HMUA Reyna Khalil/Designer: Vicky Vlasenko/ Jewelry by: Jimeye
What are your future plans? Inside your career or out of it.
Currently, I’m getting ready for NYC Fashion Week. It’s going to be my first fashion week in New York and I’m super excited. Also, I’m working on my clothing line at the moment which is a lot of work but I find it very rewarding.
Paris Fashion Week wearing Venera Tabakin
