When I first saw Egor’s image via Instagram, I was captured by his unconventional beauty and notably, his dual expression of strength and fragility. I sent him a direct message immediately to ask if he would be interested in shooting with me.
The first time we met was in my home in Haifa, Israel on May 9th, 2021. When Egor arrived accompanied by his close friend, I got the feeling it took him some time to relax, not used to being the centre of attention. But slowly, he opened up, mainly through the help of Sasha, my sister’s dog who connected with Egor immediately.
Our conversation started with us sharing stories about our path in life and Israel. His story touched me and it gave me a glimpse into Egor’s difficult life journey. This 20-year-old young man had already been through so much in his short life. He told me about the hardship of being bullied in school back in Russia, about his decision to leave his home country and start a new life in Israel by himself, when he was just 16 years old. His general response in life, carrying a mark that cannot be hidden has been, “I feel like I need to prove to people every day that I’m not a monster.”
Once he warmed up, he told me about his love for hip hop music, his dreams of becoming a fashion designer and his goal to be an inspiration for others in similar situations, to be accepted in society and remain strong in the process. He said as a reminder, “even though I’ve been bullied, my life in Russia was very comfortable, but I wanted a new page, new experiences, I wanted to face life as an independent in order to gain confidence and experience, which will help me in the process of achieving my dreams and goals and realise what I want to do with my life.” It’s been heart-warming to see that since our conversation, he has already achieved new milestones, having walked for the VTMNTS show in Paris most recently and to watch his success as a fashion model.
His honesty was extremely moving and felt grateful for the chance to spend the day with him. For me, he embodies an important insight: against all odds, you can decide your own destination. In Egor’s own story of searching for acceptance, I felt that he now has the gift to embrace and stand for others in the world and through his mental strength be a role model for others as it has for me.
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