THE FASHION AWARDS 2022
June 5, 2023
Penthesilea: The Way to Excellence
June 5, 2023
The Ukrainian-born, Tel Aviv-Based, jet-setting leading luxury blogger, influencer, model, and social media entrepreneur, is renowned for her bold looks and being a brand ambassador for luxury brands
When she’s not in the front row at fashion shows, she runs a media agency that focuses on the extraordinary power of content to inform and inspire the world.
We caught up with her on a retreat in Casablanca to find out a bit more about what influences her inimitable style and creativity.
Ira, how have you found your current professional sphere? What steps led you to what you do now?
I felt it was my destiny.
I grew up in Ukraine, my dad was a salesman, and my mom was an accountant.
Tragically, my father passed away when I was 15 years old, leaving my mother to raise two children.
With not much money coming in, my mother had to take a second job to make ends meet. It taught me to survive early in life because in Ukraine you have to.
It was this tough upbringing that gave me the courage to travel pursuing my dream, and thick skin necessary for my first job in the fashion industry and the unforgiving world of modeling.
I found myself travelling around the world to shoot different catalogues for brands, spending time in Milan, Saint Tropez, Nice etc. It also made me feel like I was destined for greater things. Eventually, I got to sunny Tel Aviv, where I met my husband. Now we live there with our two adorable daughters, Mia and Romi.
But it wasn’t until I started studying interior design in college that I was discovered by one of the most iconic brands in the world – Replay. My sense of creativity helped me become an art director and retail designer for the brand.
At the time, I already had a portfolio full of projects, and Instagram was on the rise, so I began to look into social media. It was a match made in heaven. Instagram was the perfect place to bring all my passions – fashion, art, lifestyle, and photography – together. It was then that lot of brands switched to influencers. That’s where I came in.
It wasn’t an easy journey. I spent endless hours to get the big brands to notice me. I was developing a distinct voice and unique style and began to work with high end brands like Chanel, Dior, Ralph Lauren, Ferrari, Chopard and more – and slowly became a brand myself.
But being an influencer wasn’t enough. I decided to go into social media marketing and started my own media agency, Miro, which works with over 20 brands.
You can’t ignore the power of social media in marketing. I realized that as a marketing agency, we can make a positive impact on the lives of dozens. Creating mindful content, we can use social platforms to inspire, educate, show empathy, and more.
I believe, this mindset sets me apart and helps connecting brands, media & buyers in a world where image is everything.
You were nominated for the world’s best fashion blogger. What fascinates and inspires you in the fashion world?
Fashion is wearable art. It allows people to express their emotions and even the way they see the world.
I believe that by bridging art and fashion, we enter some new, undiscovered realm. Fashion can be more than a look — it possesses the ability to express ideas and opinions about contemporary life and culture.
The thing that probably inspires me the most is the people and how much passion they have for what they’re doing. You have to respect them for what they are doing and find the same passion the designers had when creating their masterpieces- so you can convey that in your session. These people worked quite hard, and they chose you to represent their work. That’s what really inspires me the most: the raw passion for their work.
I apply the same passion to all my fashion projects, but not only- also for my lifestyle & travel projects, charity work and projects intended to raise awareness about various issues.”
What was your most memorable collaboration with a brand?
Call me crazy, but I don’t have a specific one. Anywhere that has a fashionable adventure entailed, I’m all in. I guess if I had to choose though it would be my Chanel ‘affair’ in Athens. An exclusive blogger trip to Greece – for the launching of the most buzzed-about perfume of the year – Gabrielle Chanel.
Then there was the time when Jean Paul Gautier, invited me to an all-inclusive trip to Paris Fashion Week. It was one of my first fashion weeks, my second one to be precise, where I learned the ropes of the industry. Since then I became a frequent to all the major fashion weeks.
Being invited to stay at Maison Veuve Clicquot in Rheims, France, was also an unforgettable experience. A special trip celebrating the shared excellence of Veuve Clicquot and Ferrari. Just Imagine driving through the vineyards in a 1968 Ferrari.
I was honored too to be a guest at the Givenchy L’Interdit launch party in Paris, whose very own existence was kept top secret right to the last minute!
One of the most notable collaborations this year was my trip to Menorca (one of Spain’s Balearic Islands) with Pretty Ballerinas, where I have learned the history of the brand, and saw how they make the shoes in person. I also felt truly lucky to be a guest of Air Ethiopia, who flew me to a once in a lifetime trip to Victoria Falls in Zambia, Africa, where I got to see elephants in their natural habitat.
How can a brand or a person find their own voice on social media? What unique qualities, skills, or values one must have to stand out?
I’d say it’s all about confidence. My look is feminine, strong and classic. I stay true to myself and my values. You need to focus on your passions. You can’t do it all. You can only do some things some of the time. Branding is everything.
The entire point of becoming an influencer is to establish yourself as a brand and to align with like-minded, complementary brands with the intent to elevate each other. Think of it as an evolved form of teamwork and ensemble.
But, it’s a lot of hard work, and that rigorous schedule isn’t for the faint of heart. Only this year I went on 15 work trips abroad, all while managing my agency, and being a mom as well. It demands endurance, especially after shooting hours and hours of footage. You need to become better prepared to weather difficult production days, develop creative problem solving. But it doesn’t happen overnight or without a terrific investment of resources, time, and self. It takes commitment.
Tell us about your favorite travel destinations. What do you usually think about when planning your next adventure?
There is a special place in my heart for Italy, which has become a second home for me. On average, I spend two months a year in Tuscany, which is a dream destination. I work from there. I travel around. I even get to practice my horseback riding skills there. And of course discovering amazing wineries throughout the Tuscan countryside.
I am also constantly thinking when I can go back to Paris and New York, two completely different cities which share the endless possibilities they produce. Anything can happen in a New York minute, and Parisian streets never cease to amaze me.
I still always feel a rush of excitement when planning my next adventure. It includes hours of research, searching for the most exciting experiences, not just for myself, but to show my followers as well.
Model: Ira Simonov @irasimonov
Photography: Valeria Shapira
Location: Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort
Makeup: Sylvia Zen
Styling: Yuli Sagarda
Kim Kassas, Cos, Chanel
PR company: @Say__media