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Radi Budyounova

CUSTOMER PROFILE: RADI BUDYOUNOVA

Today we have the pleasure of meeting international cover girl and Instagram star Radi Budyounova in New York where she has been living and working since 2015.  

We caught up with Radi at Ground Support in Soho and asked her a few questions about modeling, how she built her social media presence - and of course - her fashion style.

 

Hi Radi, tell us a little about yourself. 

I was born in Bulgaria, but have made New York my home after living mostly in Europe.

 Radi BudyounovaRadi Budyounova

You are an accomplished international model. How did you decide to become a model, and what does it take to succeed in the industry?  

I always liked the spotlight and started modeling at 18. At first, it was small gigs here and there, but I quickly embraced this line of work and made it my career. Modeling is not an easy job, you have to be strong and determined. You cannot let people pull you down. You must stay focused and keep going even when things seem very hard. You just have to keep going at it.

 

Take us back to your first catwalk - what did you feel the first time you were behind the camera? 

I was very scared at my first runway and even more scared at my first photo shoot, but after I saw the results of my hard work I fell in love with creating art.

 

As a model, I am sure you travel a lot for work. You are a regular at all European Fashion Weeks and at New York Fashion Week. How did the pandemic affect your work?

The pandemic has affected the entire world, not only me. During this difficult period, I am focusing more on my influencer work, keeping my content on point and collaborating with many brands.

 

Yes, you are an Instagram star with over 1.7 Million followers and your posts regularly gather tens of thousands of likes. How were you able to build such a large fan base? 

You have to believe in yourself, pursue your dreams and work hard. At first, no one believed in me, even my mom was skeptical about me becoming a model and investing my time to build my social media brand, but after she saw my work she became my number one fan. The secret is to always work hard because nothing is given. But nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself.

 Radi BudyounovaRadi Budyounova

What are your plans for 2024?

Live, love and create art.

 

What music do you listen to? 

I love k-pop and hip-hop.

 

Are you a BTS fan?

I love BTS!

 

What are you wearing today? 

A plain black tee and my favorite skinny jeans, which I complemented with my Evalina laminated leather trench. It is such a statement piece, it transforms my look effortlessly.

 

How’s the coffee? 

Sweet.

 

Thank you Radi!

Thank you!

 

Connect with Radi on instagram @radi_budyounova.

CUSTOMER PROFILE: MALIN LINNEA

In our second customer profile, we meet Swedish DJ and music producer Malin Linnea Cronholm in London where she has been living and working since 2010. Malin actively spins in some of the city's hottest venues and often travels internationally to work art and fashion events for some of the world's best known brands. Her clients include Bulgari, Christian Dior, W Hotels, Elle, Details, InStyle and many more. She is managed by London's legendary Ministry of Sound.

We caught up with Malin at Kaffeine and asked her a few questions about music, what it takes to be a great DJ, her future plans, and - of course - her fashion style.

Malin Linnea | NOTTEVERA

- Tell us about yourself.
I am a London-based Swedish DJ. My background is in finance, but I made a quite unusual career switch a few years ago and have been DJ-ing globally ever since.
 
- Where did your love from music come from? 
I was always into music and I recall being obsessed with Michael Jackson when I was 6 years old. I saw him in concert in 1992 which was really cool. At the time, my mom said I was the youngest person in the crowd!
 
- How and when did you first start DJ-ing, and at what point you realized that you wanted to do this for a living? 
Back in 2008 I took a DJ course in Stockholm to learn it for fun, and I loved it so much that I quit my full-time finance job in 2013 to focus on DJ-ing. 
 
- What is your most memorable moment as a DJ? 

I get new ones all the time, but DJ-ing on a super yacht under the stars in Croatia in the middle of sea is definitely one of them.

Malin Linnea | NOTTEVERA

- How has working late at night affected your personal life? 

Working late nights definitely has its drawbacks when it comes to personal life. Back home in London, I do lots of PR and fashion gigs that tend to be earlier hours thankfully. Often when you travel for DJ-ing, you are put on flights that might be a few hours after you finish your set, which can be exhausting.

- What are the essentials for being a great DJ? 

Reading the crowd is the most obvious one. The second one is probably always hunting for music which takes A LOT of time.

- Is there a gap in musical tastes between the US and Europe? 

Generally speaking, the US used to be much more Hip Hop and R&B focused but I think that's gradually changing now.

Malin Linnea | NOTTEVERA
 
-Are you producing? 
Yes! I studied music production in London and as soon as my travel schedule quiets down a bit I hope to be able to find the time to go back to the studio.
 
- Have you had any interesting experiences or stories with fans while Dj-ing? 
Sometimes people come up to me to request a song, and it’s the same track that is playing. That always fascinates me!
 
- How would you define your fashion style? 

Very eclectic. For DJ-ing big events or dressing up, I love a bit of 70’s glam with statement jewelry. I also tend to wear anything low back cut.

- What are you wearing today? 

A white Tahari cotton dress, Diesel sneakers and my NOTTEVERA Effie snakeskin bucket bag! (sold out!).

- What is your favorite pastime when you're not Dj-ing?
DJ-ing is very intense work, so I prefer to take it easy when I’m not working. I love doing yoga and meditation to balance my crazy lifestyle. That and spending quality time with friends and family.
 
- Thank you Malin!
- You're welcome!
 
Connect with Malin at malinlinnea.com.
 
 
Italian Leather High Heels US

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HEELS

For generations, heels have embodied femininity and glamour but a pair of high heels was once an essential accessory for men.

Although high heeled shoes are depicted in ancient Egyptian murals, the earliest known heel wearers were 9th century Persian horseback riders who wore 1.5 inch heels for functionality as they kept the feet from sliding out of stirrups when riding or standing up to shoot arrows during battle.

In Europe, men started wearing heels following a 1599 visit by Persian diplomats to the continent to rally support for Persia’s war against the Ottoman Empire. A craze for Persian culture developed and wealthy European aristocrats embraced heels enthusiastically to highlight their social status.

One of the first European women to wear heels was Catherine de Medici, an Italian noblewoman from Florence. On her wedding day to the French Duke of Orleans in Marseille on October 28, 1533, the rather shy 14-year old bride astutely compensated for her short stature with an extravagant dress and a pair of 4" heels she had commissioned from a master craftsman in her native Florence, thus starting a trend that would last to this day.

Catherine de Medici would eventually become Queen of France from 1547 until 1559. Following her husband’s death, she assumed extensive, if at times varying, influence ruthlessly ruling France as its regent at times. Often described as “the most powerful woman in 16th century Europe”, she always dressed impeccably. A true style icon of her time, she is credited with importing many of Italy’s luxuries and customs to France, including perfume, underwear, ballet, table manners and, of course, Italian style (although the French may disagree).

Heels would drift in and out of fashion in 18th and 19th century Europe, with men eventually walking away from the trend to differentiate themselves from women. For a while, women too got away from heels as they were not practical to walk in on muddy or cobblestone roads. The advent of photography in the mid-19th century brought back the heel, as photographers would often dress their risque’ models in heels. The paving of roads also contributed to the renaissance of heels. Fast forward to the 1950s, French designer Roger Vivier re-popularized the high heel with the invention of the stiletto. The rest, as they say, is history.

So next time you hit the streets with your NOTTEVERA heels, remember to thank Catherine de Medici. She may have terrorized her people, but she looked damn good doing it.