THE WORLD OF NOTTEVERA » NOTTEVERA

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.

 

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.

 

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.

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.

- 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.

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

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

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.

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

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 9^th 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 16^th 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 18^th and 19^th 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-19^th 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.