One day after school, eighth-grader Alesia Gavrilenko saw a brief ad on social media: “Who wants to become a model? Put a ‘+’.” Intrigued, she did so. To her astonishment, she soon received a message from a Minsk model agency, asking her to send her photos and measurements.
To verify the agency’s credibility, Alesia’s father visited their Minsk office, where he reviewed their official permits and certificates. Once reassured, Alesia signed a three-year contract and began her career with a basic portfolio shoot. Her parents then secured permission from her school for the two-month absence the new endeavor required.
During her winter break, Alesia embarked on her first modeling assignment abroad. The sprawling, bustling metropolis of Seoul was a world apart from her native village of Streshin and even the streets of Minsk, striking her as immense, noisy, and utterly foreign.
For her first show, Alesia modeled jewelry from a world-renowned brand for a wedding magazine. The work was demanding, requiring her to hold a single, elegant pose for extended periods – a tiring task, as she later admitted. The shoot was momentarily interrupted when her watch slipped from her wrist and clattered to the floor. Security guards, tasked with protecting the valuable pieces, rushed to inspect it for damage. Fortunately, the watch was fine, and the shoot continued with rings and earrings from the same brand. Ultimately, Alesia’s debut as a model was a success, landing her first photos on the cover of a prominent magazine.
Upon returning to Streshin two months later, Alesia promptly made up for her missed schoolwork, finishing ninth grade with good marks. Her second work trip took place the following winter during her tenth grade. These milestones are now commemorated in a special display at home, featuring the magazines she has appeared in, her professional badges, and the names of her client brands.
At just 14 years old, Alesia used her first modeling paycheck to make a surprising purchase: a cow. Then another. Now, the Gavrilenko family has a full herd – a dozen dairy cows, plus bulls and calves.. Her mother Galina manages the milking with a machine, while Alesia, true to her roots, still knows how to care for the animals herself.
Though her modeling career has taken her abroad, Alesia Gavrilenko’s ambitions are firmly anchored in Belarus. She is currently pursuing a correspondence degree in international law at MITSO International University – a pragmatic choice over her schoolgirl dream of architecture, as she considers a good diploma an essential safety net.
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