De modelo a su propio proyecto internacional: Kristina Lytvynenko habla abiertamente sobre su vida en Estados Unidos y la siguiente etapa de su carrera

Tiempo estimado de lectura: 12 minutos

 

 

(ENG)

International fashion model Kristina Lytvynenko began her professional journey in Odesa and is now based in Miami, working with international teams and gradually expanding her career far beyond modeling. She sees her own business ventures and the creation of Women Support in the World — a platform designed to bring women together and help them develop different areas of their lives — as the next major step in her career.

You have been living in the US for quite some time. What was the biggest discovery for you after moving there?

Probably the scale of opportunities — and the level of personal responsibility that comes with them.

America teaches you very quickly that being beautiful and talented is not enough. You need to know how to present yourself, communicate, negotiate, build professional connections, adapt and create opportunities for yourself. No one here takes you by the hand.

For me, moving was not simply about changing countries. It was about changing the scale of my thinking.

I began to see modeling as an international business where it is not only the shoots that matter, but also strategy, reputation, media presence, personal branding and long-term positioning.

The main lesson is simple: there are countless opportunities here, but no one is obligated to turn them into reality for you.

So today, I no longer see myself as someone who is looking for opportunities, but as someone who is capable of creating them.

In your opinion, what is the biggest difference between the American and Ukrainian fashion industries?

The American market is significantly larger and much more commercial.

Here, fashion is closely connected with beauty, entertainment, media, social platforms and business. Creating a strong product is not enough — you also need to know how to present it and scale it. A personal brand here is not an addition to your career; it is part of the career itself.

But I always emphasize that Ukraine has an incredibly strong creative school.

We have an enormous number of talented designers, photographers, stylists and other creative professionals. You understand this especially well after working abroad extensively and seeing the international level firsthand.

Ukrainian professionals are working all over the world today. I have already been fortunate enough to work with some Ukrainian photographers and designers whom many models dream of collaborating with, and I continue working with some of them to this day.

That is why I do not like to contrast these two markets.

America taught me how to scale and think in terms of a major market. Ukraine gave me a sense of aesthetics, character and creative courage. Combining these two worlds is a special kind of professional satisfaction.

What does a typical day in Miami look like for you when there are no flights or major projects?

Even a day off is rarely completely free.

I try to start my mornings calmly, as much as my schedule allows. Then there is exercise, work correspondence, calls, communication with my team, planning shoots, working on content, meetings and organizational matters. A significant part of a model’s work is not the shoots themselves, but everything that happens around them.

Right now, I am also dedicating a lot of attention to developing my name, my personal brand and future business projects.

At the same time, I have learned to leave time for myself. Miami offers a wonderful balance in that sense: the ocean, sunshine, sports, and the opportunity to switch off and recharge.

I used to think productivity meant constantly doing something.

Today, I see it differently. The more responsibility you have in your career, the more important it becomes to manage not only your time, but also your own energy.

What habits or principles have helped you build an international career and stay motivated?

First and foremost, discipline. Ten years of rhythmic gymnastics taught me early on that motivation is unstable. Today you have it, tomorrow you do not, but training is still at seven in the morning. If your career depends on inspiration, you will not get very far.

The second principle is adaptability. An international career means constantly dealing with new countries, teams, markets and rules. You need to adjust quickly without losing your own identity.

The third is long-term thinking. I do not evaluate opportunities by asking, “What will this project give me right now?” but rather, “Where will this decision take me in a few years?” Sometimes the right answer is to say no.

And one more thing: never treat another achievement as the final destination. An award, a cover or a new international project is simply confirmation that you can set your next, bigger goal. Nothing more.

What professional dreams have yet to come true? Perhaps working with a particular brand, appearing on new covers or launching your own project?

I still have many professional goals — and I think that is a wonderful thing.

I want to continue working on major international fashion and beauty projects, create powerful editorial stories, appear on new covers and collaborate with world-class brands.

But today, my ambitions extend beyond traditional modeling.

I am interested in developing my own projects and businesses — creating products that are connected not only to my face in front of the camera, but also to my name, vision and experience.

Modeling has given me an incredible platform. I want to use it as the foundation for my next chapter, not as the final destination.

I do not want my professional story, many years from now, to consist only of a beautiful archive of photographs — even if those include international magazines, covers and awards.

I want to build a name that has value and influence far beyond the modeling industry.

So the question for me is no longer, “Which cover do I want to appear on?”

It is something much bigger: “What do I want to create, and what do I want to leave behind?”

About Kristina Lytvynenko

Kristina Lytvynenko is a Ukrainian international fashion and editorial model and media personality who currently lives and works in the United States. She began her professional modeling journey in Odesa, where she graduated from two modeling schools, and in 2016 she won the title of Miss Odesa. Before pursuing a modeling career, she spent ten years practicing rhythmic gymnastics, which, according to Kristina, shaped her discipline and professional approach to work.

Throughout her career, Lytvynenko has participated in international fashion and beauty projects, worked with teams in different countries and appeared in international publications, including Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour and ELLE. She has also received professional honors and has been invited to serve on the jury of international projects, including the Paris Fashion Awards. Kristina considers the Top International Model — Global Awards 2025 title one of her professional achievements.

Lytvynenko is currently based in Miami and, alongside her modeling career, is developing her name as an international personal brand. She plans to continue working on major fashion and beauty projects, creating editorial shoots, collaborating with global brands and developing her own business ventures.

One of her upcoming projects is the launch of a women’s community called Women Support in the World. Kristina envisions it not simply as a community, but as a comprehensive platform for supporting, developing, connecting and empowering women.

A separate direction of the project will focus on both external and internal development. Kristina plans to collaborate with renowned beauty professionals, fitness experts, psychologists, personal development and mindset coaches, as well as other specialists.

The main goal of Women Support in the World is to create an environment where women can receive professional support and work on their self-confidence, personal image, physical well-being, mindset and overall quality of life. Lytvynenko sees the development of her own projects as the next major stage of her professional journey — one that will extend far beyond traditional modeling.

 

https://www.instagram.com/kristinalitvinenko_/links/

 

(ESP)

La modelo internacional Kristina Lytvynenko comenzó su trayectoria profesional en Odesa y ahora reside en Miami, donde trabaja con equipos internacionales y expande gradualmente su carrera mucho más allá del modelaje. Considera sus propios proyectos empresariales y la creación de Women Support in the World —una plataforma diseñada para conectar a mujeres y ayudarlas a desarrollar diferentes áreas de sus vidas— como el siguiente gran paso en su carrera.

Llevas bastante tiempo viviendo en Estados Unidos. ¿Cuál fue el mayor descubrimiento para ti tras mudarte allí?

Probablemente la magnitud de las oportunidades y el nivel de responsabilidad personal que conllevan.

En Estados Unidos te enseñan muy rápido que ser guapa y talentosa no es suficiente. Necesitas saber cómo presentarte, comunicarte, negociar, crear contactos profesionales, adaptarte y generar tus propias oportunidades. Aquí nadie te lleva de la mano.

Para mí, mudarme no fue solo cambiar de país. Fue cambiar mi perspectiva.

Empecé a ver el modelaje como un negocio internacional donde no solo importan las sesiones de fotos, sino también la estrategia, la reputación, la presencia en los medios, la marca personal y el posicionamiento a largo plazo.

La lección principal es simple: aquí hay innumerables oportunidades, pero nadie está obligado a convertirlas en realidad por ti.

Así que hoy, ya no me veo como alguien que busca oportunidades, sino como alguien capaz de crearlas.

En tu opinión, ¿cuál es la mayor diferencia entre las industrias de la moda estadounidense y ucraniana?

El mercado estadounidense es significativamente más grande y mucho más comercial.

Aquí, la moda está estrechamente ligada a la belleza, el entretenimiento, los medios de comunicación, las redes sociales y los negocios. Crear un producto sólido no es suficiente: también hay que saber cómo presentarlo y escalarlo. Aquí, la marca personal no es un complemento para tu carrera; es parte de la carrera misma.

Pero siempre recalco que Ucrania tiene una escuela creativa increíblemente fuerte.

Tenemos una enorme cantidad de diseñadores, fotógrafos, estilistas y otros profesionales creativos con mucho talento. Esto se entiende especialmente bien después de haber trabajado extensamente en el extranjero y haber visto de primera mano el nivel internacional.

Los profesionales ucranianos trabajan hoy en día en todo el mundo. He tenido la suerte de trabajar con algunos fotógrafos y diseñadores ucranianos con los que muchas modelos sueñan con colaborar, y sigo trabajando con algunos de ellos hasta el día de hoy.

Por eso no me gusta contrastar estos dos mercados.

Estados Unidos me enseñó a escalar y a pensar en términos de un gran mercado. Ucrania me aportó un sentido de la estética, carácter y valentía creativa. Combinar estos dos mundos es una satisfacción profesional muy especial.

¿Cómo es un día típico en Miami para ti cuando no hay vuelos ni grandes proyectos?

Incluso un día libre rara vez es completamente libre.

Intento empezar las mañanas con tranquilidad, en la medida en que mi agenda me lo permite. Luego viene el ejercicio, la correspondencia laboral, las llamadas, la comunicación con mi equipo, la planificación de sesiones de fotos, el trabajo en el contenido, las reuniones y los asuntos organizativos. Una parte importante del trabajo de una modelo no son las sesiones de fotos en sí, sino todo lo que sucede a su alrededor.

Ahora mismo, también estoy dedicando mucha atención a desarrollar mi nombre, mi marca personal y mis futuros proyectos empresariales.

Al mismo tiempo, he aprendido a reservar tiempo para mí. Miami ofrece un equilibrio maravilloso en ese sentido: el océano, el sol, los deportes y la oportunidad de desconectar y recargar energías.

Antes pensaba que la productividad significaba estar siempre haciendo algo.

Hoy lo veo de otra manera. Cuanta más responsabilidad tengas en tu carrera, más importante se vuelve gestionar no solo tu tiempo, sino también tu propia energía.

¿Qué hábitos o principios te han ayudado a construir una carrera internacional y a mantenerte motivada?

Ante todo, la disciplina. Diez años de gimnasia rítmica me enseñaron desde muy joven que la motivación es inestable. Hoy la tienes, mañana no, pero el entrenamiento sigue siendo a las siete de la mañana. Si tu carrera depende de la inspiración, no llegarás muy lejos.

El segundo principio es la adaptabilidad. Una carrera internacional implica lidiar constantemente con nuevos países, equipos, mercados y normas. Necesitas adaptarte rápidamente sin perder tu propia identidad.

El tercer aspecto es la visión a largo plazo. No evalúo las oportunidades preguntándome: «¿Qué me aportará este proyecto ahora mismo?», sino más bien: «¿Adónde me llevará esta decisión dentro de unos años?». A veces, la respuesta correcta es decir que no.

Y una cosa más: nunca consideres otro logro como la meta final. Un premio, una portada o un nuevo proyecto internacional son simplemente la confirmación de que puedes fijarte tu siguiente objetivo, uno más ambicioso. Nada más.

¿Qué sueños profesionales aún te quedan por cumplir? ¿Quizás trabajar con una marca en particular, aparecer en nuevas portadas o lanzar tu propio proyecto?

Todavía tengo muchos objetivos profesionales, y creo que eso es maravilloso.