Muse — Ola Rudnicka
Snowflakes are moving in the wind when we arrive in frozen Warsaw at the beginning of a year. We have ventured here to meet Ola Rudnicka — a fashion model, originally from Poland. She has graced the covers of every publication that you can think of and shot for more brands than you can imagine but today we are shooting her in a name she has walked for over thirty times: CHANEL. We had a chat with her to discuss the importance of Chinese horoscopes, the Trans-Siberian railway and stargazing.
Ola, qué tal?
Muy bien! Honestly, a bit stressed because I’m coming to Berlin for 3 months.
Oh you’re moving over here, how come?
I spontaneously decided to go and enrol in a film course there.
And I was going to ask you if you’d like to be an actress someday. What kind of course is that?
It’s an experimental filmmaking course — my acting ambitions are long gone. I prefer the other side of the camera. I mean I have to see if that’s a thing for me as well but I’m excited.
Have you ever tried to direct a film before?
I did, but small stories, not longer than 5 minutes. Although, come to think of it 5 minutes of film that makes sense is already huge! For the record — I’m not saying that what I’ve ever made made sense though.
Telling a story in a short amount of time is definitely an accomplishment. I’d love to see one of your short stories.
When I have more courage.
What institution will you be studying at?
It’s called Met Film School.
All the best with that new journey. How did you actually become a model?
I was stopped on the street. No actually I mean in a store. I was 14 back then.
Did you even want to enter into that world back then?
I didn’t know much about it. It was exciting because I always wanted to travel the world and knew that modeling gives you that opportunity. I didn’t think of becoming a model, I wanted everything that comes with it. I mean traveling and meeting people — the fun parts.
Does the work travel still satisfy you or are you missing the real adventures?
That’s the thing. As a model you go to places but it’s hard to fully enjoy them because trips are usually quick and busy. I do like that as well though. I like real adventures but I don’t need to leave the city I live in to have them. It’s about being adventurous rather than going places for an adventure. I do love traveling for pleasure though.
Absolutely agree — that reminds me, we still have to go to Uzbekistan for our next shoot. What was your favourite journey so far?
The Trans-Siberian — it’s a very special thing to me for many reasons.
What was so special about it to you?
First of all the idea of crossing a continent, the way that places you visit on the way are so different from one another. The train ride itself is a very contemplative moment and also makes you experience kind of a ‘normal’ travel time. The time you’re able to process. Not like when you’re on the plane. It’s pretty surreal.
Would you do it a second time?
Yes. I said I’d go there again in 50 years.
Why 50 years?
Just like that. It’s a romantic idea I had.
It still is. Also happy Chinese New Year — did you check your horoscope yet?
Haha, of course I did. The Year of the Pig has been good for me for now — changes, changes, changes.
What’s the most important transformation you went through in your life?
Never thought of that. I think it’s stopping thinking that everyone around is looking at me and judging me. It was surely a relief to realize that. It helps to think of what you want for yourself and takes the pressure off your back.
Once you realise that nothing really matters and the standards and limitations of other people don’t apply to you, you find out what it really means to live.
That’s about it.
So Chinese horoscope, I remember we were reading them back in January — is that as spiritual as it gets for you?
It does become spiritual in moments of distress to somehow find the good and interpret stuff in a way you want to see it. I never read horoscopes when I’m happy — it only happens in the down times. It’s a psychological trigger that makes you believe something is keeping an eye on you.
Interesting. And in times of happiness you are thinking in a scientific way?
I look at the sky when I’m happy. At night especially.
And what do you see?
I have to think of my response so it doesn’t sound cheesy. It makes me feel like nothing really matters. I think that’s the least cheesy thing I can tell. I’ll think of it again — go on.
It ain’t easy not being cheesy. Well let’s have a brief discourse into fashion again — just a few days ago Karl Lagerfeld passed, when was the first time you worked with him at CHANEL?
It was actually 5 years ago — I did over 30 shows for them. More than for any other house.
So, how do you end an interview?
(Ola laughs) You wish luck and success. No, you ask a question about the future, we did that at the begining though.
If you were a racoon what would you do all day?
I’d sneak into peoples houses and see what they have to eat. Or I would wash because I’m Polish — the Polish name for a raccoon is ‘raccoon the washer’. I would surely sneak into places.
In German it is washing-bear.
Haha, it’s the same then!
Photography Stefan Dotter Styling Christian Stemmler
Hair & Make-up Anna Stykała @ System Management Casting Dominik Wimmer
Retouch Paul Drozdowski Production Anna Rybus @ Prospero
Assistents Marasek & Aleksander Balcerek
Muse
Ola Rudnicka @ Model Management
All clothing by
CHANEL
Special thanks to
Restauracja Niespodzianka and Autor Rooms
Interview & Words
Stefan Dotter