Just yesterday, she was one of us — an ordinary woman with her own doubts, everyday routines, and daily concerns. Today, her name stands alongside the world’s leading brands, and her face appears on runways and in campaigns that many can only dream of. Larysa Koch is a striking example of how the decision to start life anew can change absolutely everything.
Her journey into modeling began with the BRANDFACEproject — it was here that she took her first step toward a new version of herself. Shoot by shoot, step by step, Larysa didn’t just gain professional experience — she learned to believe in her own worth and to allow herself more.
One of the brightest moments on this path was her collaboration with Ferragamo and the Ukrainian jewelry house Zarina. Larysa presented Zarina’s jewelry and Ferragamo’s clothing — marking her first true professional experience working with names of this caliber. What followed was a runway show in Paris during Fashion Week and a shoot in Cannes — pages of her story that she herself calls special.
Our editorial team is truly proud of Larysa. This is a wonderful opportunity — both for her personally and for the BRANDFACE project, which continues to discover new faces and prove that it’s never too late to change your life. We’re thrilled to watch this story unfold and wish Larysa new triumphs and endless inspiration!
And now — a heartfelt interview with Larysa, in which she talks about true feminine strength, self-confidence, and what the BRANDFACE project means to her.
How do you see true feminine strength?
This question carries a very deep meaning, because it’s not about physical strength at all. We already know women are strong. But for me, true feminine strength shows itself differently.
Imagine a pearl — something everyone admires and wants to own. Do you know how it’s born? When a tiny grain of sand enters a shell, it begins to cause pain. The oyster can’t get rid of it, so it wraps it, layer by layer. And so, year after year, a precious pearl is born — one that people are willing to overcome great difficulties for.
A woman is much the same. Over the years, she goes through different experiences — not always easy ones: losses, betrayals, disappointments, the end of relationships. But it’s essential not to break, not to turn into a cold, soulless stone, but to become stronger, wiser, and more valuable — like that pearl.
For me, a woman’s true strength is her inner foundation, her awareness of her own worth, and her ability to create her own special world around her while remaining gentle and feminine. Because only a woman with a strong inner core — one who doesn’t break under pressure, who believes in herself, and who knows nothing is impossible for her — can truly be soft.
What helps you feel confident in yourself?
I used to say that confidence comes from achievements or certain guarantees. But today I feel it completely differently — as an inner state.
It’s the awareness that no one can make me doubt myself except myself. It’s a sense of self-worth simply because I exist, knowing my principles, my boundaries, and my inner foundation.
It took me a long time to get here. It’s the result of a lot of work on myself, my thinking, and my beliefs. And this journey never really ends, because confidence isn’t a theory — it’s a practice. It’s born the moment you walk toward your fears and doubts.
For me, confidence is inner strength, feminine energy, sensuality, and the feeling that you’re capable of anything. It’s the courage to allow yourself things you once wouldn’t have dared to.
What moment in modeling do you remember the most?
Honestly, every moment has mattered to me. Every show, every shoot, every activity has left its own emotional imprint.
My first commercial shoot for FERRAGAMO and ZARINAwas my first truly professional experience. Working with well-known brands gave me an incredible feeling — that was the first time I felt like a real star.
The runway show in Paris during Fashion Week was a deeply personal story for me. When I got married, I didn’t have a white wedding dress. That show became, in a way, the closing of an unfinished chapter. It was an incredible rush of emotion — being somewhere so many people can only dream of.
Cannes was also a special page in my story. An incredible shoot in a look that perfectly reflected my inner state. Although that look wasn’t originally planned for me, I believe there are no coincidences.
Being among the world’s elite is a huge achievement. And at the same time, it felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be.
But what I remember most is one simple phrase from Anita during a masterclass. When the conversation turned to a person’s “working side,” she said:
“In everyday life, you don’t turn your ‘working side’ toward people, and you don’t constantly think about how they perceive you.”
Those words became the final touch that gave me even more confidence and helped me stop obsessing over other people’s opinions.
What does the BRANDFACE project mean to you?
BRANDFACE came into my life at the exact moment I ended a twenty-year marriage and decided to start living my own life, to pursue my own desires and dreams.
I realized I could no longer stay where I was, and I felt that something much bigger lay ahead — something that would help me unlock my own potential.
It was precisely when I let go of expectations, trusted the Universe, and allowed myself to dream big that I came across BRANDFACE’s ad.
For me, scale is when, inside yourself, you’ve already allowed for far more than external circumstances seemed capable of giving.
Project: BRANDFACE
Photographer: Alina Belozerova
Model: Larysa Koch
Beauty: Krystina Altukhova, Daryna Kalinichenko
Stylist: Kirill Savchenko
Clothes: Ferragamo Boutique, Kyiv
Jewelry: Zarina Jewelry House, Kyiv