The Art of Staying Curious

From fashion editorials to distant landscapes, Yevgeniya Akmurzinova approaches every new encounter with the same sense of curiosity, proving that true beauty begins with a willingness to keep exploring. Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam speaks with the model and creative spirit about inspiration, imagination, and seeing the world with endlessly curious eyes.

HBZVN: Yevgeniya, this photo story is breathtaking. Can you take us behind the scenes of that shoot? How did it feel to collaborate with such a magnificent creature, and what was the creative energy like on set?

YEVGENIYA AKMURZINOVA: Honestly? Pure bliss. The moment they wrapped around me, I felt like their guardian , like we understood each other completely. Everyone on set seemed to hold their breath – there was this collective focus, like we all knew something special was happening. The whole day flew by in one breath, almost hypnotic. There was this rare stillness between takes that I’ve never experienced on any other shoot.

Snake from Snake Hunte. Black top, skirt snake print: Viktoriya Kalmykova. Shoes: Le Silla. Earings: Manima. Lenses: Nada Fadel “3YN”.

HBZVN: Your affinity for animals clearly runs deep. You’ve mentioned that you’ve loved snakes since childhood, viewing them as a profound symbol of wisdom, warmth, and even a thrilling hidden danger. Where does this unique connection to snakes come from, and how did it feel to finally bring that lifelong fascination into a high-fashion editorial?

YEVGENIYA AKMURZINOVA: I think I was around five years old when I first held a snake. And from that moment, I was completely captivated. What draws me in is their duality – they’re breathtakingly beautiful and quietly dangerous at the same time. Despite their size, they carry an enormous power within them.

Snake from Snake Hunte. Black top, skirt snake print: Viktoriya Kalmykova. Shoes: Le Silla. Earings: Manima. Lenses: Nada Fadel “3YN”.

And what surprises people most is their warmth – there’s something incredibly alive and enveloping about holding one. That contrast, beauty and hidden strength, has always felt deeply symbolic to me. Bringing that into a high-fashion editorial felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Snake from Snake Hunte. Black top, skirt snake print: Viktoriya Kalmykova. Shoes: Le Silla. Earings: Manima. Lenses: Nada Fadel “3YN”.

HBZVN: Beyond modeling, you have a brilliant mind for strategy. We hear you’ve recently taken up chess! What drew you to the game, and do you find that the strategic, forward-thinking mindset of a chess player helps you when you’re navigating the fast-paced world of fashion?

YEVGENIYA AKMURZINOVA: It was completely spontaneous , I was walking down the street, saw a chess school, and just walked in. I’d always excelled in mathematics and physics, so something told me I could do this.

Dress: Viktoriya Kalmykova. Bracelet Chopard.

And the more I played, the more I saw the parallel: every move in chess carries strategic weight, just like every creative decision in fashion. In this industry, you’re always thinking several steps ahead – anticipating, not just reacting. Chess taught me to trust that instinct.

Dress: Viktoriya Kalmykova. Bracelet Chopard.

HBZVN: Your eye for beauty extends into the fascinating world of gemology. With your dreams of mastering diamonds, colored stones, and eventually launching your own jewelry design collection, what is it about a gemstone that captivates you the most? How would you describe the aesthetic of your future dream collection?

YEVGENIYA AKMURZINOVA: My fascination with gemology goes back to university, where I first studied how minerals are formed and extracted from the earth. But now I want to go deeper – into the specific nature of each stone, from diamonds to rare colored gems, and what it means personally to the person who wears it.

Dress: designed by Yevgeniya Akmurzinova, tailored by Zukhra Abitova. Shoes: YSL. Earings: Fergus James.

Gemstones are never just decorative; they carry meaning, energy, identity. My dream collection would reflect exactly that: bold, artistic, completely one-of-a-kind pieces where the stone itself tells the story.

Dress: designed by Yevgeniya Akmurzinova, tailored by Zukhra Abitova. Shoes: YSL. Earings: Fergus James.

HBZVN: With your background in gemology, you’re stepping into the jewelry world at a fascinating time, especially with the massive global debate surrounding lab-grown versus natural diamonds. From both a gemological and a personal design standpoint, what is your take on this discussion, and which do you prefer to work with for your future collections?

YEVGENIYA AKMURZINOVA: For me, it’s always about the history and the rarity of a stone. From a gemological standpoint, what makes a natural diamond extraordinary is exactly what cannot be reproduced – the inclusions, the growth patterns, the billions of years compressed into one stone. Of course, lab-grown stones have their place, and I respect the conversation around ethics and accessibility. But when I think about the pieces I want to create, I’m drawn to stones with a story, with a past, with something irreplaceable at their core.

Dress: designed by Yevgeniya Akmurzinova, tailored by Zukhra Abitova. Shoes: YSL. Earings: Fergus James.

HBZVN: You aren’t just a model in front of the camera; you are a true creator. You love developing concepts and full-fledged plots inspired by your travels. What is your ultimate creative process when dreaming up a new fashion shoot?

YEVGENIYA AKMURZINOVA: It always starts with an image – a character, a woman, a feeling I want to capture. The location and mood follow naturally from there. I often fall in love with a place while travelling and begin building an entire narrative around it: the story, the tension, the atmosphere. For me, a shoot is never just a photo ,it’s a complete world that I construct from the inside out.

HBZVN: Your travel bucket list sounds incredible, from a jaguar safari in Brazil to tracking gorillas in Uganda. How does immersing yourself in wild nature and diverse global cultures influence your personal sense of style and your definition of beauty?

YEVGENIYA AKMURZINOVA: Africa changed me. There’s a rawness and a power to that continent that gets under your skin and never leaves. And that feeling is exactly why I dream of tracking gorillas in Uganda, of standing face to face with a jaguar in Brazil – these aren’t just travel goals, they’re a search for that same untamed energy. Every destination I visit opens something new in me : a new perspective, a new sense of beauty. When you stand in nature that exists completely on its own terms, your definition of beauty shifts. It becomes less about perfection and more about presence, about something alive and untamed.

HBZVN: You exude such a radiant, healthy glow. We know that a clean diet, cooking your own meals, and prioritizing good sleep are non-negotiables for you. What are a few of your go-to daily wellness rituals that keep you feeling grounded and beautiful from the inside out?

YEVGENIYA AKMURZINOVA: My morning always starts with a coffee , that’s sacred. I eat clean, protein-rich food and I love cooking for myself; it’s both nourishment and a form of meditation. And every evening, I pray. That quiet moment before sleep grounds me more than anything else. Sleep itself is non-negotiable – everything flows from rest. These rituals aren’t glamorous, but they’re the foundation of everything – the way I show up, the way I feel, the way I look, the way I share .

HBZVN: Ultimately, your philosophy on life seems rooted in deep respect, healthy relationships, and finding joy in the little things every day. In an industry that can often feel superficial, how do you maintain this beautiful mindfulness and stay so beautifully connected to what truly matters?

YEVGENIYA AKMURZINOVA: Respect, to me, means accepting someone’s choices and their path , even when it’s different from yours. I genuinely believe that understanding and appreciating people whose lives look nothing like mine is one of the most beautiful things you can do.

Dress: designed by Yevgeniya Akmurzinova, tailored by Zukhra Abitova. Shoes: YSL. False hair braid: Burym. Earings: Manima.

And joy? It lives in the smallest moments , in the people around me, in their energy, in simply being present with them. That’s what keeps me grounded in an industry that can so easily pull you away from what’s real.

Dress: designed by Yevgeniya Akmurzinova, tailored by Zukhra Abitova. Shoes: YSL. False hair braid: Burym. Earings: Manima.

Model: Yevgeniya Akmurzinova @vgnkmrznv
Photographer: Elizaveta Sorelle @elsasorelle
Gaffer: Michael Ekimson @michael.ekimson
Hair stylist: YelenaTyazhelnikova @lena.pro.hair
Loc: @okostudio
PR: Say Media @say__media

Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam

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