Some women get their moment twice. And the second time — it hits harder.
For Mykhailyna Vakilova, that moment has arrived on an international stage. The model has become the face of a major campaign for Clinique, with the project filmed across some of the most breathtaking locations in Dubai. The campaign radiates elegance, confidence, and modern femininity — but behind the polished visuals lies a much deeper story of resilience, reinvention, and timing.
Mykhailyna first entered the modelling world in her youth, embracing the excitement and intensity of the industry at an early age. Then life shifted. What followed was a pause that lasted nearly fifteen years — a silence long enough for many careers to disappear completely. But for her, it became the foundation for something stronger.
When she returned, it was not simply a continuation of the past. It was the arrival of a new version of herself — more grounded, more self-aware, and more powerful than before.
Through the BRANDFACE project, Mykhailyna stepped into a new chapter that transformed her career. The platform opened doors to opportunities many models spend years pursuing: becoming the face of internationally recognized brands, walking runways across multiple countries, and collaborating with leading names in the fashion industry.
Before the Clinique campaign, she had already appeared in a campaign for Dove — an experience she describes as one of the most emotionally significant moments of her professional journey. That project represented authenticity, confidence, and acceptance. Clinique, however, marked another evolution entirely.
New locations. New energy. A new level.
In an exclusive conversation with our magazine, Mykhailyna spoke candidly about her approach to modelling, her return to the industry, and what truly matters to her in front of the camera.
How do you prepare before a shoot to fully open up in front of the camera?
“What matters most to me is an inner state of calm and connection with myself. I don’t try to ‘perform’ — on the contrary, I allow myself to be alive and real. Before a shoot, I simply tune into my state, feel my body, my breath — and then everything in front of the camera happens very naturally.”
What modelling experience has been the most powerful for you emotionally?
“I started modelling when I was young, and it was an important chapter of my life. But what hit me the hardest was coming back to this world after so many years — almost 15. It’s a completely different feeling: more awareness, more confidence, more self-acceptance. And of course, being part of the Dove campaign was a deeply meaningful and emotional experience for me.”
What does the BRANDFACE project mean to you?
“For me, BRANDFACE is not just about shoots or beautiful images. It’s about being seen — about the opportunity to show yourself as a person, with your own story, energy, and inner depth. It’s about a new level, where what matters is not only how you look, but who you truly are.”
The success of the Clinique campaign is undeniably the result of an experienced creative team working behind the scenes. But what ultimately remains in the frame — what gives the campaign its emotional resonance — is Mykhailyna herself: a woman who never stopped believing her moment would come.
And when it finally did, she was ready.
