Supermodel Natalia Vodianova lives out 'ballet princess' childhood fantasy inside the Paris Opera House as she lands new U.S. Vogue cover
Living every girls' fairy tale fantasy, supermodel Natalia Vodianova offers a rare glimpse into the Paris Opera House for the latest issue of Vogue.
Photographed wearing Oscar de la Renta and Chanel Couture, the 32-year-old poses inside the 120,000sq-ft opera and ballet temple - which opened in 1875 and was named after its architect, Charles Garnier.
'I felt like a princess or a character in some sort of fairy tale,' the mother-of-four said of the extravagant shoot, photographed by Annie Leibovitz. 'It was an absolute dream.'
Living every girls' fairy tale fantasy, supermodel Natalia Vodianova offers a rare glimpse into the Paris Opera House for the latest issue of Vogue
The fashion spread celebrates choreographer Benjamin Millepied's first season as director of the Paris Opera Ballet.
The 37-year-old French dancer, who is married to Natalie Portman, trained at the School of American Ballet in New York, before joining the corps de ballet of New York City Ballet in 1995.
Three years later he became a soloist and then in 2001, a principal dancer.
It was in 2010 that he garnered worldwide attention after he choreographed the dance sequences for Black Swan - where he also met Ms Portman. The couple married in 2012 and have a three-year-old son, Aleph.
The 32-year-old poses inside the 120,000sq-ft opera and ballet temple with choreographer Benjamin Millepied (right) to celebrate his first season as director of the Paris Opera Ballet
'I felt like a princess or a character in some sort of fairy tale,' the mother-of-four said of the extravagant shoot, photographed by Annie Leibovitz. 'It was an absolute dream'
Mr Millepied retired from the New York City Ballet company in 2011 to co-create the L.A. Dance Project.
As the new director of the Paris Opera Ballet, Mr Millepied is in charge of 170 performances and seven newly commissioned ballets for the winter 2015 and 2016 season.
His own piece for the season is a collaboration with Muhly, Lavin's Alber Elbaz, and the artist Philippe Parreno.
'It’s very exciting for an organization that you hear is so tough to change,' he told Vogue. 'But I found people who had a real desire to move forward. We have a lot to do, but I’m putting the bar as high as I can.'
Ms Vodianova, who began modeling at age 15, often posts images of herself without make-up on Instagram
The Russian born model made a pit stop at LA's In-n-Out burger after a shoot in Hawaii over the weekend
Though Ms Vodianova, who is in a relationship with Antoine Arnault, son of LVMH founder Bernard Arnault and the CEO of luxury brand Berluti, she said she was 'delighted' to go inside the 12-story Opera House, which took 14 years to build.
'I always loved and adored the ballet,' she recalled. 'It’s the beauty, the finesse of the dancers, and the choreography—and the challenge of it.'
Ms Vodianova has three children with 45-year-old British aristocrat Justin Portman, whom she divorced in 2011: a son Lucas, nine, daughter Neva, eight and Viktor, six. She then gave birth to a son, Maxim, in May 2014, with Mr Arnault.
The mother-of-four opened up to Vanity Fair in August about her marriage breakdown, which she said was a mutual decision.
Ms Vodianova, who is in a relationship with Antoine Arnault, son of LVMH founder Bernard Arnault and the CEO of luxury brand Berluti, gave birth to her forth child, a son, Maxim (pictured), in May 2014
Working throughout her forth pregnancy (pictured), Ms Vodianova shared an image of herself undergoing a 3D body scan in January 2014
'If you try really hard at something and it doesn’t work, then you have to let go because it means it is not the right thing,' she explained.
'You have to try really hard to make it work, but at the same time you have to know how to let go of something when it is time.'
The model confirmed she was dating Mr Arnault, the son of LVMH founder Bernard Arnault, in August 2011 and announced they were expecting a child together in November last year.
And it seems parenthood has only strengthened their relationship.
Ms Vodianova said of Mr Arnault: 'He gets up at 8am and goes to work with a big smile on his face. He loves what he does, loves my children so much, is a great father and stepfather and boyfriend.'
On a potential wedding in the future, she added: 'I guess he is still a boyfriend. I want to call him my husband because it feels right, whether we have the papers or not. He feels like a husband already, although it doesn’t make a difference, does it? I feel blessed. He is everything I love and respect.'
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