Check out our interview with stunning model and influencer Karina Bik.
Karina began her career as a model at the age of 14, and has subsequently gone on to appear in nationwide television, print and digital campaigns for top brands such as Estée Lauder, L’oreal, Johnson & Johnson, Converse, Unilever, Lancome, Kiehl’s, Harley Davidson, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Pepsi, among others.
After graduating with a Master’s degree in International Law, Karina decided to pursue fashion full-time and moved to New York.
Upon moving to New York, Karina signed with a top agency, Fenton Models. While she initially posted her modeling photos to Instagram, she quickly realized that she enjoyed creating lifestyle-related content for Instagram and engaging with her audience about trends in fashion, beauty tips, travel destinations, and local foods.
After a trip to Europe in 2017 where she was fortunate to meet fashion luminaries like Giorgio Armani and Christian Louboutin for Harper’s Bazaar’s 150th anniversary, Karina officially decided to launch her career as a digital creator, and she hasn’t looked back ever since! Her elegant yet approachable style has quickly captured the attention of the major beauty and fashion houses, including Revlon, Bulgari, Cover Girl, Givenchy, Dior, Zadig & Voltaire, Revolve, Pernod Ricard, Hilton, Diptyque, Christian Louboutin, Bobbi Brown, Clarins, Procter & Gamble, Olay, and Guerlain, among others.
Follow Karina @karinabnyc
Hi Karina, please tell us a little about you?
When and how did you started as an influencer and blogger on Social media?
I was very lucky to receive an invitation to a Giorgio Armani event in Milan in 2017, and afterwards, I spent one month in Italy walking the cobbled streets, eating all the gelato in sight, and just being generally inspired by my environment. As a result of this trip, I started posting more lifestyle and street style content to my pages, and I quickly found that I preferred this format to my modeling work photos. The rest is history.
Describe yourself in 3 words?
CrazySexyCool. No, just kidding, that’s the name of a TLC album.
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion is one of the highest forms of self-expression; before you’ve ever met someone, we communicate with our eyes, gestures, and the accoutrements that we place on our bodies. Fashion speaks volumes about someone without breathing a word.
What you love about NY?
NY is such a kinetic and wonderful place, and there’s hardly anywhere else quite like it. No matter where you hail from, you’ll find your own peculiar segment of this town that will accept you as family and won’t pass judgments. I love all of the mom & pop street food carts throughout Queens and Brooklyn, the neighborhoods where you can spend hours before hearing a single word in English, and all of the wonderful nightlife that I hope will be returning soon!
Who are some of your favorite designers?
My three favorite designers at the moment are Gucci, Dior and Valentino. I adore Gucci for their experimental, eclectic couture, and Alessandro Michele has stolen the show, as far as I’m concerned. Valentino is a remarkable house for its feminine and elegant aesthetic, and its appeal seems to transcend the trends of the minute and is timeless. Dior has always commanded the attention of the jet set crowd, and now under Maria Grazia Chiuri, they’ve adopted more feminine, wearable couture pieces and they’ve really exceeded my expectations.
How would you describe your fashion style?
Effortless yet elegant, or at least that’s the goal! I like to put pieces together that don’t necessarily mix at first blush, and I also like to experiment and mix street wear, vintage and eclectic pieces together with high fashion. I’m a big fan of Alessandro Michele’s aesthetic sometimes I incorporate it into my Instagram outfits. I also like evening wear a lot and my wardrobe includes a lot of cocktail dresses and red carpet gowns.
What do you think of Social Media?
I think it’s a great way to connect with people, showcase your talents, and 2020 demonstrated that it can be a catalyst for change with the protests in the U.S. and Europe, which might have gotten far less coverage otherwise.
Do you support any charities?
I support afAR’s work on Covid and HIV/AIDS and I think it’s a tremendous organization. I’ve also been a part of many Carnegie Hall events in the past and I look forward to their reopening.
What book should every entrepreneur read?
4 hour work week, hands down. The basic idea in this book is that every task, no matter how large or or small, can be delegated to other people such as overseas virtual assistants, and you can reduce your workload close to 80% to focus on your core competencies. Tim Ferriss is Silicon Valley’s original self-help guru and there’s a good reason for it: he’s very thorough and meticulous in his work, and he’s willing to undergo experimentation in ways that others are not. This book helped me to reclaim my time and focus on the things I do best.
What is your favorite healthy food?
Avocado toast, without a doubt. I try to only eat very healthy, hipster foods 🙂
And your favorite cheat food?
When I need a burst of tastiness, I turn to Xi’an Famous Foods for their lamb cumin noodles, or Thai drunken noodles at my favorite restaurant in Queens.
Best advice ever given?
Eleanor Roosevelt says to “do one thing per day that scares you”, and I wholeheartedly agree and always try to follow her advice 🙂
Where we can follow you?
Quote: The only impossible journey is the one you never begin. – Tony Robbins
Song: Writings on the wall by Sam Smith
Movie: Talented Mr Ripley with Jude Law and Matt Damon
Travel Destination: Cote d’Azur or South East Asia
