Although Milla is today perhaps best known for her Hollywood acting career, it was her modeling career that set her on the road to international fame and acclaim. Today, aside from Jovovich-Hawk presentations and the occasional fashion editorial, modeling has taken a backseat to acting, but remains an important part of Milla’s past and present career as an entrepreneur in the film- and fashion industries.

• Been involved in modeling since 1986; signed her first modeling contract in 1988.
• First modeling job was Revlon’s “Most Unforgettable Women in the World” campaign (1986). First magazine cover was the October 1987 issue of Italian fashion magazine Lei.
• Current active modeling campaigns include L’OréÂŽal (1998-present), Chanel (2007-present).
• Recent modeling campaigns include Mango (2006-2007); Etro (2007); Samsonite Black Label (2008).
• Is represented by: Next Model Agencies (Paris, France); IMG Models (New York, USA).

From the time Milla was in her pre-teens, both she and her mother Galina Loginova were convinced Milla’s place was in the entertainment industry spotlight. According to a 1989 interview with Milla, her mother was part of her transformation to an international star from the very beginning - “I’ve grown up in the industry, since my mom was in it. She’s taught me from her ways. Everything she does, I’ve tried to imprint on my own face. It’s something only we have, that we share, a little mother-daughter thing she has passed on to me.” Her modeling career took off in 1986 - two years prior to the release of her first feature film - when noted fashion photographer Richard Avedon discovered her and chose to feature her alongside Alexa Singer and Sandra Zatezalo in beauty product company Revlon’s “Most Unforgettable Women in the World” advertisement campaign. A year later, she was photographed for her first ever cover feature for the October 1987 issue of Italian fashion magazine Lei.

The 1987 Lei cover spark-plugged Milla’s modeling career. In January 1988, Milla was again featured on the cover of the Italian fashion magazine, followed by small features in magazines such as the French Elle, and cover features in magazines such as Seventeen (June 1988) and The Face (March 1998), until she was again photographed for the cover of Lei in October 1988. Already at a age of 12, Milla was in search of a modeling agency - “My mom also thought it would be a good idea to get some modeling composites shot. [...] So we sent them to Prima, and I guess Jeffrey liked the pictures. They signed me.” And thus Milla entered the profession.

In 1989, Milla was again picked up for a cover feature and photo spread by the popular teen fashion magazine Seventeen (July 1989), before being featured in a Lolita-themed photo spread in the May 1990 edition of the prestigeous French Vogue. Seventeen picked her up again for another cover and photo spread for their April 1991 issue, and by the end of the year, she had appeared in issues of e.g. Mademoiselle, Sassy, the French Max and Elle US.

However, though having accomplished more than most already in her early teens, Milla’s modeling success did not come to her without a price. Her Revlon advertisement campaign of 1986 sparked a controversy and intense debate among contemporaries as to whether or not she and models her age were too young to be in the industry. Milla, however, stood very firmly behind her decision, and told Metro magazine in 1989 - “Yeah, I’ve heard that ["some would argue that a thirteen year-old should be playing with Barbie dolls, not posing as one"]. I say, if they have children, let them play with Barbie dolls. Don’t criticize me. I love what I’m doing. I don’t like playing with dolls. I don’t agree with them one bit. And I get very angry when I hear that — that my mother is pushing me and stuff. That’s not true. I love the industry, I love the business.”

Then, suddenly, her modeling career came to a halt. Despite having achieved so much by the early 90’s, in her mid-teens Milla decided to quit modeling. Her decision was career-based - in 1997, looking back on her early modeling days, she told Oneworld magazine, she felt it was a time of choice for her; either she would pursue a career as a supermodel or one as an actress, of which she then chose the latter. “For me, it [modeling] was such a distraction. I couldn’t play the guitar. I couldn’t write. I didn’t have time to read scripts. I didn’t have time for acting classes. I didn’t have time to nurture myself to be amazing at what I was doing. So I wasn’t doing anything well. I wasn’t concentrating on one thing.” She was also worried that her modeling career would end too soon - “In this business there is always the new fourteen year old girl, the new fresh face. You just can’t compete.”

However, Milla soon returned to modeling and the runway once more - “There was a lot of personal, financial stuff that made me go back to it”. Though acting always remained her first priority, by the time her film career began to take off with Luc Besson’s sci-fi cult hit The Fifth Element in 1997, Milla had already been featured on the cover of hundreds of notable fashion magazines, including Vogue, Elle, Glamour and Cosmopolitan, not to mention her impressive résumé of advertisement campaigns. As she began garnering more and more attention, in 1998, Milla’s modeling career would reach a new level. In addition to features in magazines such as Buzz (May 1998), W (May 1998) and Photo (March 1998), she signed a modeling contract with the French cosmetics company and beauty mogul L’OréÂŽal, whose spokesmodel she remains to this day.

However, despite her soaring modeling career, Milla was convinced modeling was not a lifetime career she would be interested in pursuing; she was determined not to be “just another moment.” As her acting career began garnering worldwide attention, modeling became a secondary priority, although it did (and still does) bring home a nice, annual paycheck; indeed, in 2004, Milla was reportedly the world’s highest paid supermodel. She has nevertheless always remained appreciative of her past in the modeling industry, recognizing that her looks have been a notable benefit in Hollywood. She continues modeling to this day, though to a lesser extent than in her pre-2000 modeling years. She also, on occasion, models for her own fashion label Jovovich-Hawk, which she launched in 2003 with friend, model and co-designer Carmen Hawk, but is no longer involved in runway modeling.

Past Advertisement Campaigns:

• Alberto Biani
• Almay
• Anna Molinari
• Atsuro Tayama
• Banana Republic
• Blumarine
• Calvin Klein
• Cantarelli
• Celine
• Cerruti
• Chanel
• Christian Dior
• Coach
• Damiani
• Donna Karan
• Ellus
• Emporio Armani
• Etro
• GAP
• Garron
• Guess
• H&M
• iCB
• Iceberg
• Katharine Hamnett
• Kooka•
• Krizia
• LA Gear
• L’OrÂŽal
• Mango
• Mossimo
• Peek&Cloppenburg
• Plein Sud
• Redken
• Revlon
• Strenesse
• Versace
• Victor Victoria

Past Runway Shows:

• Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 1996
Liza Bruce, Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Todd Oldham, Victor Alfaro

• Ready to wear Spring/Summer 1997
Alberto Biani, Alessandro Dell’Acqua, Ann Demeulemeester, Anna Molinari, Anna Sui, Atsuro Tayama, Blumarine, Corinne Cobson, Costume National, Dries van Noten, Fendi, Ghost, Iceberg, Industria, Istante, Jean Colonna, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jil Sander, Missoni, Rifat Ozbek, Salvatore Ferragamo, Sonia Rykiel, Trussardi

• Ready to wear Autumn/Winter 1997
Anna Molinari, Iceberg

• Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2000
Jean Paul Gaultier