New York City is the fashion capital of the world, where the industry is fiercely competitive and notoriously demanding. As Frank Sinatra famously observed, those who “make it there can make it anywhere.” That’s because the successful few need to exhibit unparalleled drive, focus, and discipline – criteria that perfectly describe the gorgeous 23-year-old model Anna Alimani.
The Bulgarian beauty’s star has risen rapidly since her modeling career began at 18 years old. She’s modeled in both Los Angeles and New York. Within just a few years, she has worked on Guess campaigns, taken part in numerous Fashion Weeks, appeared in music videos, modeled for leading magazines, posed for various covers, and has most recently been featured in Canada’s Vogue.
Striking while the iron is hot
“I signed with two agencies while in LA, which kept me pretty busy with a good amount of work,” Anna says. “The modeling world in New York is very different and a lot busier. The industry is far more serious, and I’ve done more high fashion, high-quality photos since moving here. You can do a lot more with your career in New York if you want to and if you put in the time, effort, and discipline.”
Today, she’s working harder than ever to establish herself in the competitive industry. “I don’t just show up to look pretty and smile for the camera. It’s definitely a lot more than that,” Anna explains. “I’ve had to go to catwalk classes, and I also have to brand my Instagram, watch what I eat… exercise. It’s not easy.”
She’s not afraid of hard work, though, and she’s driven to excel in the industry. “During the pandemic, it’s felt as though everything has been on hold, and it’s given me time to reflect on my modeling goals and the direction I want to move in,” Anna says. “My aim now is to get signed to a major agency and to increase my exposure.”
Seizing every opportunity
She is also cultivating her entrepreneurial spirit and objectives. Despite the restrictions placed on New York City recently, Anna has not been wasting time. “This has been a very productive time for me,” she says. “I’ve been using this time to study and expand my skill set. I believe you can never have enough knowledge, and this has been a great chance for me to broaden my scope.”
As such, she’s recently acquired her real estate license online. “I love real estate. It’s something I’ve always been passionate about,” Anna says. “I had a real estate license back in California, where I’m from. But I haven’t been licensed in New York until now.”
She intends to use the exposure from her modeling career to bolster her entrepreneurial endeavors. “I want to build my modeling base and my Instagram presence. Then, I intend to use that with my real estate license to get onto a real-estate based show, like Million Dollar Listing,” she explains. “I love both ends of the spectrum – the entertainment side, including reality TV, interacting with people, and being in front of the camera, as well as the business side of things.”
In fact, Anna has a business degree from Purdue University. During the stay-at-home order, she’s also received certification from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, for Understanding Financial Markets, which is part of a financial series. She’ll soon begin the follow-up certification in Understanding Long Term Investment Strategies. She will continue with the remainder of the series as well.
Competing on a global stage
While both the fashion and real estate industries may be competitive, Anna isn’t one to shy away from competition. In fact, she’s sought it out. She is representing the United States in the international beauty pageant Miss Elite World. The finale was initially scheduled for April but has been rescheduled for December on account of the coronavirus pandemic. It will be held in Cairo, Egypt.
“I’m quite excited for the event,” Anna says. “‘I’ve actually done Zoom calls with all the other girls around the world, so we already know each other, and we’re like a big, international family. We’re going to meet up for a beauty camp just before the competition. We’ll stay at a nice hotel and have a personal trainer and some catwalk experts to coach us on our walking and presentation. That will definitely be a lot of fun, and it will generate a lot of exposure, pictures, and publicity.”
Whether it’s on the Miss Elite World stage or in the glamorous New York fashion scene, her killer combination of Eastern European beauty, innate determination, and cultivated business sense make Anna Alimani a force to be reckoned with. There’s no doubt that she’s a cut above the rest, with a maturity beyond her years, and a work ethic and mysterious allure that will undoubtedly propel her through the industry.