About
Anja Rubik was born Anna Helena Rubik on 12 June 1983 in Rzeszów, Poland. Today she is celebrated not only for her streamlined, statuesque presence on runways from Paris to New York, but also for her outspoken activism around women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and comprehensive sex education through the foundation she launched, SEXEDpl. She balances fashion work—recently fronting Massimo Dutti’s Spring 2025 campaign and covering Harper’s Bazaar France’s March 2025 issue—with regular speaking appearances and philanthropic projects.
Before Fame
Rubik spent a truly international childhood. Her veterinarian parents relocated from Poland to Greece, Canada, South Africa, and eventually back to Częstochowa, Poland, giving her an early tolerance for constant change. At 13 she entered the Elite Model Look competition; by 17 she was studying at a bilingual high school in Paris while quietly building a portfolio. Her first haute‑couture outing came in 1998 on the Chanel runway during Paris Fashion Week, and a Chloé campaign shot by Inez & Vinoodh soon cemented her status as a rising star.
Trivia
- Hip‑bone headline maker: Rubik’s Anthony Vaccarello dress at the 2012 Met Gala—cut so high it became fashion folklore—still lives in her closet and has never been reproduced.
- Designer’s muse: Long before Vaccarello took the helm of Saint Laurent, Rubik championed his work and even walked his first independent show, forging a model‑designer friendship that continues today.
- Award shelf: Glamour named her Woman of the Year in 2018 for the #SEXEDpl campaign, and in 2024 she received Poland’s Freedom of Speech Medal for “courageous use of free speech.”
- Creative ventures: Beyond modeling she has directed music videos, curated photo exhibitions, and released her own fragrance line, “Original by Anja,” reflecting a curiosity that extends past high fashion.
Family Life
Although work often keeps her between New York, Paris, and Warsaw, Rubik credits her globe‑trotting parents for her adaptable spirit. She married Serbian model Saša Knežević on the Spanish island of Majorca in 2011; the couple amicably separated in 2015. Rubik has no children and stays close to her extended family in Poland, frequently highlighting their influence in interviews and social posts.
Associated With
Rubik’s career is woven through modern fashion history. She served as one of Karl Lagerfeld’s muses at Fendi and Chanel, championed Anthony Vaccarello long before his Saint Laurent days, and regularly collaborates with photographic duo Inez & Vinoodh. Editors such as Emmanuelle Alt (styling her Bazaar France 2025 cover) and Cass Bird (shooting her 2025 Elle France story) rely on her chameleon‑like presence to anchor editorials. On television she has shared judging panels with Isaac Mizrahi and Iman, further broadening her creative circle.
