About
Daria Werbowy is a Ukrainian-Canadian model celebrated for her effortless style, blue-green eyes, and disarming down-to-earth attitude. Born on November 19 1983 in Kraków, Poland, she moved to Mississauga, Ontario, at age three and later shot from local teen hopeful to global fashion star. By her early twenties she was fronting magazine covers, walking the world’s most influential runways, and signing a lucrative beauty contract with Lancôme in 2005. After stepping away from fashion in 2016 to sail, travel, and recharge, Werbowy surprised the industry by returning in 2023 as the face of Sabato de Sarno’s first Gucci campaign—proving her timeless appeal and reminding a new generation why she has long been called a “model’s model.”
Before Fame
Daria grew up the youngest of three children in a close-knit Ukrainian household. Her father, Daniel, worked as an engineer, while her mother, Anna, was a teacher who encouraged creativity at home. Tall, sporty, and art-obsessed, she spent afternoons sketching and playing basketball rather than dreaming about high heels. A friend entered her in a Toronto modeling contest when she was fourteen. Although she won, early bookings were sparse and she considered quitting until an agency scout convinced her to give the business one more try. In 2003 she burst onto the international scene, walking for Prada, Gucci, and other major labels during a single breakthrough season. Editors loved her fresh energy and photographers praised her ability to transform in front of the camera without losing her authentic spark.
Trivia
- Record runway streak: During her first full year on the circuit she reportedly opened and closed more shows than any other newcomer—a feat that cemented her reputation for reliability.
- Sailing enthusiast: In 2008 she spent three months crossing the Atlantic and Mediterranean on a small sailboat, later voyaging through Central America with only a backpack and surfboard for company.
- Low-key beauty routine: Despite representing Lancôme, she often swears by sea salt, aloe, and plenty of sleep for glowing skin..
- Visual-arts background: She attended Cawthra Park Secondary School’s arts program and still shoots her own 35 mm photographs on travels.
- Dual citizen: She holds both Canadian and Ukrainian passports and speaks English as well as conversational Ukrainian and Polish.
- Comeback queen: After seven years off the radar, her unclothed dive-board portrait for Gucci’s 2023 Marina Chain jewelry launch became one of the year’s most shared campaign images.
Family Life
Daria credits her parents’ courage in emigrating for giving her a sense of possibility and grit. Older brother Orest and sister Oksana remain her closest confidants; she once called her father her “best friend” for encouraging her when early rejections stung. Though intensely private about romance, she has joked that the great love of her life might be the ocean. She divides time among homes in rural Ireland, Toronto, and seasonal sailing ports, returning to Poland and Ukraine for family gatherings whenever schedules allow.
Associated With
- Lancôme: Global spokesmodel since 2005; her campaign images helped modernize the brand’s vision of beauty.
- Sabato de Sarno & Gucci: Hand-picked to launch the designer’s new era at Gucci in 2023.
- Phoebe Philo: Rumored muse for Philo’s eponymous label relaunch, rekindling a creative partnership that began during Philo’s Céline years.
- Prada & Steven Meisel: Her first major fashion campaign in 2003, photographed by Meisel, set the tone for dozens of collaborations to come.
- Kate Moss: Long-time friend and occasional co-star; the two shot Equipment’s “Double Beauties” project, with Werbowy behind the lens as well as in front.
- David Sims: The photographer who captured her iconic return for Gucci, highlighting the minimalist confidence that defines her style.
