My Babuschka Tamara Alexeevna. Ninety years young. Ninety years etched onto skin that still holds a luminous quality, a testament to a life fully lived under the skies of Tundra and beyond. Today, on her birthday, April 1st, a day she now shares with our gifted photographer Daria, a fellow soul speaking in the rich cadence of Russian, we celebrated her in a way that felt both like a dream and a profound truth.

We subtly wove the rich tapestry of Tamara Alexeevna's life — the geographical stations of her journey — into her attire, a silent narrative whispered through fabric and form. My Babushka asked each look to reflect a chapter of her extraordinary life.

Tamara Alexeevna, enveloped in a dramatically styled trench coat, A chic hat elegantly framed her face, while delicate tulle gloves completed the picture. But it wasn't just the clothes; it was the dignified air she exuded, a quiet strength that has carried her through so much, particularly during her years in Crimea.

Then, a transformation. She became a vision in a cloud of draped bouclé, the soft texture contrasting beautifully with so many fine lines that map her face. Lines that tell her stories – of resilience in the harsh Siberian woods where she worked as a young girl, of the loss of her father in the war, of the unwavering pursuit of education and work.

The final act was a burst of sunshine – a vibrant yellow trench and pantsuit, a symbolic bouquet of mimosas in her hands to remind her of her time in the Ukrainian Carpats. This felt like the sensitive essence of her spirit, a bright spark that has endured despite the hardships. This woman, born in the vastness of Siberia, who found love with a German war refugee and navigated life through Ukraine before finally settling in Germany in the nineties, carries a quiet dignity.

We chose not to mask the stories etched on her skin with strong makeup. Instead, we celebrated the natural glow, the way her radiant grey hair framed her face, and those luminous azure eyes, still holding a gaze so piercing, so full of wisdom. This photoshoot was about honoring a life, a journey, of a woman who, despite circumstances that weren't always beautiful, raised a daughter and granddaughter who now work in the world of fashion, a world she now graces with her timeless beauty. It's a tribute to her enduring spirit, a whisper of gratitude for the matriarch who anchors our family