Ania Chiz to Anna Getty: A Journey of Transformation
Before the Getty surname followed her into rooms, Anna Getty was already commanding them—as Ania Chiz, the Russian-born model who electrified the global fashion scene. Her rise was meteoric: from a Prada exclusive in 2016 to walking for Chanel, Dior, Hermès, and collaborating with legends like Karl Lagerfeld and Azzedine Alaïa. But Anna’s evolution has never been about staying still—it’s about reinvention.
In 2019, Anna made a decision few models dare to make at their peak: she stepped off the runway and into her creative soul. Music, acting, and storytelling became her focus. She moved to London, wrote and performed her own songs, and later auditioned for her dream school—the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, tied to the Oscars. She got in. A new chapter began—not on the runway, but on screen.
The Castle Text That Sparked a Creative Fire
The artistry surrounding Anna’s story doesn’t stop with her. In fact, it’s powered by the women who help her express it. One such moment of cosmic timing happened in 2019, when Anna passed an abandoned castle in Sicily and thought of Ilenia Modica, a photographer she hadn’t spoken to in years. Just then, Ilenia texted her. It wasn’t coincidence. It was chemistry reigniting.
Anna and Ilenia had first started collaborating in 2014. As a creative director and stylist, Anna found in Ilenia a partner who brought structure, mood, and a cinematic eye to every frame. Trained in architecture, Ilenia’s visual language pulls from sculpture, angles, and timeless glamour. Her photography is sharp yet soft—more “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” than digital filler.
Since then, the duo has worked across Sicily, Milan, New York, and beyond, creating high concept editorials and publishing in numerous fashion magazines. Their collaboration is more than a working relationship—it’s a visual dialogue between elegance and rebellion.
The Makeup Artist Who Sparked the First Flame
Every icon has a first mirror. For Anna, that mirror was held by Elena Gaysina, her mother— and her first makeup artist. Elena isn’t just family; she’s a respected Russian art critic, theatre director, and jury member across music and fashion festivals in Italy. She studied at one of St. Petersburg’s most prestigious theatre schools, and her artistry spans from directing to painting to cosmetic design.
It was Elena who first did Anna’s makeup—an act that gave young Anna Getty the courage to walk into the modeling world with her head held high. Today, Elena still collaborates with Anna and Ilenia as the MUA on many of their shoots, blending theatrical depth with editorial finesse.
Her skill isn’t just technical—it’s emotional. Elena paints faces the way a writer shapes characters: with depth, story, and truth.
The Model, The Muse: Uliana Stalnova
In the most recent shoot, Uliana Stalnova stepped in as the featured model—a blend of beauty, wisdom, and quiet strength. A rising talent in both fashion and fine art, Uliana comes from a deeply spiritual family of religious icon painters, known across Russia and Italy.
Currently studying mosaic design, Uliana brings a reverence to her work that feels sacred. On set, she doesn’t just wear garments—she inhabits them. Her modeling is an extension of her artistic practice, where every pose carries intention.
With Anna directing, Ilenia behind the lens, Elena on makeup, and Uliana in front of the camera, this shoot wasn’t just a production—it was a moment. A tapestry of women telling a story of elegance, self-definition, and timeless collaboration.
A Getty Era of Her Own
Anna Getty isn’t simply continuing a legacy—she’s rewriting it with every performance, every image, every choice. The daughter of a Russian creative powerhouse and now the wife of filmmaker Robert Gunner Getty, Anna bridges two worlds: high fashion and high storytelling.
And this time, it’s not about old money—it’s about new vision, shaped by women who create, nurture, and transform. From the castle in Sicily to the stages of New York and the studios of Milan, the new Getty legacy isn’t about oil or empire—it’s about art.
One shoot. One team. One woman becoming everything she was born to be.
Team Credit:
Photography: Ilenia Modica
Styling & Creative Director: Anna Getty
Mua & Hair: Elene Gaysina
Production: Robert Gunner Getty from Getty Productions & Getty Films
