Fedor Litovchenko Talks Taste, Downturns the Power of ‘Multifaceted Expression’

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Fedor Litovchenko Talks Taste, Downturns the Power of ‘Multifaceted Expression’

written + interview CHIDOZIE OBASI

“Who am I? That’s a slightly dangerous question to start with!” blithely exclaims Fedor Litovchenko, as we kick off our allotted interview time. “Well, I suppose the official answer is that I’m a model, which I’ve been doing for around eight years, first in Russia and then internationally.” But Litovchenko never really felt that what he’s done professionally says that much about who he is now, so the question did put him in a challenging spot. “I spent a big part of my life playing tennis, and now I’m exploring acting, directing and making my own videos,” he shares. “I’m still figuring out what actually feels like mine, and I think I’m quite comfortable admitting that,” he says.

Fashion is really about what one exposes itself to, what one’s curious about, and the references one collects over time. Litovchenko was always into music and artists, which had a close affinity to fashion’s broader embodiment of style and identity. “I obviously copied them, their clothes, their image, the way they carried themselves,” he says. “I think those were probably my first real references for how I wanted to look.” The Russian model grabs five with LE MILE’S Fashion Market Director, unpacking all-things career, systemic complexities and future hopes. You’re welcome.

Fedor wears a total look by VALENTINO

Fedor wears a total look by VALENTINO and shoes by CHURCH’S

Chidozie Obasi
Could you unpack how your foray into the creative and fashion sphere came to fruition?

Fedor Litovchenko
Honestly, mostly by chance. A lot of the bigger turns in my life have come from external circumstances rather than some grand plan. But looking back, I don’t think it was completely random either. Even at school, I cared quite a lot about clothes and how I presented myself. I was always really into music and artists, and obviously I copied them, their clothes, their image, the way they carried themselves. I think those were probably my first real references for how I wanted to look. I come from a very sporty family, and I was an athlete myself, so that world was pretty far from fashion. But I think part of me always wanted to stand out, while probably also wanting to belong. And maybe, in some way, I was trying to prove something to other people through all those external things. So fashion was never something I consciously planned. But looking back now, I can see that something in me was already moving in that direction.

Who influenced you the most while growing up?

When it comes to fashion, most of my influences actually came from music rather than fashion itself. When I was younger, it was Kurt Cobain, AC/DC, Joy Division. Later, when I got into hip-hop, it became A$AP rocky, Kid Cudi and Virgil Abloh. From there I started going backwards and discovering people like David Bowie, Jim Morrison, and all these different references from the 1970s and 1980s. But I think the main thing is that I’ve never really had one person who influenced me the most. It can be a certain period in history, a country, a film, a musician, even just a very specific image. One day I can be obsessed with this very American look, denim, a big belt, cowboy boots, and then something completely different takes over. So for me, fashion is really about what you expose yourself to, what you’re curious about, and the references you collect over time. And when it comes to mentality rather than style, then definitely my mum and sport. My mum became an olympic champion in 1992, and I spent a huge part of my own life playing tennis. I think a lot of my discipline and the way I approach things comes from that.

What have been your biggest pinch-me moments, and any particular thing that you could say shaped your path?

I’d probably say the biggest turning point came when the war began. Until then, most of my modelling career had been in Russia, and that moment completely changed the direction of my life. I came to Milan about four years ago without really knowing what would come from it, and that was when my career started becoming international. So again, it wasn’t some perfectly planned decision. External circumstances changed the direction and I just followed it. Looking back, that was probably the moment that shaped my path the most.

Fedor wears a total look by DOLCE&GABBANA

Fedor wears a total look by DOLCE&GABBANA, shoes by CHURCH’S and a tie from the archive

Fedor wears a total look by TOM FORD

Fedor wears a jacket and pants by EMPORIO ARMANI, shirts by IM MEN and CELINE, a sweater by EXTREME CASHMERE, a skirt by MARCO PESCAROLO, shoes by PREMIATA and a tie by HARMONT & BLAINE

Fedor wears a jacket and pants by EMPORIO ARMANI, shirts by IM MEN and CELINE, a sweater by EXTREME CASHMERE and a tie by HARMONT & BLAINE

Diving into deeper territory: how do you tackle mental health, rejections and the system's downturns on a broader scale?

I think that’s almost part of the philosophy of modelling itself. Everything is unstable, a lot depends on timing and luck, and one moment can completely change the direction of your career. If you want to work professionally in international modelling, I don’t think there’s really another option. Learning how to deal with rejection, pressure and quieter periods is simply part of the job. In a way, I see it as a professional responsibility. For me, what helps is actually quite simple: friends, spending time with people I trust, a lot of sport, sometimes enough to physically exhaust myself so I stop overthinking, and then creativity in different forms. Books, music, films, making things. I think the way you spend your time matters a lot. The right kind of time can soften a lot of the mental pressure that comes with this industry.

What drives you, beyond fashion?

I think the main thing is cinema and filmmaking. About three years ago, my ex-girlfriend gave me a camera, and that was probably the beginning of it. I started filming quite casually, and over time it turned into short films, small commercial projects and this way of expressing how I see things through short videos. Since then, I've become much more interested in actually studying filmmaking, directing, acting, storytelling, and the way music and images work together. I’m still very much at the beginning of it, which is probably part of what makes it exciting for me. And more broadly, I think what drives me is the desire to make something that feels like my own. Modelling is often about becoming part of somebody else’s idea. With filmmaking, I'm curious to see what happens when I'm responsible for the idea itself.

Final hopes/thoughts and reflections you’d like to share?

I think one thing I'm starting to understand is that it’s important to be interested in many different things. Not because it necessarily makes you a better person, or more successful, but simply because one day you can have work, people, plans, everything around you, and then suddenly you’re alone with yourself. And I think that’s where it really matters whether your own inner world is interesting enough for you. Whether you can read, watch films, make something, learn about music, history, art, another profession, another culture, just keep discovering things. For me, that’s probably one of the most important things in life, to become someone you actually enjoy spending time with. And if you can genuinely enjoy your own company, I think that gives you a very strong kind of happiness.

Fedor wears a jacket by BRIONI, shirts by CALVIN KLEIN and BRIONI, pants by DIOR and shoes by RANDOM IDENTITIES by Stefano Pilati

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photography COSIMO BUCCOLIERI via STUDIO REPOSSI
fashion market director + stylist CHIDOZIE OBASI
contributing fashion editor EDWARD PUSCA
head of production JESSICA LOVATO
fashion coordinator FILIPPO CANCELLIER
make up DIANA DJURDJEVSKI via STUDIO REPOSSI using MARE SKINCARE
hair FABIO CICERALE via ETOILE MANAGEMENT
model FEDOR LITOVCHENKO via INDEPENDENT MANAGEMENT
photography assistant ANTONIO CROTTI
fashion assistants SIMONA VERNAZZA + CHIARA DE BONIS + LOUIS VEDERE + ISADORA COSSARI + IOLANDA BANDINI + CAROL GARLANDO + TIYA CHEHAB

credits
all Images (c) LE MILE
and Cosimo Buccolieri