Anna Zlobenko
After moving from one place to another for nine years years, Anna Zlobenko known as ANN-Á-PORTER found her home in Berlin as well as her freedom of self-expression. A self-made blogger, stylist and content creator, Anna is here to inspire you to find your personal style and your very own home in Berlin.
How did you decide to become a content creator?
It all started back in Kiev, Ukraine where I am originally from. I was a project manager for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and that's how I got introduced to the world of fashion. I was drawn to fashion, but more from a perspective of representation and storytelling. The real shift happened only three years ago when it finally went from hobby to work, and I started to think more strategically about whether I wanted to monetize my work. At the end of the day, I just do what I enjoy and continue to keep discovering myself — that’s the motto I try to live by!
How has Berlin influenced your creative work?
I actually started working as a content creator and producer here in Berlin. The city introduced me to the freedom of self-expression, as I learnt to let go of older limitations and pre-conceptions, allowing myself to just explore.
What constitutes ‘your Berlin’ of today?
One of my followers recently told me that my Berlin resembles Paris a lot! This got me thinking: “How come?” Deep inside I'm more drawn to France or Italy in terms of style and aesthetics. But this is what I love about Berlin - you can find a bit of everything here. You can enjoy the sharp aesthetics of the city, but at the same time bring your own Paris into it. This is exactly how I create my own city feeling.
Are there any businesses or people that you would like to give a shout out?
I really cherish the Berlin community. I would like to give a shout out to Janina Waschkowski, the founder of Nove which is a sustainable fashion label. She produces functional maternity clothes. Not to mention the interior concept store Victoria met Albert and florist Asta, founder of Botanic Affairs. I am inspired by people with vision who have built up their own small businesses.
Speaking about your Woman Author of Achievement, who is that person for you?
Yes, there are several! I've always felt inspired by Meryl Streep - what a talent, what an actress! Also the energy Alicia Keys creates through her work is remarkable. And last but not least, from my community of creators and influencers, this is Chriselle Lim. She is a business woman with a crazy amount of energy and a deep sense of confidence. It’s amazing to see the impact she’s having on the world. Oh, and Oprah Winfrey - I love how she uses her influence to create a positive impact.
Anna, do you have a favorite WAA Podcast episode?
I really loved the very first one with Catherine Bischoff (E.01). The moment you touched upon the topic of resilience I felt a bit puzzled, as it’s a very beautiful and deep question. And Catherine’s answer was eye-opening, I was like: “Oh my, right!”. If you train resilience from an early age, then it's going to be so much easier to step into cold water, to become an entrepreneur later on. And this is what I would still like to work on myself - to be a digital entrepreneur in the fashion world.