I LIVE BETWEEN PARIS AND MOSCOW. My family is in Moscow, and I got married two years ago and my husband is there, too. That’s why I go back; otherwise I would be living in Paris. Moscow is beautiful but the climate is quite rough. Paris is more intimate and sunny.

IN MY MIND, MY CHILDHOOD WAS FABULOUS. But looking back, I realize how dangerous it was. I was born and grew up in Moscow during the period when the Soviet Union was falling apart in Russia, and there was a lot of crime around.

MY SUCCESS WAS A BIG SURPRISE. Honestly, I don’t think I was expecting anything from [modeling], and that’s probably one of the reasons why I succeeded. I was just thinking, at least I’m going to see Paris, because I’d never been before.

I ALMOST BURNED OUT A FEW YEARS AGO, so I took some time off and, after spending one or two months with my family in Moscow, I realized that I missed it. I love modeling but it’s not always easy. When you start working a lot and you have to switch countries three times a week, on a physical level it gets tough, and then you can’t separate the physical from the mental.

I’VE SLOWED DOWN A LOT SINCE I GOT MARRIED. Now I do one, maybe two shoots a month. But I really love fashion, so if I’m going to leave modeling, then I need to be around fashion in some other way, because I find it such an inspiration.

I DID CLASSICAL BALLET WHEN I WAS A KID and I got back into it two years ago; I have two teachers – one in Moscow and one in Paris. I also go to the gym, do functional training, Pilates and yoga. I really enjoy the ballet, but for the other stuff I have to push myself to do it. I know I will feel better after I’ve done it, but it’s hard to motivate myself. About 90 per cent of what I eat is vegan or vegetarian, and I usually try to avoid lots of processed food. But on the other hand, I can eat pizza at midnight and go to bed with no problems. I wouldn’t feel guilty.

BALMAIN IS LIKE MY FAMILY. During my first fashion week, back in 2007 or 2008, when Christophe Decarnin was designing there, I went for a casting and they let me open the show. At that time, there were just 20 girls in the whole show, and they were the best, best models I could imagine – I couldn’t believe it. It was a big push for my career. Then I opened for another two seasons and closed it for two after that. Olivier [Rousteing, the house’s current creative director] is a nice, lovely, crazy guy, and we’ve worked a lot together. Even though I haven’t walked for anyone else [recently], I’ve still walked for Balmain the past few seasons.

MODELING HAS CHANGED A LOT SINCE I STARTED. It’s like another world now that social media has taken over; now they’re calling the girls for casting based on their followers on Instagram. I’m not very good at promoting myself that way, but a couple of years ago my agency forced me to [go on social media] and I’m glad, actually, because it’s part of the job now. But I’m not good at posting anything personal; I don’t want all those people that I don’t know to see what I’m doing, or where I’m eating, or where I’m going.

Follow Anna on Instagram @annaseleznevaofficial