Vicky Kaya

Vicky Kayas (Βίκυ Καγιά)
Born Vasiliki Kaya (Βασιλική Καγιά)
July 4, 1978
Athens, Greece
Ethnicity Greek
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 55 kg (121 lb; 8 st 9 lb)
Website
www.vickykaya.gr

Vicky Kaya (Greek: Βίκυ Καγιά; born July 4, 1978), is a Greek model, television presenter and occasional actress who has appeared on the covers of numerous international fashion magazines such as Vogue, Esquire, Madame Figaro, Marie Claire, and Elle.

She is currently hosting the Greek equivalent of America's Next Top Model, Next Top Model (Greece).

Career

Modeling

Vicky Kaya has been modeling since the age of 14. She was spotted in the street and from there grew one of the most successful careers in the fashion world, appearing in many catalogue bookings, campaigns, magazines and television commercials world wide. At age 18 she moved to Paris where she lived for four years and her career took off. She also worked in Milan, Germany and London. Her appearances are diverse, from the catwalk to television acting. For seven consecutive years she had been based in New York City and was represented by Next and Wilhelmina Models New York.

Over the years she has worked with a plethora of leading designers, has walked for the greatest designers, has shot hundreds of magazine covers and has been interviewed for top magazines too (Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Wallpaper, Instyle, Dutch, Nylon, Tatler, Harpers and Queen, Red, Madame Figaro, L’Officiel, Esquire etc.)

In recent years, Vicky has represented a number of companies in major TV campaigns in the USA, Europe and Greece.

In the USA and Europe she has done major campaigns for Johnson and Johnson (USA, National Campaign), L’Oreal Paris (France and Eastern Europe), Dove (Europe), Virginia Slims (USA, National Campaign), Garnier Paris, Nivea Body - Nivea Make-up - Nivea Hair (Europe), Schwarzkopf and C&A (Europe).

In Greece Vicky has top contracts with Lancia (Greece), Nivea Greece (Beiersdorf Hellas) and Vodafone Greece, and is their main campaign spokesperson. In May 2007, Vicky became the spokeswoman for the famous Italian car company Lancia for two consecutive years in Greece. During this time she walked the red carpet at the Mostra del cinema di Venezia (the Venice Film Festival).

Move into television and other recent activities

Vicky has hosted numerous events including the 2005 Thessaloniki International Film Festival. In 2005 the Greek media reported that Kaya, along with Greek-American model and TV presenter Maria Menounos, was one of the finalists which ERT (Greek national broadcaster) has considered for co-hosting the Athens 2006 Eurovision Song Contest with Greek superstar Sakis Rouvas.

In 2005, Vicky made her acting debut on the cinema playing the leading female role in the blockbuster movie “Sirens in the Aegean”. The film was directed by Nikos Perakis - one of the most important Greek filmmakers - and became one of the top grossing movies at the Greek box office, selling 1,700,000 tickets. At present, she is taking part in the sequel of the movie “Sirens in the Aegean” by the director Nikos Perakis and the same cast. The movie " Sirenes sti Steria" will come out in theatres this fall, October 2011 http://sirinesstisteria.blogspot.com/

In recognition of Vicky’s performance in the “Sirens in the Aegean”, she was awarded "Model of the Year 2005" at the Life & Style Women of the Year Awards 2006. It was a busy year! Also in 2006, Vicky lent her voice to the Greek version of the Pixar/Disney movie production “Cars”, as Sally.

In May 2007, she was the only Greek celebrity who appeared on the red carpet of Cannes film festival, invited by Valentino and Chopard to the party that they organised for this big event.

For two consecutive years in 2007 & 2008, Vicky took the leading female role in the musical “The Producers” by Mel Brooks. The performance was directed by Stamatis Fasoulis, the most accomplished theatrical director in Greece. Her performance was awarded "Best Newcomer " at the Women of the Year Life & Style Awards 2007.

From 2007, Vicky diversified into the world of TV, a move that led her to host a number of extremely popular TV shows in Greece. In 2007 and 2008 she hosted “So You Think You Can Dance”, an international TV dance show that aired for two consecutive seasons. Since dancing is a hobby of hers and she was familiar with the show from watching it in the United States, she was thrilled when she was approached by the shows producers to host it.

Currently she is the hostess and the driving force behind “Next Top Model”, a Greek reality television show that forms part of the internationally famous “America’s Next Top Model” series. The program has now been running for two consecutive TV seasons.

A few of Vicky’s other notable projects as a TV hostess; the game show “Wanna Bet” in 2008, “Morning Coffee” – Greece’s long-running popular morning show - in 2009, “Miss Greece Beauty Pageant” in 2009 and 2010 and “Madwalk by Vodafone” in 2011.

In 2006 she issued a personal photographic album called "Vicky Kaya". The earnings of her album are donated to children suffering from brain paralysis in Greece, "Cerebral Palsy Greece" Vicky has been selected to be the spokesperson of Lancia (Italian car company) for Greece until the end of 2008, who also sponsored her photographic album.

In 2007, Vicky founded “Vicky and Friends”, a non-profit charity initiative. “Vicky and Friends” works with small, relatively unknown charities. It aims to put the spotlight on smaller charities, helps them to boost their profile, and raises money by organising fundraising campaigns and events.

Vicky is also heavily involved with Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Hellas. In recognition of her work - and the many years she has been lending her image to the campaign - Vicky has recently been awarded the position of “Target Ambassador” by the charity.

Recently she went without shoes for the campaign “One Day Without Shoes” with TOMS SHOES to help raise awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can bring to a child's life. She was also announced to be the new ambassador for the "Make A Wish" foundation to help make more wishes come true, for children with life-threatening diseases.

Vicky Kaya has decided after twenty years of an internationally successful career, to create along with the support of Fashion TV, a unique center about fashion and art in the heart of Athens. Fashion Workshop by Vicky Kaya is a vibrant venue full of inspiration and creativity, where professionals from all relevant industries are given a platform to share their experience and knowledge with newer generations.The aim is to create a hub professionals in the fashion industries from all around the world. Either it is Fashion Design, Creation & Styling, Fashion Management & Journalism, Fashion Portfolio Preparation, the Summer Intensive program or Fashion Seminars the curriculum of Fashion Workshop by Vicky Kaya is based on European frameworks and is very much in line with the biggest fashion schools in Europe. From the academic year 2013-14 and on Fashion Workshop by Vicky Kaya is accredited partner with Mod'Art International in Paris. http://www.fashionworkshop.gr/en/

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News

In 2011 Vicky gave her voice to the Greek version of the Disney/Pixar movie "CARS 2" and she is taking part in the sequel of the moving “Sirens in the Aegean”, "Sirines sti Steria" by the director Nikos Perakis and the same cast. The movie will come out in theatres this fall. http://sirinesstisteria.blogspot.com/

Appearances

References

  1. ↑ http://www.vickykaya.gr/bio_1_eng.htm

External links