Lessons in self-love with model Anna Halinen: “Any change my body goes through i know how to accept it”

Anna Halinen has never felt uncomfortable in front of the camera. An aspiring model, the 28-year-old Finn of Russian descent has set out to convey one clear message: love yourself unconditionally. “I just want to be a part of inspiring people to see themselves with compassion,” she says. “I think that we are much more merciful towards other people, so I would like to see people be caring towards themselves too.”

Even via video call, Halinen exudes the Finnish trademark of authentic down-to-earthness and a modesty that doesn’t crave attention. It is a typical sunny-yet-chilly Finnish summer day in Halinen’s hometown of Jyväskylä, central Finland, where the model is busy prepping for her upcoming Vogue debut. Currently completing a master’s degree in translation and interpretation (she is learning 12 languages), Halinen started to dabble in modelling just two years ago. Scouted on Instagram by a photographer, she did her first shoot in 2020 and is now on a valuable mission to advocate for body positivity.

“When I was a child, I grew up not seeing that many curvy women who carried themselves with confidence and pride, and I just want to be that woman to someone,” Halinen says. After her first shoot, Halinen quickly garnered the interest of other photographers, eventually gracing the cover of the fourth issue of Nudamag in 2020. However, being featured in Vogue Scandinavia, Halinen says, “feels like a dream that you thought would never come true.” “I just think about myself as a little girl and teenager looking at Vogue magazines and being so mesmerised by them,” she says.

Although she actively promotes self-love and acceptance via her social media platforms, Halinen would not call herself an influencer. Instead, she prefers to consider her channel as a heartfelt , personal diary. “I hope that there are people, who find my page inspiring, so they can be courageous and find that something that they love,” she says. “New models who are just starting often message me and ask me for guidance, and I’m glad that they do. I’m so happy to help, and I would love to do that more.”

Halinen recently broke her ankle while doing an online dance class wearing heels, however, as we talk about this setback, her positivity shines through. “I’m very grateful for the fact that any change my body goes through, I know how to accept it. I know how to love it and to treat it with patience.” I ask for her advice on building self-confidence, and her answer is simple: “I allow myself bad days too – there are days when you don’t feel like your best self. But I think it’s natural and normal, and I think it’s very important to allow yourself weakness too, because without that you cannot be truly strong.”

Feeling empowered by women such as Lizzo and Barbie Ferreira, Halinen wishes to set the same example in the fashion industry, which still has room for improvement regarding body diversity. “There’s not as much shame in being curvy now compared with before, and I love to see that. I hope that for future generations it will be even better than now.”

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