A day in the life of Jelena Ivanović and the secret to her flawless skin

Unforgettable fashion moments do not happen often, but in the early nineties they came one after another. From the Vogue cover signed by Peter Lindbergh, which defined an era with Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Tatjana Patitz, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington, to George Michael’s Freedom music video, directed by David Fincher, featuring those same five women, it became a cultural reference whose resonance endures decades later. If you ever dreamed of being a supermodel, you inevitably sought inspiration by watching these women walk the runway, with the glamour, confidence, strength and power radiating from every step they took.

Even three decades later, they remain among the most in-demand models, leading campaigns and gracing magazine covers, and they reunited in 2023 in the four-part documentary series on Apple TV+, The Super Models, which follows their journey from not-so-ordinary models to global superstars. “These women’s lives were extraordinary,” says Roger Ross Williams, one of the series’ directors. “Today the term supermodel is used very loosely, but these four truly were something special.”

Alongside these global names, standing shoulder to shoulder, we can add the name Jelena Ivanović, who in the late nineties captivated fashion capitals with her authentic presence. Walking the runways of luxury brands such as Saint Laurent and Jean Paul Gaultier, she inscribed her name into the archives of fashion history. Today, through her own modeling agency, J’s Management, she continues a tradition of quality and success, discovering new generations of fashion icons such as Nikolina Vrekić and Jovana Krneta, as well as many others who have followed in her footsteps.

Photo: ISO DUO

You will always see Jelena in impeccable form, with a polished effortless hairstyle, a measured dose of elegance, and well-cared-for skin. What is her secret? We spent 24 hours with her to find out.

07:00 – Wake-up

Jelena begins her morning with a gentle ritual, following a basic recommendation from wellbeing experts that the day should start in calm and silence. A few deep breaths in and out, along with stretching in bed, give her time to wake up slowly. She then heads to the kitchen, where she drinks a cup of tea that boosts her energy and clears her mind.

“I start my day with tea and moments for myself. For the first half hour, I do not look at a screen, and I love quiet mornings.”

7:30 – Beauty routine

Jelena is known for her natural beauty, authentic brows, distinctive facial features and gaze, which gave her a striking visual identity and placed her among supermodels such as Cindy, Kate, Naomi and others in the nineties. She remains very consistent with this approach today, which is why her makeup routine is kept as simple as possible.

“Along with my morning skincare, an essential part of my routine is choosing a foundation that will last all day. Since I usually do not wear much makeup, it is important to me that everything looks natural.”

Her choice is L’Oréal Paris Infaillible Skin Ink liquid foundation and concealer in one, which lasts up to 48 hours without the need for touch-ups, meeting the main imperative of her makeup ally. The texture is lightweight and delivers exactly what Jelena says she wants, a natural matte finish. She is now ready to step confidently into her workday.

9:00 – Meetings and shoots at the fashion studio

Jelena tells us that her days are very intense and filled with obligations, and that she is often on the move. But when she is in Belgrade, she spends her workday in the studio, where she organizes meetings, model shoots and castings for new faces. We recall her runway shows for some of the biggest fashion brands.

“I remember Paris in the nineties and the Fashion Week period. It was a wonderful time. I had the opportunity to stand in front of Saint Laurent, Jean Paul Gaultier, Yohji Yamamoto.”

As she tells us that success, for her, means longevity, she looks at herself in the mirror and smiles with satisfaction, knowing that she gets that consistency and perfection from her beauty allies as well. Her choice, L’Oréal Paris Skin Ink liquid foundation, provides long-lasting coverage and makes her feel secure throughout the entire day.

19:00 – Going out

A demanding workday ends late, she changes and heads out.

“Since I discovered L’Oréal Paris Skin Ink liquid foundation, I feel at ease from morning to night.”

In addition to it, Jelena reveals that for the evening it is enough for her to add L’Oréal Paris Infaillible Matte Resistance lipstick and L’Oréal Paradise Big Beal waterproof mascara for a glamorous final touch. She takes her coat and bag and is ready for the rest of the evening.

Photo: ISO DUO