We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Timur Vagapov a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Timur, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

Actually, it’s an incredible story. When I was just starting out in the fashion industry, someone asked me what my dream brand to work with would be, and without hesitation, I said Dior. Then Universe did its thing, and guess what… Dior had a collaboration with Parley for the Oceans, and they approached me to create a video for them. The project turned out to be amazing, and I am very proud of it. This opportunity marked the beginning of my relationship with Dior, a relationship that continues to this day. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to work with one of the biggest brands in the world at the start of my career, and I am deeply grateful to the Dior team, particularly my girls in the PR team, who have supported me from day one.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Timur Vagapov, but my friends call me Tim or Tima. I’m 23 years old and was born and raised in Saint-Petersburg, Russia – a city with rich culture that profoundly shaped me as a person. As long as I can remember myself I’ve been playing basketball, and in 2019 I’ve been offered a full scholarship in a small college in Kansas. Since then I transferred schools and played basketball for couple more years, and on December 17th, 2021, I moved to New York. I remember this date because it truly changed my life forever. In New York I flourished as creative. I’ve always been into fashion, so I started doing social media content around the fashion world and modeling. Pretty quickly I got discovered by a manager, who helped me to get signed with my modeling agency, The Society. Soon after I decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue career as an actor. Now, I’m studying at The Sanford Meisner Center, an experience that has truly transformed my life. I owe a great deal to this school and my teacher, Ranjiv Perera.

My journey has been a unique one, setting me apart from others. Having experienced life in various shapes and forms, I sometimes feel like an old soul, yet I’m constantly reminded that I’m still young with my whole life ahead of me. I’m very grateful for the wealth of life experiences I’ve gathered – from exploring different places to meeting diverse individuals and gaining new perspectives, all of which I consider invaluable.

Currently, I’m focused on creating fashion content for my Instagram and TikTok, infusing a cinematic touch into my work. Amidst it all, I’m immersing myself in the challenging craft of acting, a pursuit that has truly changed my life for the better.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Books. Read books. Some of the books that helped along my artistic journey are: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron; The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin; The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. These three will make a very strong foundation.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being an artist is a way of living your life, and that I find the most rewarding. It’s more than just about creating art; it’s about living your life as an authentic version of yourself, appreciating the beauty in everyday moments, and being attuned to the rhythms of nature. I am so grateful that I can wake up, get in the flow of the day, be curious, listen to my heart and do what it tells me to do. Our inner child is our artistic side, and I am very in tune with mine, for which I am grateful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thesocietymanagement.com/development-men/10362-tim-vagapov.web
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timvagapov/
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@timvagapov

Image Credits
First photo- Omar Salah Third photo- Marina Basistaya Fifth photo – Josh Aikin