Hello! I'm Oksana Kononets and I am a model based in Kyiv, Ukraine.

In 2012, when I was 19, I suffered an injury to the C5-6 vertebrae as a result of a fall from the 5th floor, which left me paralyzed. However, I refused to let my disability stop me and stubbornly pushed on. Through months of rehabilitation, I learned to adapt myself in many ways. It was then, that I realised that, despite my disability, I am a complete and self-sufficient person; which gave me the strength to move on. My disability is not an obstacle to fulfilling my dreams. I returned to and graduated from university twice, I created a beauty blog to inspire other girls like me with weak hands, and, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a model. Four years after my injury, in 2016, I won the title of « Miss Elegance » of the Ukrainian beauty contest, Beauty No Limits 2016, and then in 2017, continued to win the title of « Miss Individuality » of the first Miss Wheelchair World contest held in Warsaw, Poland. Following that, I founded «Unbroken Beauty», a photo project focused on portraying women with disabilities, and « Neskoreni », a charity fund with the purpose of integrating people with disabilities into the fashion industry. In 2018, I became the first model in a wheelchair to be on the runway of Ukraine Fashion Week and participated in the fashion show of designer, Sofia Rusinovich. Later that year, I became the first Ukrainian model with a disability to take part in the promotion of O’SHE Lingerie and then represented Ukraine at the First Inclusive Fashion Show organized by Massira within the framework of the Asian & European Fashion Show in Paris. In 2019 I then participated in the Massira Inclusive Fashion Show in Paris and did photoshoots for New York brand Karina Dresses, and Ukrainian brands S’Andri and Lady Di Atelier. In 2021, I participated in the music video of Israeli singer Adi Yacobi for her single “I’m Special” and shot a commercial for Canadian brand, Crown Royal Whiskey. In 2022 I participated in the Los Angeles Runway of Dreams fashion show held at The Majestic in Hollywood. Since then I have done photoshoots for clothing, perfume, and hair products for brands based in Ukraine, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Paris, and USA.

I aim to empower others like me. I hope to illuminate that fashion, beauty, and haute couture is not limited to able bodied people, and that the wheelchair is only a means of transportation. I know that I can motivate and be an example to thousands of girls with disabilities, who have lost their dreams, their hope, and belief in the future, are embarrassed about their situation, and do not believe that a girl in a wheelchair can live a meaningful life. My example is to show that we are not limited to our disabilities, that we can equally love, dream, travel, play sports, have children, discover ourselves, and pursue our passions.

with love,

Oksana