Natalia Vodianova is perhaps now better known for her philanthropic projects and charitable endeavours than she is for her very successful career as a supermodel. All set to host her fifth inaugural Fabulous Fund Fair, which raises money for her charity, the Naked Heart Foundation, we sat down with the model to discuss how she continues to make the event so exciting, what keeps her going and what we can expect from the highly Instagrammable fundraiser this year.

'We have a really exciting theme this year – space,' the model enthusiastically reveals. 'It's going to be so much fun because there are so many references – Barbarella, Star Trek, Star Wars and David Bowie's 'Stardust' to name a few.'

If you aren't familiar with the event, picture supermodels manning fun fair-inspired stalls, all in aid of a wonderful cause. This year, you can expect everything from a Fendi gum ball machine to Stella McCartney's arcade games, a Dior 'Black Hole Challenge' and a 'Rocket Race' hosted by Messika Jewellery. The likes of Jourdan Dunn, Doutzen Kroes, Arizona Muse and Lara Stone are just a few of the names confirmed to be glamorously manning a stall for the evening.

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Karlie Kloss at her stall in 2015. Image: Getty

Next week's intergalactic event will mark the fifth Fabulous Fund Fair to be held, an event that has become famous for its fun and very original take on the charitable 'do – and serves as proof that fashion fundraisers do not have to be boring and stuffy. But, how does Vodianova ensure that each fair is more exciting than the last?

'We are constantly learning. The format is tricky because there are a lot of brands and hosts involved. This is not like a sit-down dinner – everyone has to interact with alot of people and that makes it very chaotic, so we are constantly learning and improving on what happened the year before. We'll change the theme, think of new games and enlist new and exciting people. At the end of the day though, people always find it fun because it's such a great format and you get to contribute to a really great charity.'

Raising money for such a fantastic cause is of course the entire point of the event – and it is seeing what this money can do that encourages Vodianova to keep hosting such a chaotic and stressful production each year.

'For me, the most exciting and rewarding thing about it all is getting to go back into the field and see the differences that are being made. Even if I only get to go back four times a year, it charges me back up – and I really need that to keep going. It's been 14 years since I founded the charity and sometimes it can be very daunting but when you see the changes being made, it is so worthwhile.'

The Naked Heart Foundation is helping to build an inclusive society that is more open to people with disabilities and special needs. So far, the organisation has built 190 support-service facilities in more than 140 towns in Russia – and the Fund Fair alone has managed to raise over £2.3 million, helping to make this critical work possible.

Aside from the Naked Heart Foundation, Vodianova is passionately involved in a number of other philanthropic causes including Elbi – a social enterprise she co-founded which helps to make charitable donations easier – and Flo, the period-tracking app that is helping to remove the stigma of menstruation around the world. Finding projects she is so passionate about has come very naturally to her, she says, but is also something that she believes everyone should be doing.

'You can't force these things but in 2018, we have come to expect action from brands, corporations, celebrities, charities, from everyone, and I think that today, whoever you are, whether you are famous or not, there is an expectation for you to have some form of social responsibility. I believe that it is very important.'

This year's Fabulous Fund Fair will take place on Tuesday 20 February. You can find out more information about the event and buy tickets here.

From: AR Revista