Braien Vaiksaar

Braien Vaiksaar is an Estonian model from Tallinn who emerged on the international runway in 2019. A closely cropped haircut became part of his early fashion image, helping distinguish him during a first year that brought major designer shows and magazine covers.

Braien was discovered after an agent noticed him in a photograph with a friend who was being considered for representation. His first show season included Valentino and Berluti, followed by a more extensive international schedule. Prada’s spring-summer 2020 show in Shanghai became an important early appearance, placing him in the house’s menswear before further bookings for Dior Men and Louis Vuitton.

Advertising followed that runway momentum. Braien appeared in Dior Men’s spring-summer 2020 campaign, photographed by Steven Meisel, and joined Valentino’s spring-summer 2020 advertising. Covers for Vogue Hommes and Document Journal established a parallel editorial career, giving photographers room to develop a character across a full story.

That interest in transformation became especially visible in his 2020 HERO cover story, “Our God of Sorrows.” Prosthetic winged ears and high-contrast black-and-white photography turned Braien into a fantastical figure. Work for Numéro Homme and ICON Italy during the same period placed him in other photographic settings, from studio experiments to outdoor menswear stories.

Braien’s magazine work continued to explore changes in grooming and appearance. In “Masterclass in Monochrome” for L’Officiel Hommes Italia, platinum hair became part of another transformation. Alongside that editorial work, his runway career developed recurring connections with Thom Browne and Hermès. The contrast between a recognizable working model and the different characters created around him has become a recurring feature of his portfolio.