Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova Dazzles in NYFW Debut, Talks ‘Heated Rivalry’ Role

Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova, the rising star from “Heated Rivalry,” is certainly making waves.

On her inaugural visit to New York City for fashion week, the Russian-Trinidadian star dazzled at several shows, made her runway debut, and attracted a large crowd at a meet and greet event at the Times Square tech store tm:rw.

“Meeting all the fans was a priority, and it was a fantastic chance to interact with them and witness their support for the show,” Kharlamova, aged 23, shared with Page Six Style before the event on Sunday afternoon.

“Plus, I think this store is the coolest. I’m a big sci-fi fan!” she exclaimed.

On-Screen Persona

In the hit Crave TV series—a hockey-themed romance—Kharlamova portrays Svetlana Vetrova, the steadfast friend with benefits and trusted ally to Ilya Rozanov (played by Connor Storrie), as he deals with his complex emotions for his competitor, Shane Hollander (portrayed by Hudson Williams).

“I enjoyed embodying a strong female character who wasn’t cast as the villain, which was refreshing and could have easily been done,” she commented, praising Rachel Reid, the author of “Heated Rivalry,” for crafting such a positive role.

“And Jacob Tierney, our brilliant director and writer, did an outstanding job at expanding the narrative and making the characters truly endearing,” she added.

Kharlamova, a native Russian speaker, was also impressed by how flawlessly Storrie, originally from Texas, mastered his Russian lines.

“To learn a script phonetically is incredible. He nailed it, a perfect score,” she noted.

“During the filming of the funeral dinner scene, every Russian actor at the table attempted to converse with him, assuming he was Russian too!” she recalled with a laugh.

Rising Stardom

Together with Storrie and other cast members, Kharlamova has seen her fame skyrocket virtually overnight—a truly “insane experience,” in her words.

“When you film a TV show in Canada, there’s usually no expectation it’ll get much viewership because of our smaller national audience. It’s surreal but fantastic that a Canadian show, especially one made on a shoestring budget, has received so much love internationally,” she reflected.

“I’m deeply thankful. I’ve forged numerous new friendships and encountered countless new experiences. For any actor, being part of a show that gains international acclaim is a dream come true,” she expressed.

One of these new experiences was being invited to walk in Christian Cowan’s fall 2026 fashion show.

“I was anxious beforehand,” she admitted. “I even thought, ‘Should I back out?’ I just didn’t want to mess up my walk and become a meme!”

Ultimately, Kharlamova conquered her nerves, trading her iconic curls for a sleek, straight hairstyle and confidently paraded in a faux fur-trimmed funnel-neck coat paired with sheer red thigh-highs.

“It was incredibly enjoyable. Christian was so kind, the girls backstage were supportive, and I absolutely loved my outfit,” she said.

“I’ve been modeling for a while, but had never done runway before. It was somewhat unfamiliar, but I’m thrilled I went through with it,” she concluded.

It seems likely that this won’t be Kharlamova’s last appearance on the runway.