Polish model and author Agnieszka Maciąg has died at the age of 56, her husband, photographer Robert Wolański, announced Friday. Maciąg first gained recognition as a prominent figure in 1990s Polish fashion, later transitioning to a career focused on self-help and wellness, authoring several books on healthy living. Beyond her public image, Maciąg openly shared her personal struggles with mental health and cancer, offering a message of resilience and spiritual growth to her followers.The news of her death has prompted an outpouring of remembrance from fellow artists and fans across Poland.
Polish model and author Agnieszka Maciąg has died at the age of 56, her husband, photographer Robert Wolański, announced. “Be free, because you always loved freedom. I will always see your eyes full of love. Your joy and fullness of life will always live on in me,” he shared in a statement. Maciąg rose to prominence as a leading face in Polish fashion during the 1990s before transitioning to a focus on self-development and writing, authoring numerous books on healthy living.
Agnieszka Maciąg battled cancer and experienced a profound personal crisis. “I didn’t want to live.”
Agnieszka Maciąg previously opened up about a difficult period in her life, detailing a mental and health crisis she experienced in 2006. She turned to spirituality as she struggled with daily life. In an interview with “Viva!” magazine, Maciąg revealed that her family had been affected by cancer, and she lost her father to the disease. “My father died of cancer, I was going through a crisis in my marriage, I didn’t see the point of work, and I was chronically ill. I didn’t want to live. This crisis brought me to my knees and I started praying for help. (…) Before 2006, I was literally afraid of everything – going to sleep, worrying about my health, about life, about natural disasters, war, old age, economic crises. I was one big fear,” she confessed.
Maciąg credited learning to control her mind and emotions as the turning point in her life. “Before, I studied psychology and felt like I already knew everything. But I completely didn’t know how to cope with myself. I was filled with fear, broken. But that prayer opened a new life before me! Today I accept what happens in the world because I am convinced that there is wisdom and meaning in everything. Everything is an important and necessary lesson,” she told the magazine.
Andrzej Krzywy remembers Agnieszka Maciąg as “a wonderful, modest person.”
Following Maciąg’s death, Andrzej Krzywy of the band De Mono shared his memories of the model. Agnieszka Maciąg served as a muse for the group in the 1990s, appearing in nearly ten of their music videos. “Wonderful, amazing, modest person. One of the most interesting and beautiful Polish models. And at the same time, she somehow retained this great modesty and humility. And it was wonderful to work with her, because, as I say, she is a fantastic person. So despite the height difference, because there was quite a bit between us, we always had great joy and pleasure in meeting and working,” Krzywy said. The collaboration came about after the two met, a story detailed here.
Maciąg’s passing is being felt throughout the Polish entertainment industry, as she left a lasting impact on both the fashion world and through her later work promoting wellness and self-discovery.
