Amilna Estevao

What makes great model material? The narrative always starts with an origin–and Amilna Estevao came to the modeling world by way of Angola, a country on the west coast of southern Africa. Suffice to say, from there it was only a matter of time before her feline gorgeousness would find her right where she needs to be: the Top. “I was discovered at the Elite Model Look Angola competition; that was in 2013. I was the (first place) winner in Angola and I went to China for the final and I got third place,” says Amilna. Wait, didn’t she deserve first? “Stop! Stop! (laughs) Yes I deserved to be in first place!” jokes the model, who now lives in New York, “I love New York, but sometimes it’s too much, too busy. I love Paris, I love south of France too because it’s a little warmer.” Never mind the weather, this Top 50 ranking model has been too busy enjoying her own place in the sun aka cosmetic contracts and campaigns for MAC, Yves Saint Laurent, Tom Ford and Phillip Plein. Though she’s been a natural from the start, she recalls walking her first show, an exclusive for Alexander Wang, “I didn’t know anything,” she says, “A girl from Angola, from South Africa. I was really nervous. I was shaking and stuff. After that I got used to it. One by one, I got used to it.” She may be used to it now, but Amilna makes no mention of being bored, just the opposite in fact, “The next thing I want to do is grow and grow more my career and just get where I want to get. Be a supermodel and make everyone proud of my job,” Amilna says getting serious. Meaning there will be plenty of favorable surprises yet.