Iva

Who:
Iva Kuljaca, 184 cm / 6’0.5″, Serbian, born April 26th.

Where:
Vampire Mgmt (Belgrade – mother agency)

— What are three interesting facts about you?
I study social sciences at a university in Berlin; I speak German, French, and English fluently and I’m probably taller than your dad.

— The most interesting thing about your family?
My dad is a 2 time Olympian and my mom owns one of the most successful pilates studios in Belgrade. I have a little brother who is 8 years younger than me and at 12 years old is almost my height…

— How and when did you become a model?
My modeling journey had a lot of ups and downs. I got scouted in Belgrade when I was 12 and started working in Serbia at around the age of 14. At 17, I took a long break to focus on school and getting into university. Now, at 20, I finally found a mother agency whose style of work I really like and I hope to have better experiences and a fresh start!

Karaj

Who:
Karaj Pettis, 186 cm / 6’1″, American, born August 5th.

Where:
Q Model Management NY (New York – mother agency)

— Who is your favorite entertainer?
It is hard to pick just one but I would have to say Oprah. She has taught me a life-changing lesson, to make having compassion a part of my daily living. Learning to have compassion for myself and others has changed the way I view the world.

— What are three interesting facts about you?
I am very athletic, growing up my mother enrolled me in every sport possible – Dance is a huge part of my life, my passion for it has led me to some amazing experiences – and the third, you have not had a good margarita until you have had one of mine!!

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
Mentoring the youth, I believe we have not been using education to its fullest potential. I hope to create a safe space for the youth that gives them tools, resources and guidance to flourish in the world.

Mong

Who:
Mong Chi Chio, 168 cm / 5’6″, Macau, born January 18th.

Where:
KEV MGMT (New York) (mother agent), SYSTEM (Geneva)

— Among your friends or family, what are you famous for?
I grew up in Macau, which is quite small compared to NYC, where I attended an international school. Here I was exposed to different cultures and personalities daily. I was able to develop my individualism and creativity. I think among my family and friends I’m known for being creative and thinking outside of the box. I was always the trendsetter when it came to my fashion sense and interests. Even though I’m not the typical model measurements and look, I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in modeling. I’d like to think the success I’ve had so far is due to my voice and passion for the art.

— One thing I wish I knew more about:
I wish I knew more about why we experience fear. As I learn more about how the pros and cons of fear play into the human experience, I think I’ll be able to cope with it better. Hopefully to better control how it dictates my emotions. I still fear what people think of me sometimes but as I understand the role fear has in my life and career I think I’ll be able to live even more authentically. I’ll be unstoppable!

— The best and worst aspects of your personality:
I think I am an extremist. I either love something or hate it. This can be pretty beneficial because I’m always sure of how I feel which allows me to make decisions very efficiently. It helped me make the decision to move from California to New York to pursue an education at Parsons and a career in modeling. I’m not scared of trying new things because I already love the idea of it. Even if it doesn’t work out in the end, it was worth it to pursue something I felt strongly about. Similarly, I love my friends entirely and have their backs always. I’m all in! However, the flip side is there are things that I miss out on because I’m quick to dismiss things I don’t think I’ll enjoy. But I appreciate my personality; my strong and independent nature has led me to where I am today.

Christian

Who:
Christian Fountain, 188 cm / 6’2″, American, born November 8th.

Where:
Bri’geid Agency (mother agency), Storm Management (Los Angeles)

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I would say how I grew up. I had a pretty rough life but I made the best of it and just do what I can to take care of myself and the ones I love.

— Something you are self-conscious about:
I’m not too self-conscious other than people seeing me and thinking I’m mean bc I have an RBF (Resting Bitch Face).

— What are three interesting facts about you?
I am almost a professional wakeboarder and wake surfer. I am very active sport-oriented and I love the water and being outdoors.

Arina

Who:
Arina Safronova, 174 cm / 5’8.5″, Russian, born October 12th.

Where:
Aquarelle Models (Russia – mother agencu), Bon Image Corp. (Tokyo)

— Among your friends or family, what are you famous for?
Home bachelorette parties!!! We cook together, watch movies, talk and gossip a lot, LOL!

— How and when did you become a model?
Modeling fascinated me since I was little. Me and my mom used to watch America’s Next Top Model. That’s how I learned to walk in heels at 8, and I was good at it. As I turned 15, my hometown hosted the fashion week. I was able to get in. My parents have been very supportive. When I first walked down the runway I felt this fire inside of me and realized that modeling is what I want to do. The agency that I’m in at the moment (love them) reached out to me via Instagram and offered to work together. I agreed without a second thought, and have never regretted it. After signing the contract I went abroad for the first time. Visiting South Korea was such a bright moment. It was love at first sight. I’m very grateful to my agency for letting me grow, modeling inspires me.

— Who is your favorite entertainer?
My favorites are Audrey Hepburn, Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts. Most often I watch old romantic films because such films have their own beauty and atmosphere. I prefer music calm and dreamy, I like the performers Rhoda, M83, dllv. I like to close my eyes and dance to this music, this way I relax and recharge with positive energy.

Yuuki

Who:
Yuuki Tang, 189 cm / 6’2.5″, German, born October 12th.

Where:
Tigers Mgmt (Munich – mother agency)

— What is something you wish you knew more about?
I wished I had paid more attention in school when it comes to computers, using programs properly like InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc. Seeing productions behind the scenes gives me the desire to express myself and gain experiences using different mediums, where knowledge of different programs would be really helpful.

— Something you are self-conscious about:
Perhaps it sounds weird under these circumstances and in this interview, but I was always struggling with my appearance. I never had the feeling that other people would consider me as handsome and I also had difficulties to fit in just because of my appearance. My two older brothers, who are also modeling, have a more classical handsome look and everyone who saw them recognized them as beautiful individuals. Also, I have many friends who fit more into the beauty standard than me and I therefore always felt a little bit ugly. But after going through puberty and growing out of the typical teenage and anxiety-ridden mindset, I feel a lot more secure about myself.

— Who is someone you admire and why?
Besides my parents, I would say a lot of people in my environment, but there is one famous person who stuck in my head. I don’t know her in person or have known about her for a very long time, but Miriam Cahn, a Swiss painter, is someone who I deeply admire. She had an exhibition in Munich, which I visited and listened to facts about her life, her work, and a bit about herself with an audioguide. She is such a strong woman with strong opinions and I was just overwhelmed by her as a person through her pictures.