Who:
Brandon Wong — @_brandonwg — American from Monterey Park, California, USA — born May 19th — 178 cm / 5’10” — he/him.

Where:
His Laboratory Management (Los Angeles – mother agency)

— How did you become a model?
Back in June, I was hiking with some friends in the mountains when I got scouted. We went off the main trail to this creek, where my phone ended up sliding out of my pocket, and I had to chase it downstream. I was soaked, so we ended up staying at the creek for almost two hours. That’s when I was approached by this great stylist, who gave me his Instagram. We did a test shoot, he referred me to a friend, and by July, I was signed!

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
I’m incredibly passionate about education and believe it’s so important to foster a love of learning in kids. I work as a tutor and it’s extremely rewarding to see kids be curious and start to display interest in academia outside of their assigned work.

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
Being super academically driven, my peers are sometimes surprised to find that I really love the arts, both visual and culinary. Though I’m still exploring my options, becoming a bakery owner or illustrator are dream careers of mine!

Who:
Curtis Wilder — @curtiswilderr — American from Fairfax, Virginia, USA — born June 1st — 187 cm / 6’1.5″ — he/him.

Where:
Ricky Michiels Management (New York – mother agency)

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. My mother was born in Okinawa and immigrated to the US when she was in high school.
2. I am a musician and play bass, guitar, and piano.
3. I write poetry and songs.

— How did you become a model?
A friend suggested I submit to her Mother Agent. Despite being reluctant and not being fully sold on the fact that I could model, I looked up how to take digitals at home and sent them to her agent. They wanted to meet and offered me a contract. I was stoked!! That’s how I got the bug.

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
I am very passionate about the importance of de-stigmatizing mental health issues and treatment. I’ve experienced severe family loss as a result of untreated mental health issues and would love to help others to avoid that pain. Perhaps if there was less of a stigma surrounding the treatment of mental health concerns, a larger population would seek help and could go on to lead positive lifestyles and enjoy a sense of well-being among their communities.

Who:
Gloria Tang — @gloriatvng — American from New York, NY, USA — born May 21st — 178 cm / 5’10” — she/her.

Where:
JAG Models (New York),
Above and Beyond Creative Agency (mother agency), One Management UK (London), MGM Models (Hamburg), Stars Model Management (San Francisco)

— Share a bit about your background and upbringing.
My parents came to America hoping to build a better life—my mom from Mongolia and my dad from China. Growing up with Asian immigrants as parents had its challenges, but it engrained in me something really special. I was lucky to experience an amalgamation of Eastern and Western cultures in my household. I learned to appreciate where my parents came from, their languages, traditions, and stories—and at the same time, I was figuring out what it meant to grow up American. This cultural duality is a core part of my identity and a meaningful connection to both my parents and my heritage. It keeps me grounded in both where I come from and where I’m going.

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
One of my biggest passions is mental health and helping to reduce the stigma that still surrounds it—especially within Asian communities. Growing up, I noticed how often mental and emotional struggles were brushed aside or seen as taboo. I truly believe that everyone can benefit from 1 support, whether it’s therapy, open conversations, or simply learning how to take care of their mental well-being. That passion is part of what led me to study the brain in college. As someone living with anxiety and ADHD, mental health advocacy isn’t just something I believe in—it’s something I understand through lived experience. To me, taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body, and I try to normalize that in both my personal life and the spaces I’m part of.

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I’ve always been a huge nerd at heart—I genuinely love learning, especially concerning psychology, biology, and anything related to the brain. That passion led me to study Cognitive Science at UCLA. Around the same time, my modeling career started to gain momentum. Balancing both was intense, but I was determined not to let either passion go. So, I doubled down on my coursework and graduated a year early to fully commit to modeling while holding onto the academic foundation I’d worked so hard for.

Who:
Jack Wald — @jackwaldd — American from Palo Alto, California, USA — born September 8th — 186 cm / 6’1″ — he/him.

Where:
AMR Agency (New York – mother agency), Elite Paris

— Tell us about your hometown.
I’m from the Bay Area in California. I think the best thing about it is that there’s so much to do. Being right in between two major cities, San Jose and San Francisco, there’s so much good food, concerts, and activities. My hometown has mountains, cities, oceans, skiing and biking trails, all within one hour from my house.

— What’s an essential part of your daily routine?
An essential part of my daily routine is always picking out a fragrance. I own 40+ colognes, so in the morning, choosing a cologne always takes 5-10 minutes.

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I am currently a college student studying journalism and politics. I hope to go to law school after completing undergrad.
2. I am big on cooking. I love to cook simple food well – steak, fish, pasta.
3. I always have a hobby (that is short-lived) I get obsessed with. Rubik’s cube, piano playing, card magic, yo-yos, cooking, video games, etc.

Who:
Maya Nazarae — @maya.nazarae — American from Claremont, California, USA — born April 22nd — 178 cm / 5’10” — she/her.

Where:
Nomad Management (New York – mother agency), Women Management (New York), M + P Models (London), Nomad Management (Los Angeles)

— Share a bit about your background and upbringing.
I was born and raised in Southern California; in my youth, I was an elite soccer/Futbol player with over a decade of training. In middle school, I trained with the Philippine National Team for a number of months.

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I do nonprofit work in my spare time, working with various educational organizations catering to underprivileged youth, homeschool/ independent study individuals, and student-athletes in need of unconventional educational resources. I currently am a bachelor student studying politics and philosophy, with a focus on morality and law.

— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
My family loves to talk about the wide arrangement of places I’ve lost my belongings, whether it be on a plane or airport, a church, a car, or a restaurant; my phone seems to grow legs!

Who:
Shamari Peek — @shamarikoharu — American from San Diego, California, USA — born April 29th — 178 cm / 5’10” — she/her.

Where:
Supreme Management (New York), Metropolitan / M Management / Makers (Paris), Premier Model Management (London), Two Management (Los Angeles)

— How did you become a model?
I got scouted while I was working at an Abercrombie Kids store in high school. I was at the register ringing up my then agent and she asked me if I had ever considered modeling and took a photo of me holding her business card. I went in a week later to the agency to meet the whole team and got offered a contract.

— What’s an essential part of your daily routine?
Journaling. I’ve been journaling every single day since I was 16. I have a collection of all the journals I’ve ever written in and even have a few of my diaries from elementary school. It’s not only therapeutic but also serves as a way to look back on previous chapters of my life.

— What is your biggest irrational fear?
Crabs. I have no idea why. I can’t look at them without getting goosebumps. My mom says I’ve hated them ever since I was a baby.