With scores of fresh new faces in town for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia, we decided to hold a casting and get to know a few of them. From athletes to artists, YouTubers to feminist journalists, meet the models living it up Down Under. Photography by Kay Sukumar

Abby Williamson

Agency:

IMG Australia (Sydney)

Instagram:

@therealabbywilliamson

Notes:

Abby is from Texas and has been modelling for five years, but working full time for only one. She is writing a book (or a TV show) about secret agents and secret society. She also draws all the characters in her story. This is her first time in Sydney and she has been freaked out by funnel web spiders. Check out her Youtube Channel.

Marlo

Agency:

Chadwick Models (Sydney)

Instagram:

@marlo.m.h

Notes:

Marlo has been modelling since November 2016. Her mother used to model and Marlo was discovered through her mum's contacts. She is currently in Year 11 at high school, and would like to study something art-focused at university, or maybe engineering or architecture. She is 1/2 Chinese, 1/2 Australian.

Danika Rooney

Agency:

Vivien's Model Management- Sydney (Sydney)

Instagram:

@danikarooney

Notes:

 Danika is from Auckland, New Zealand, and got her start when she sent in her photos to an agency called N Model Management. She has been modelling full time for two years. In her spare time she likes to bake anything and everything as she has a major sweet tooth.

Lauren Arrow

Agency:

IMG Australia (Sydney)

Instagram:

@laurenarroww

Notes:

Lauren is from north-west Sydney and was scouted at an Ed Sheeran concert last November. She plays netball (in the position of Goal Attack) and she is learning to speak Japanese.

Vaughan

Agency:

Vivien's Model Management- Sydney (Sydney)

Instagram:

@vaughanelizabeth

Notes:

Vaughan was born in Coffs Harbour, Australia, but grew up in USA. She was discovered at a mall on her 17th birthday when she bumped into a woman who turned out to be the creative director of a model agency. She currently lives in Texas where she's studying cultural studies and sociology. Her interests include public policy writing, making a difference, and increasing equality.

Teresa Travnik

Agency:

IMG Australia (Sydney)

Instagram:

@teresa_tra

Notes:

Teresa was on holiday in Australia when she decided to send her photos in to IMG. She's originally from Cologne, Germany, finished high school last summer, and has only been modelling for a few weeks.

Maia Toakley

Agency:

Priscilla's Model Management (Sydney)

Instagram:

@maia_toak

Notes:

Maia was scouted on the street while busking. She doesn't remember exactly what she was playing at the time but thinks it was probably Missy Higgins. She's from the Sydney suburb of Bondi, loves acoustic guitar, and has been modelling full time for four months.

Gabi Borchers

Agency:

IMG Australia (Sydney)

Instagram:

@gabiborchers

Notes:

Gabi hails from the remote town of Alice Springs in the Australian outback. She was scouted at Christmastime when on her way home from visiting family in Adelaide. Now that she's in Sydney she enjoys spending her time going to the gym, being in Bondi, and just hanging out with friends.

Saria White

Agency:

Vivien's Model Management- Sydney (Sydney)

Instagram:

@saria___white

Notes:

Saria is from South Bondi and was discovered on Bondi Beach when she was 14. She's currently in her last year of high school. She has been surfing since she was little, and plays netball (in the position of either goal attack or goal shooter).

Georgia McGlennon

Agency:

IMG Australia (Sydney)

Instagram:

@georgiamcglennon

Notes:

Georgia was born in Singapore but is currently in Sydney studying art history and media and communications at university. She starts law school next year. She enjoys going to art galleries, festivals, and exhibitions, and watching cooking shows even though she claims she can't cook very well. Her favourite author is Virginia Woolf and the last book she read was The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

Akual Chels-Ring

Agency:

THE.mgmt (Alexandria)

Instagram:

@chelsringring_

Notes:

Akual is South Sudanese and grew up between Egypt, Sweden, and Australia. Education is important to her and her family so she waited until she completed high school before pursuing modelling. Akual is very interested in fashion and would like to get involved in styling and start her own fashion label. She's fluent in English, Dinka, Arabic, Swedish, and also speaks a little French.

Jess Thomas

Agency:

IMG Australia (Sydney)

Instagram:

@jessicagrace_thomas

Notes:

Jess came fourth on the ninth season of Australia's Next Top Model. She's originally from Perth, and says her interests are eating food, cooking, art, and acting. She currently attends acting classes and wouldn't mind a movie career similar to Johnny Depp's.

Aziyade

Agency:

Chadwick Models (Sydney)

Instagram:

@itsmeazi

Notes:

Aziyade was born in France but grew up in Hong Kong and later Canada. She was discovered whilst on her way to the gym in Montreal. So far she has modelled in Paris, Hong Kong, Greece, Milan, and this is her first time in Sydney. She has danced ballet since the age of 5 and considers herself a huge cinephile (her favourite director is Woody Allen).

Elfy Scott

Agency:

Vivien's Model Management- Sydney (Sydney)

Instagram:

@elfyscott

Notes:

Elfy is from Surry Hills in Sydney. She began modelling three years ago after submitting her photos to a street scouting agency. In addition to modelling she is a freelance writer, specialising in opinion columns for magazines and feminist discussions. The last article she wrote was on the history of hysteria and women being perceived as crazy. Her ethnic background is Indonesian/British/French.

Stephanie Joy Field

Agency:

Chic Management (Sydney)

Instagram:

@stephanie.joy.field

Notes:

Stephanie is from the small village of Jugiong in New South Wales. She was discovered at age 13 while at an art gallery but didn't start modelling until she finished school. She has just completed a degree in interior design at university and next would like to study law psychology.

Shannon Nutt

Agency:

Vivien's Model Management- Sydney (Sydney)

Instagram:

@shannonnutt_

Notes:

Modelling now for a year after being discovered at a vintage fashion show at her high school, Shannon is from Canberra, Australia's capital. She's an Australian champion high jumper who plays the flute and piano. Next year she plans to study physiotherapy at university.

Marlies Smedinga

Agency:

Chic Management (Sydney)

Instagram:

@marliessmedinga

Notes:

Marlies is from the small city of Dronrijp in Friesland, The Netherlands. She was discovered whilst on family vacation to Stockholm as her hotel was located across the street from the model agency MIKAs. She's very interested in music, and plays the trombone in the Salvation Army band. She also plays piano and sings in a choir.

Ebony Rose Coombs

Agency:

FiveTwenty Model Management

Instagram:

N/A (Ebony doesn't have any social media accounts -- she doesn't even own a phone!)

Notes:

Ebony is from Warriewood on Sydney's Northern Beaches. She was discovered in an art store last year while buying costume making supplies. She's very into art, drawing, and all creative mediums, including taxidermy. She also loves to swim (she lives right overlooking the beach) and writing small and personal stories. Her ethnic background is Australian and 1/4 Chinese.

Lucinda Schaefers

Agency:

Chic Management (Sydney)

Instagram:

@Lucindaschaefers

Notes:

Lucinda is from Utrecht in Holland. She has been modelling for two years, and this is her first time in Australia. She's interested in photography, and playing classical music like Beethoven on the piano. After Sydney she is headed to Paris for the couture shows.

Katelin Gallagher

Agency:

IMG Australia (Sydney)

Instagram:

@katelin_gallagher

Notes:

Katelin is from Darwin but was scouted when she was in Brisbane for a dog show (her mum breeds mini bull terriers). She's interested in photography and describes herself as adventurous. Before modelling she was working in admin for the Northern Territory state government.

Lara Carter

Agency:

Priscilla's Model Management (Sydney)

Instagram:

@lara_carter

Notes:

Lara is from Dubbo in country Australia. She was discovered at a barbecue by a friend of Priscilla Leighton-Clark, who owns the agency Lara is now signed to. She likes reading, especially autobiographies and inspiring stories. Her other passion is eating acai bowls. She's obsessed with going to places where they have acai bowls and give them a rating out of five.

Taylah Roberts

Agency:

IMG Australia (Sydney)

Instagram:

@taylahroberts1

Notes:

Taylah has been modelling on and off for four years, and got into the industry through appearing on Australia's Next Top Model in 2013. She wants to study nutrition at university and claims she never knows what to say on the spot. She's originally from Perth but now lives in Sydney.

Ilana Davies

Agency:

THE.mgmt (Alexandria)

Instagram:

@babbygiraffe

Notes:

Ilana studies neuroscience at university. She's very interested psychology and science and would one day like to do research on the brain. She is from Canberra and has modelled in India, Paris and London.

Alyssa Traoré

Agency:

IMG Australia (Sydney)

Instagram:

@alyssatraore

Notes:

Alyssa is Dutch, from the city of Nijmegen. She's very interested in politics and diplomacy and would like to work at the United Nations after modelling. Her ethnic background is Dutch and Ivorian, and she has been modelling full time since September 2016.