Candy
Who:
Candy Chaya Tansiri (@candy_chaya); 177 cm / 5’9.5″; Thai from Bangkok, Thailand; born April 27th.
Where:
JEM Models (mother agency), Linden Staub (London), Louisa Models (Munich)
— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
Actually, I think I have many things people might be surprised about. For example, I have a degree in science, a cosmetic science major with first-class honors. I guess people don’t think I’m that smart, hahaha! Another thing I think most of the time people are surprised about is when they know that I’m a Trans woman. There are both positive and negative responses about that but I only take the positive vibes back because I’m so proud and love myself who I am :)
— How did you become a model?
I started this journey about 3 years ago by joining a beauty pageant. After I was crowned, I had an opportunity for my very first modeling job and it turned out I really liked it. It was so challenging but so much fun. The fire of passion to be a model was lit up that day. After I had some modeling experience, I decided to audition for a modeling reality show called “The Face Thailand Season 5”, and winning this show was like officially opening the door to the modeling industry.
— Your most embarrassing moment:
I slipped while jumping off a box and completely fell on the stage floor in the reality show I mentioned above, so thousands were in the audience and millions were watching at home. Yes, my mess was on TV, broadcasted. It was the “talk of the town” and someone did a meme about it LOL. However, I still won the show. If you’re curious why I won in spite of slipping, go check the shows out ;)
Hyojin
Who:
Hyojin Jung (@hhyojinjung); 186 cm / 6’1″; South Korean from Seoul, South Korea; born August 21st.
Where:
JMODEL (Seoul – mother agency), Elite Paris, Elite Milan, Elite London, Elite Spain (Barcelona)
— The most interesting thing about your family:
About a month ago, a baby puppy became our new family. Her name is Mango and she’s a Welsh Corgi, she’s only 3 months old. She’s the first puppy in my family and we will do our best to make her happy.
— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. I’m a sports maniac. I can’t even think about losing a single soccer game. There was a time when I couldn’t fall asleep because of a humiliating defeat by my opponent!
2. I’m into listening to music through speakers, so I’m interested in collecting vinyl. I really love songs with loud bass sounds like really blasting through speakers.
3. I really love to watch fashion shows, especially something like archive videos. Even if I didn’t do that show, my body gets shivers and makes me passionate. Watching such shows motivates me actually.
— Who is your favorite entertainer?
It’s so hard to choose one but if I have to, it’s Bradley Cooper. I don’t know much about him, but I used to love his songs and voice after watching him in the movie A Star is Born. I have vinyl from that movie as well!
Jan
Who:
Jan Hamel (@honzahamal); 188 cm / 6’2″; Czech from Veřovice, Czech Republic; born April 12th.
Where:
PURE Model Management (Prague- mother agency), Select Model Management Paris, Le Management (Hamburg), Just Models (Lisbon)
— What are three interesting facts about you?
I study computer science at university, I like spending my free time in nature, I like mathematics.
— What’s your most prized possession and why?
I think that health is my most prized possession. You can’t buy health and I know that people around the world have various illnesses, so I value that I am healthy.
— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
Maybe the fact that I’m not Scandinavian, despite my appearance!
Maja
Who:
Maja Kudła (@coudla); 175 cm / 5’9″; Polish from Warsaw, Poland; born July 26th.
Where:
X MANAGEMENT (Warsaw – mother agency), Next Paris, Next Milan, SPIN Model Management (Hamburg)
— What are you super interested in that most people have never heard of?
Black feminism. The best thing about the work of writers like bell hooks, Audre Lorde and Angela Davis (and many many more) is that they, as black working-class women, were touched by nearly every possible kind of oppression – therefore could empathize with many groups of people. They were amazing historians and theorists and they were constantly thinking of a way to liberate all people and unite them in a battle against the system hurting each one of us.
— Who is your favorite entertainer?
Patti Smith. Everything about her is just so extraordinary but pure and raw at the same time. I’m completely in love with her deep, sexual, meaty voice and listening to her makes me feel like a living piece of flesh. The intro to her version of “Hey Joe” goes on and on in my head, like some kind of mantra, nearly every day since I heard it for the first time three years ago. She’s also very punk-rocky even now, in her seventies, as she speaks up on political issues very often.
— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
The sexual liberation of the society through education and political activism. Even though the situation has never been better, I think many people are sexually oppressed and that it makes them hurt other people. You can read about the conservative, right-wing politicians being found on gay orgies in Brussels – they are so ashamed of who they are, they need to take it out on others. I think working on this case is an essential point on the way of transforming political and economical relations we live in and that are hurtful to everyone – even the 0.0001% that takes the highest positions in this sick battle for power. People that would be really happy and fulfilled wouldn’t feel the need to exploit and obtain power over others.
Michael
Who:
Michael Okoye (@michaelokoye_); 188 cm / 6’2″; Nigerian from Anambra State, Nigeria; born July 5th.
Where:
Jabari Model Management (mother agency), CLICK (New York), Select Model Management Paris, Brave Model Management (Milan), Select Model Management London, Uno Models (Barcelona)
— The most interesting thing about your family:
I come from a large family of 6 siblings and every Sunday evening, we have a family cookout where we eat goat meat pepper soup and palm wine.
— Your most embarrassing moment:
One time my phone got snatched from my hands while I was in transit. One min, I was surfing the internet and the next I was watching a random stranger run away with my phone.
— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
That one time my sister and I handled my father’s gun while we were little and we shot at a huge rock inside our compound.
Morgane
Who:
Morgane Stengel (@morganestengel); 182 cm / 5’11.5″; French from Draguignan, France; born April 24th.
Where:
Gucaya Model Management (mother agency), New Madison (Paris), d’management group (Milan), Blow Models (Barcelona)
— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I’m a karate black belt. I practice it since I’m 10 years old and I also teach karate now. I love the discipline and the self-improvement that martial arts provides you. Also, I am a ballet dancer, not an expert but I give classes to little girls and this makes me happy.
— The most interesting thing about your family:
I have a family of artists. My sister is a writer, my mother a painter and my father a karate teacher.
— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. My first job was as a ballet teacher.
2. I was born in France but when I was a baby my family moved on to Spain and when we arrived we lived in a boat for a year. I first learned how to walk on that boat and when we moved to a house I walked strangely at first, haha.
3. I grew up with four dogs, Youpi, Bandit, Benji and Pacha; dogs are my favorite animals and I can’t imagine a life without one.