@modelsdot Six new faces are here to take the world by storm. From 🇺🇸California to 🇧🇷Brazil, we bring you some of their favorite things, passions, and who they admire the most. For their answers, click the link in the bio. #modelsdot #runway #fashion #newfaces #mdcselects #newmodels #fyp ♬ So Fresh, So Clean – Outkast
Caterina
Who:
Caterina Deordieva
 (@heyrin.n) — 177 cm / 5’9.5″ — Moldovan from Chisinau, Moldova — born August 16th — she/her.
Where:
Meka Models (Moldova – mother agency), Independent Model Management (Milan)
— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
As a kid, I used to be a very picky eater, so my parents say I survived only by doing photosynthesis. Anyway, one day, when I didn’t want to eat pork, my father told me it wasn’t pork, but iguana meat. I didn’t really know what iguana was, but yep, I finished my dinner.
— The most interesting thing about your family:
My parents are crazy guys; they always could find time to party with their friends. And even when I was born, they just used to take me everywhere with them, whether it was a barbecue by the river, a camping trip, or even a sauna. It’s funny because I’m a pretty chill person, and club parties don’t appeal to me. But I inherited from them my passion for nature and outdoor activities, such as hiking and cycling.
— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. I was born in a country that does not exist (Transnistria). There are three official languages (Russian, Ukrainian, and Romanian).
2. So now I speak five languages: Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, English, and Italian!
3. As a kid, I used to do sailing and windsurfing.
Deepak
Who:
Deepak Gupta (@thedeepakgupta1
) — 186 cm / 6’1″ — Indian from Mumbai, India — born November 13th — he/him.
Where:
Anon Models (Mumbai – mother agency)
— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. I love to collect miniature bikes and cars.
2. I am very serious about my future goals.
3. l am very passionate about traveling all over the world.
— The most interesting thing about your family:
All my family members are tall. Whenever I go out with my family, everyone comments about us being tall and asks us what we eat.
— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
Once on my birthday, my friends and family members bought five cakes, all of which had a lot of candles on them. After celebrating and cake cutting, I was given a piece of cake to eat, and in that piece of cake, there was a candle. I ate that whole piece of cake, but accidentally also ate the candle!
Jayh
Who:
Jayh Lorenzo Denz (@jayhlorenzo) — 187 cm / 6’1.5″ — Congolese/Surinamese/Curaçaoan from The Netherlands — born December 19th — he/him.
Where:
The Force Models (Rotterdam – mother agency), Independent Model Management (Milan), Established Models (London), Uno Models (Barcelona), nest model management (Berlin)
— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I’m really into skincare, I can not handle if I have a pimple.
— Who is someone you admire and why?
Virgil Abloh because he opened doors for a lot of POC models and other creatives.
— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. I love analog photography.
2. I enjoy dancing to hip hop & afrobeats.
3. I’m very into street style and have spent my whole paycheck on that.
Lana
Who:
Lana Santucci (@lanasantucci) — 182 cm / 5’11.5″ — Brazilian/Hungarian from São Paulo, Brazil — born May 14th — she/her.
Where:
Andy Models (Mother Agency)
— How did you become a model?
I was rejected by many agencies in Brazil due to being a Trans Woman, and then out of nowhere, I was invited to do a reality show called “Born to Fashion” by E! entertainment. When we started filming, I really thought to myself, “I need to work as hard as I can and give my best” since I was in a really dark place at that time. It was then that I met Alexandre Herchcovitch, a really famous Brazilian designer, and when I got out of the tv show, he invited me to do his fashion show. What I didn’t know was that I was going to close the show, and after that, everything changed. I got into two agencies at the time and started doing all the really important fashion magazines and big campaigns. It was life-changing.
— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
Definitely the Trans movement. I’ve always been really engaged in talking about trans people, culture, and our daily challenges. I’ve been to large companies to talk about it. The fact is that Brazil is still the leading country in Trans people’s murders in the entire world, and that is a real problem. Since I entered the fashion industry, I’ve talked about it openly and taught a lot of people about our community. I have never hidden the fact that I’m a trans woman. Nevertheless, it’s still really difficult working in fashion, and people need to see us for what we’re good at and not just for being trans. I have worked with many big brands and important people, and I can affirm that being trans has never kept me from doing my job with excellence.
— The most interesting thing about your family:
My family is almost completely LGBTQIA+. My brother has been married for more than ten years to his partner, and my sister is also married to a beautiful woman, which I’m really fond of. Everyone in my family is very open and easy about sexual orientation and gender identities, and my parents are in their sixties, so there are no excuses for being a closed-minded person.
Nour
Who:
Nour Hamdad (@nourrhamdad) — 182 cm / 5’11.5″ — Spanish from Zaragoza, Spain — born September 1st — she/her.
Where:
Fifth Models (Barcelona – mother agency)
— Who is someone you admire and why?
My mom is my hero, role model, and mentor. She’s one of the strongest women I know, and I’m proudest and most grateful for her.
— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. I love high adrenaline and extreme sports.
2. I grew up with two very different cultures. My mom is Ecuadorian and Christian, and my dad is Moroccan and Muslim. I’ve been influenced by both cultures since birth and have learned a lot of values from both of them.
3. I like to binge-watch every history video on Youtube I come across.
— How did you become a model?
One day during the local festivities in my town, I was stopped by two scouts from my agency who asked me if I was interested in being a model. In the beginning, I was a bit shocked because I’d never been in a situation like this before, and it was very unexpected, but I’m very glad I decided to give modeling a chance.
Troy
Who:
Troy Neff (@troy_steez) — 188 cm / 6’2″ — American from Santa Clarita, California, USA — born July 7th — he/him.
Where:
STATE Management (Los Angeles – mother agency), STATE Management (New York)
— The most interesting thing about your family:
My mom is a retired high-ranking LAPD officer. She is a badass.
— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
Personally, I think a lot of the art we consume, whether it be through music, social media, or in other places, has lost touch with the essence of bringing value to people and shining new angles of light on what it means to be human. Showing what you have on isn’t that cool- it’s all about what you are doing for others. I also fear the increasing effects of the climate crisis, which seems like an impossible task to resolve but can give a great opportunity for the world to come together with a common goal.
— Who is your favorite entertainer?
My favorite entertainer is Mac Miller. RIP. I look up to his view of life and the sacrality of the arts that he established in his music, as well as just how he carried himself. He’s inspired me to make music but most importantly, to stay true to myself.