Hugo

Who:
Hugo Häggbom (@hugohaggbom) — 188 cm / 6’2″ — Swedish from Jönköping, Sweden — born September 20th — he/him.

Where:
Lind Models (Gothenburg – mother agency)

— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. I really enjoy playing music. Right now, I study music in school, and my absolute favorite genre is jazz; I’ve only liked jazz for like one and a half years and played the piano for two years-ish. My main instrument is piano, but I also play trumpet.
2. I live in the countryside. I live in the countryside and have always done; I’ve really had a typical Swedish childhood with a red house with white trim, running around in the garden playing hide and seek.
3. I really enjoy nature. This one is kind of connected to the previous interesting fact. Since I grew up in the countryside surrounded by forests all around me, it has always been such easy access. Both of my parents also love spending time in nature, and my uncle loves to go fishing and hunting, which I also do.

— Who is someone you admire and why?
I admire my grandfather. My grandfather and grandmother have been our neighbors my whole life, which has led to us being close. My grandfather and I have a special relationship and have always had one. I really admire his way of meeting people and that he has good self-esteem but still is humble with it!

— How did you become a model?
My way to becoming a model was kind of basic. I sent an application to Lind Models, and they wanted to see me. On the train home, I got an email saying that they wanted to represent me. I went into this with almost zero expectations, and therefore, I was a bit surprised, and it almost feels a bit unreal!

Judy

Who:
Judy Ribeiro (@judybeiro) — 177 cm / 5’9.5″ — French from Toulouse, France — born December 20th — she/her.

Where:
SYSTEM Agency (Geneva – mother agency), Marilyn Agency (Paris), Why Not Model Management (Milan), The Hive Management (London), IMG Australia (Sydney), SYSTEM Agency (Berlin)

— The most interesting thing about your family:
I would say it is a mix of cultures, my mom is from Portugal, my dad is from Congo, and I was born and raised in the south of France with my three younger brothers. I’m very proud of our multicultural heritage!

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
I hold a deep concern for addressing the humanitarian crisis in Congo and advocating for global women’s rights. In the near future, I aspire to focus actively on these issues, aiming to make a meaningful impact and contribute to positive change. I want to help create a fairer world, prioritizing and protecting the rights and well-being of all, especially women in crisis regions like Congo.

— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. I find delight in breaking the mold. Whether it’s trying something unexpected or learning a new skill, I’m always up for a surprise and a challenge.
2. When I was a kid, I dreamt of being a singer. I spent hours in my room writing songs, singing, and dancing, but unfortunately, my voice wasn’t matching the vision, ahaha.
3. I studied Law at La Sorbonne in Paris.

Rian

Who:
Rian Thakrar (@rian.thakrar) — 186 cm / 6’1″ — British from Singapore and India — born July 9th — he/him.

Where:
MC Barnes (mother agent)

— What’s one thing people may be surprised to find out about you?
I have Tourette’s Syndrome. It’s kind of a shocker to everyone until they’ve met me and understood the lengths to which I’ve gone to manage them. But it never fails to make me laugh when someone I’m unacquainted with turns around and asks, “Are you choking?” after I’d had a tic. It’s always a conversation starter, that’s for sure!

— Tell us about your hometown.
I’m actually an international student, so moving around a lot has kind of been the norm for me. Ethnically – I’m fully Indian. However, I was born in London, infancy in Tokyo, then moved to Singapore and lived there ever since. I only moved back to the UK last year for uni. The best thing about it was the people I met, whereas the worst thing was those same relationships I then lost due to relocation. Otherwise, I really couldn’t pinpoint a hometown if I had to. Let’s just say, where my family is.

— How did you become a model?
It’s a funny story, actually. The summer after high school, my friend called me and told me he’d been scouted at a festival by a modeling agency. My first thought was, “That’s amazing.” As he asked me to come along to LFW castings to keep him company, I figured we could make a week getaway of it. During one of the castings, the director came up to me and asked, “Why haven’t you taken off your shirt and walked yet?” to which I replied, “Oh, I’m not a model; I’m just here with a friend” to which he replied, “well, I would like to cast you for a show next week,” and from there, you know the process. I was then scouted by a few agencies and slowly began my own journey. It was a matter of right time and place, and I could not be more grateful and excited.

Rodrigo

Who:
Rodrigo Brasil (@robrasiil) — 186 cm / 6’1″ — Brazilian from São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil — born August 20th — he/him.

Where:
Mix Models Agency (Rio de Janeiro – mother agency), Soul Artist Management (New York), Independent Model Management (Milan), Nevs (London), Kult Hamburg, Clear Models Management (Madrid), DT Model Management (Los Angeles), Topco Models (Cape Town)

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I want to become a great reference for many people, especially those who live near me. I want to show/prove that we can achieve our dreams/goals, regardless of where we come from.

— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. My surname is “BRASIL,” but with an “S” instead of a “Z,” because that’s how we write it in Portuguese.
2. I love my family more than anything. They are simply everything to me.
3. I’m very competitive and always push myself to become a better person/professional.

— Who is someone you admire and why?
Cristiano Ronaldo, for everything he has won, has been through, his effort and dedication. He had to overcome many obstacles to achieve everything he’s achieved, and obviously, he’s always had talent, but his willpower has always stood out. He is also very attached to his family and has always emphasized the importance of his mother’s efforts in enabling him to become a great player.

Sam

Who:
Sam June (@samjjune) — 178 cm / 5’10” — American from Newnan, Georgia, USA — born May 3rd — she/her.

Where:
Divide Management (New York – mother agency)

— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. I am a classically trained percussionist.
2. My favorite kind of weather is rain, specifically rain when it is warm and sunny outside.
3. I have always been fascinated by the human mind and take an active interest in psychoanalysis.

— Tell us about your hometown.
I am from a small rural town in Georgia, USA.

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I love dreams. Remembering and considering my own dreams and listening to the dreams of others who are willing to share. I think dreams are an opportunity to get to understand ourselves better on a regular basis, so why not make the effort to think about them?

Willing

Who:
Willing Ju (@willingju) — 178 cm / 5’10” — Chinese from Chengdu, China — born October 15th — she/her.

Where:
Lacoco Model Management (Shanghai – mother agency)

— Who is someone you admire and why?
The person I currently admire the most is a female character, Wang Mingzhu, from the TV series “Blossoms,” directed by Wong Karwai. I appreciate her courage, ambition, unwavering principles, and sincere treatment of everyone around her. She finds joy in good moments, remains resilient in the face of adversity, and actively seeks solutions without doubting herself.

— How did you become a model?
After seven years of pursuing an acting career, I found myself unable to support my life financially from acting. In 2022, I decided to send my portfolio to a modeling scout, and here I am.

— What are three interesting facts about you?
1. The movie I participated in as an actor was nominated at the Tokyo International Film Festival.
2. I once played a drug dealer in a TV series.
3. I was once rejected by a director because of my height, but ironically, it’s my height that helped me find my place in the modeling industry.