Who:
Alexis Otero Peña — @oteroaalexiis — Spanish/Cuban from Holguin, Cuba — born December 22nd — 185 cm / 6’1″ — he/him.

Where:
Casting by Marta Balaguer (mother agency), IMG New York, IMG Paris, Independent Model Management (Milan), IMG London

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I am Cuban and Spanish.
2. I study dentistry.
3. I love to dance, basketball and football.

— Tell us about your hometown.
I live in Palma de Mallorca and the best thing is the ambient, the people and all the things like the beach, mountains and lot of things you can do. The worst thing about Mallorca is the extreme tourism.

— Share a bit about your background and upbringing.
I am an immigrant who lives in Spain (I am Spanish now) and escaped from Cuba to have a better life. I want to become a good model and help my family from here.

Who:
Cheng Xu — @cheng.xu_model — Chinese from Bai Cheng, Jilin, China — born September 6th — 190 cm / 6’3″ — he/him.

Where:
Yunic Models (mother agency), STATE Management (New York), GIRL (Paris), Two Management Germany (Berlin), Two Management Scandinavia (Copenhagen), STATE Management (Los Angeles)

— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
I am a very shy and calm person right now, and sometimes, I get very emotional for no reason. I was super naughty when I was little, so my parents were worried about my future. But I think I am smart and very independent! When I decide to do something, nobody can convince me otherwise, and I just do it.

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I cook like a Michelin chef! I can make people laugh easily.

— If money wasn’t an obstacle, what would you be doing with your life?
Bring my parents all over the world for vacation!

Who:
Christine Bashombana — @christinejoana_ — American/Congolese from Goma, DR Congo — born October 2nd — 177 cm / 5’9.5″ — she/her.

Where:
Scout Model Agency (Los Angeles – mother agency)

— How did you become a model?
My grandma wanted to put me in modeling when I was in middle school; she had a stack of Vogue magazines beside her bed. I loved looking through them on my visits to her house, and she would tell me one day I’d be in one. I never thought much of it until I was scouted a couple of times in person, but I thought it was a scam each time because of stranger danger. In 9th grade, my parents let me get social media, and on that, I was scouted 3 times. I decided to do my research and find an agency near me that I knew was legit. I submitted myself to a couple of agencies, and some responded, so I signed with the one nearest to me. I’m glad my grandma believed in me because I’ll make her more than proud.

— What is your biggest irrational fear?
My biggest irrational fear is dying before being on the cover of Vogue.

— Tell us about your hometown.
My hometown, Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was underdeveloped and plagued by conflict. Despite this, the best part was the strong sense of community, as kids played together every single day. However, opportunities and equality in the education system are some of the worst things about my hometown.

Who:
Luana Guimarães — @luanaguimaraex — Brazilian from Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil — born August 1st — 179 cm / 5’10.5″ — she/her.

Where:
Mix Models Agency (Rio de Janeiro – mother agency), Women 360 Paris, Supreme Management Milano, The MiLK Collective (London)

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I love physics and studying the universe, scientific theories, and the entire universe of exact sciences.

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
Human rights, but mainly for the environment, because having come from the largest flooded biome on the planet (Pantanal) and seeing it going up in flames and destroying my city and surroundings it breaks my heart

— How did you become a model?
I often say it was destiny. I always liked fashion, and I was interested in working as a fashion writer. However, life ended up taking me to be a model, and I soon fell in love with the profession.

Who:
Maki Omori — @77makkun77 — American/Japanese from New Mexico, USA — born July 20th — 173 cm / 5’8″ — they/them.

Where:
XDIRECTN (London – mother agency)

— What’s a favorite book/movie/TV show, and why do you love it?
I’m reading Whipping Girl by Julia Serrano right now, and it is already one of the most incredible works I’ve read! This book is a masterpiece of feminist and queer theory. It’s scientific yet personal and connecting. Her research and ideas resonate with me and my life experience very much :). It’s a classic!

— How did you become a model?
I grew up in a rural area of the US, so I had to do a lot of unpaid photoshoots and road trips, as well as a lot of really random things to get signed. When I was 16, I was doing a bunch of photo shoots back home, and this manager saw me and scouted me from the internet essentially. I was signed with Photogenics in Los Angeles, and I moved there for some time, working with them after graduating high school. Then I took time out to go to university, to grow up, and to learn how to articulate myself… annnd I’m back now! I signed with XDIRECTN here in London in December. I went to an open call they had, and here we are now! It’s the perfect agency for me-really queer and artist inclusive, and I feel a lot of ownership over my image and career, which is great. I’m really enjoying my career and the agency I’m with now! So, fingers crossed it keeps going well!! ★彡 .

— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
A really good friend of mine has this story he tells when we talk about how we became friends. The two of us were at a birthday party in a forest together (lol). Both of us went on an expedition to pee. On our way back to our friends, we noticed a very, very large log lying on the forest floor. We both stopped to stare at it. We looked at each other, and I joked, “Let’s bring it back with us?”. But it wasn’t a joke. Each of us went to one side and tried to lift the log. To my absolute surprise (cause we’re both really weak-looking, honestly, haha), it lifted up! Unfortunately, I dropped the log just a few steps later, and when I dropped it, my whole body fell as well. I was like a turtle on its back because I was actually quite drunk, bahahaa. My friend laughed at me for a long time before helping me up. Years later, we both cited this moment as the time we knew for certain we’d be good friends.

Who:
Rosa Kirakosyan — @rosakirakosian — Armenian from Yerevan, Armenia — born October 9th — 175 cm / 5’9″ — she/her.

Where:
The Trend Scouting (Yerevan – mother agency), Next New York, Premium Models (Paris), Next Milan, Next London, Louisa Models (Munich), Bravo Models (Tokyo)

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. Originating from a small village (which you can hardly see on the map) in Armenia, my roots are deeply entwined with the serene landscapes and rich culture of my homeland.
2. The journey from my humble beginnings to becoming a model was unexpected, yet it opened doors to a world of travel and adventure I had never imagined.
3. My passion for analysis is unwavering, as I find joy in dissecting and understanding every detail of the world around me, no matter how small.

— If money wasn’t an obstacle, what would you be doing with your life?
I would devote my life to staying connected with nature, living a semi-wild existence, and dedicating my time to caring for the environment.

— What’s a favorite book/movie/TV show, and why do you love it?
Recently, I’ve been watching Vikings. Because I am passionate about movies and series based on historical events, I find myself irresistibly drawn to that series, unable to tear my eyes away from its captivating storyline.