Who:
Benoît Rousseaux — @benoit_rssx — French from Paris, France — born September 1st — 188 cm / 6’2″ — he/him.

Where:
Rock Men (Paris – mother agency)

— Share a bit about your background and upbringing.
I am the eldest in my family, which is French and Thai, so I grew up in an interesting mix of cultures. My education was open, and I grew up with a certain freedom.

— What’s an essential part of your daily routine?
I regularly go out in town with my friends, and I read political newspapers.

— Tell us about your hometown.
I live in Paris and Épernay. Paris’s historical context in all areas of French history and fashion history is interesting, but the disadvantage is that Paris is very dirty in most places. Épernay is very different. It is the world capital of champagne and an economic growth city. The downside is that it’s very small, and so you get bored quickly.

Who:
Júlia Araujo — @juliaaraujoq — Brazilian from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — born June 10th — 174 cm / 5’8.5″ — she/her.

Where:
Mix Models Agency (Rio de Janeiro – mother agency), Blow Models (Barcelona)

— What’s a favorite book/movie/TV show, and why do you love it?
What appeals to me about Breaking Bad is the moral complexity of the main characters, especially Walter White’s transformation from a chemistry teacher to a crime antihero. The way the series explores themes of ethics, consequences of choices, and the complexities of human nature is fascinating to me.

— The most interesting thing about your family:
Our diverse heritage. My father’s side brings Asian roots, while my mother’s side enriches our lineage with Indigenous ancestry. This blend of Asian and Indigenous cultures not only shapes our traditions and values but also reflects the richness of our cultural identity.

— If you were to choose a song that symbolizes this current phase of your life, what would it be and why?
‘Levitating’ by Dua Lipa. I chose this song because it conveys a sense of joy, confidence, and empowerment, which is exactly how I’m currently feeling. I am in a phase of growth and exploring new opportunities, both personal and professional, and ‘Levitating’ perfectly captures this spirit of optimism and enthusiasm.

Who:
Mame Anta Wade — @mameanta_wade — French from Niaga, Senegal — born May 5th — 174 cm / 5’8.5″ — she/her.

Where:
RHSEVEN (mother agency), Wilhelmina New York, Ford Models Barcelona, Louisa Models (Munich), Scoop Models (Copenhagen), the wonders (Stockholm)

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I’m very scared of flies :) I wouldn’t ever hurt a fly, and I’m sure they wouldn’t hurt me either, but yes, I’m very scared of them.
2. I will create a connection with any baby or child I ever encounter — it is truly something that happens a l l t h e t i m e.
3. I need a lot of warmth around me, whether it is the sun or several blankets or layers of clothing; I just loooove to keep myself very warm and thus happy.

— The most interesting thing about your family:
Growing up in a village is all about the community and the people around it. Perhaps one of the most interesting things about my family is that they truly live as a community, caring and looking after each other through the generations. Almost all of my family live together in this community; there is my mother living next to her siblings, my uncle living next to my aunt, and so on. It is a place, both in time and space, where my parents grew up and where my grandparents grew up. It is quite interesting to understand all of the written and the unwritten, cultural and inherited rules and ways of life that are formed over the generations within such communities.

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
I carry a very important message with me. Amongst being an advocate for equality and human rights, I’m passionate to improve the healthcare and education for children and women in Senegal. In 2022, I founded “Les Sourires de Mawo” (Smiles of Mawo) a non-profit organization and this year we have embarked on a significant project of rebuilding the elementary school in Niague, my home village.

Who:
Oriana Olvera — @oriana.olve — Mexican from San Luis de la Paz, Guanajuato, Mexico — born June 11th — 180 cm / 5’11” — she/her.

Where:
WANTED & BANG (Mexico City – mother agency)

— What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
It’s not actually a thing that I have purposely done, but I’ve been stung by scorpions around 6 times! All the times were very random and, at the time, painful and scary… but I’m not scared of them anymore, and I’m convinced I’m now immune. I want my first tattoo to be a scorpion.

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
I a have a degree in Environmental Biology. I love doing and learning new things; I love finding new coffee spots and bakeries. I’m also into running; I’d love to run a half marathon soon. And I’m also into meditation and mindfulness.

— The most interesting thing about your family:
My grandparents, from my mom’s side, grew up during the Mexican Revolution and had the movement very close to them. They were always weary of what was going on and having my mom and aunts pretend to be sick so they wouldn’t be taken. Hiding constantly from both the military and the revolutionaries, and they have tons of pictures from the period, wearing the typical attire of the time, and they’re always telling us those stories.

Who:
Oriol Barba — @oriol_barba — Spanish from Barcelona, Spain — born December 22nd — 188 cm / 6’2″ — he/him.

Where:
Blow Models (Barcelona – mother agency)

— Can you tell us about your happiest childhood memory?
Probably traveling to London with my mother at 10. London is my favourite city because of the variety of people and cultures that exist there and because of the opportunities it brings. It is a unique city in the world, and I would like to live there one day.

— What’s a favorite book/movie/TV show, and why do you love it?
There is a British TV series that has particularly influenced me. Doctor Who is about an alien who travels through time and space with a ’60s police box as a time machine, and he always takes with him a human as a companion on his adventures. Doctor Who could be considered a show for children, but it has taught me values such as that all humans are equally important no matter who, that life is a pile of good and bad things and some do not take away from others, and that life is short, that’s why we have to try to take it with fun and joy.

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
– I like to dress elegantly whenever I can. I wear suits, shirts, ties… and I don’t wear them for any special reason, I wear them because it’s COOL to be well dressed. – Since I was little, I knew one day I wanted to be an actor. – I feel a connection with British culture even though I am Spanish.

Who:
Tim Luca Weller — @timl.weller — German from Hamburg, Germany — born May 24th — 186 cm / 6’1″ — he/him.

Where:
Goska Management (Hamburg – mother agency), Tank Agency (Milan)

— How did you become a model?
I was scouted at a photo exhibition in Hamburg. (I’m into photography, so I really enjoy visiting exhibitions from time to time.) My mother agent Liz walked up to me and asked me if I was a model already. And well, here we are ;)

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
That I have some pretty handy skills – I can write computer programs and I can solder! In our school computer lab I wrote a Programm that would indefinitely open itself. Because of that the Computer shut down eventually of course. Somebody snitched on me and now I’m still banned from the computer club in school haha. I also reprogrammed my iPhone with a few new features that make things more convenient to me.

— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
When I was in the 8th grade, I snorted half a package of a German sweet called Ahoi Brause. It’s lemonade powder. As you can imagine, I was quite unwell afterward, and my mom had to pick me up from school.