Who:
Guillermo López — @guillelopezali — Spanish from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain — born July 17th — 188 cm / 6’2″ — he/him.

Where:
Pop House (Las Palmas de G.C. – mother agency), IMG Paris, IMG Milano, IMG London, Sight Management Studio (Barcelona), Modelwerk (Hamburg)

— How did you become a model?
I became a model kind of by surprise! I was on my way to the gym one day when a photographer approached me and asked if he could take some photos for his social media. He loved my style, and I agreed, thinking nothing of it. Little did I know, he’d post a video that would change everything – it went viral! The attention caught the eye of a scout from my mother agency, based on a nearby island, who left a comment expressing their interest in meeting me. The next thing I knew, I was signing with them, and my modeling journey began. It’s been an incredible ride ever since!

— Tell us about your hometown.
My hometown is Gran Canaria, a beautiful island in the Canary Islands, Spain. Gran Canaria is truly a paradise, known for its stunning beaches, diverse landscapes, and amazing year-round weather. You can start your day on the golden beaches and then explore the forests or mountains later. It’s amazing to have so many different places to enjoy. The people are warm and welcoming, and the culture is vibrant, with incredible food, music, and festivals. One of my favourite places to visit is “el Pico de Las Nieves” , for amazing nature in the centre of the island. I would say a negative point is that the island’s economy is largely dependent on tourism, which can lead to limited job opportunities in other sectors.

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I spent four incredible years living in the United Kingdom, where I pursued my university education and immersed myself in a new culture. This experience not only helped me develop academically but also broadened my perspective, taught me to be independent, and allowed me to connect with people from diverse backgrounds.
2. Growing up in Gran Canaria, I was surrounded by the island’s rich culinary heritage, and I’ve learned how to cook traditional Canarian dishes like papas arrugadas and mojo sauce. I love exploring new restaurants and trying new cuisines, and I also enjoy hosting dinner parties for friends and family.
3. I’m a sports enthusiast who enjoys staying active and trying out various sports, from tennis and football to basketball and hitting the gym. One of my proudest moments was winning a 3-point shooting competition in 2018, which showcased my skills and dedication to the sport.

Who:
Henry Rank — @henryrank_ — American from Eastham, Massachusetts, USA — born February 26th — 188 cm / 6’2″ — he/him.

Where:
Signed MGMT (mother agency), JAG Models (New York)

— Tell us about your hometown.
I am from Eastham, Massachusetts in Cape Cod, its a little town with not too much to it. Most people just drive right through it and don’t bat an eye but theres a bunch of great beaches, ponds and nature trails all through. The best thing is it has my favorite surf break on Cape, and the worst is that almost all my friends live outside of my town.

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
The Food in America. I’m extremely passionate about health and fitness, and food is a huge part of that. It can either be the best medicine or the slowest poison and the majority of food, especially in the U.S is poison. Almost everything is processed and filled with seed oils, additives, dyes and random chemicals that are absolutely detrimental to people’s health, and the school system doesn’t teach you about what’s bad for you and how to eat healthy. One day I’d like have my own health and wellness brand that improves peoples health and teaches them how to be healthier.

— If money wasn’t an obstacle, what would you be doing with your life?
I would probably live somewhere tropical on a farm right by the beach and spend all my time surfing, playing music, walking through the jungle and laying in the sun.

Who:
Leping Zhao — @cc101100 — Chinese from Dali, China — born July 26th — 178 cm / 5’10” — she/her.

Where:
Lacoco Model Management (Shanghai – mother agency)

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
When can I realize my dream?

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
My lively personality, positive working attitude, and curiosity to explore the world.

— How did you become a model?
By being discovered by a model agency.

Who:
Pien Laureijssen — @pien_laureijssen — Dutch from Heerhugowaard, Netherlands — born March 14th — 180 cm / 5’11” — she/her.

Where:
The Face (Paris), Elvis Models (Amsterdam – mother agency), Monster Management (Milan), The Hive Management (London)

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I love to visit the beach when i can, it does not matter if it is raining or storming or if there is a beautiful sunset.
2. For the past 2 years, I have gotten into surfing as a hobby, and I enjoy it a lot.
3. I am really into hiking, and have climbed mountains in a bunch of different countries.

— What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
A few years ago my family and me were in Italy on a hike, when we got lost in the woods, we were walking for over six hours and it was getting dark. Thankfully, we found a village and two people were very kind to let us in their home. They found out our car was on the complete other side of the mountain.

— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
When I was a toddler we would bake cookies for in the Christmas tree. One time, I stood on the couch and tried to grab a cookie off the tree, and accidentally took the whole Christmas tree down. All the glass decorations were shattered, but I did not care, my attention was on the cookie.

Who:
Samuel Oluebube Ben — @sammyben__7 — Nigerian from Delta State, Nigeria — born July 7th — 186 cm / 6’1″ — he/him.

Where:
Lit Model Management (Lagos – mother agency)

— What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
Jumping down from a two-story building because I locked myself inside.

— How did you become a model?
I was at a school hangout, and was approached by my current mother agent, so I decided to give this a try and I’m loving every bit of it.

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I love playing piano, especially in church.
2. I’m studying cybersecurity.
3. I almost drowned while swimming at a young age, but I still love going to the water.

Who:
Wenqing Liu — @wenqing_llliu — Chinese from Jingmen, Hubei, China — born October 31st — 178 cm / 5’10” — she/her.

Where:
Umo Models (mother agency), Next New York, Next Paris, Next Milan, Next London, MIKAs (Stockholm)

— Can you tell us about your happiest childhood memory?
I wanted to prove to my friends that I was capable of taking care of my puppy. We picked it up and lived with it, finding a variety of ways to feed it and weird reasons to persuade my parents every day.

— What’s a favorite book/movie/TV show, and why do you love it?
A movie called “A Shine of Rainbows.” It changed my mind a lot.

— If money wasn’t an obstacle, what would you be doing with your life?
Giving myself more opportunities to make positive choices.