Who:
Andrew Belov — @andreybelaaaa — Russian from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia — born October 30th — 190 cm / 6’3″ — he/him.

Where:
Direct Models (Moscow – mother agency)

— What’s a favorite book/movie/TV show, and why do you love it?
My favorite book, or rather manga, is “Berserk.” I liked the character of the main character, a lone warrior who decided his own fate with his composure, persistence, and strength; at 14, I took an example from him.

— Tell us about your hometown.
I have lived in Nizhny Novgorod all my life; this city is quite big but sad. I live in the supposedly criminal Avtozavod district, and there are a lot of drinking people there. The coolest thing about this city is the sunsets and the landscapes; I loved taking pictures of my city for a long time. I liked the architecture there, and I will repeat again: the sunsets were simply gorgeous. I know that many tourists come to our city just to look at the sunsets. The creepiest thing about it is the old houses, although I loved taking pictures of them, the atmosphere was very creepy, the smell, the old trees, and the area were just awful, but as a boy who loves to learn something new, I really liked it.

— If you were to choose a song that symbolizes this current phase of your life, what would it be and why?
I think it’s “92” by Valentin Strykalo. Although it’s not my favorite genre, after listening to this song with a girl, I started dating her, and then my whole life went uphill; I got a lot of motivation, I started noticing things that I hadn’t noticed before, and most importantly, I started dating a very wonderful person who helped me on my difficult path. I myself don’t understand how my worldview changed in general because of one person and a song.

Who:
Atif Naveed — @atif_np — Dutch from Amsterdam, The Netherlands — born March 28th — 187 cm / 6’1.5″ — he/him.

Where:
Volks Management Studio (Amsterdam – mother agency)

— Share a bit about your background and upbringing.
I am partially Slavic, Central Asian, East Asian, and South Asian. I have an upbringing in a variety of cultures.

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I can play 3 different instruments: Piano, saxophone, and violin.
2. I have mastered 3 judo Kyus, and I have been a kickboxer for over 2 years.
3. I’m an animal lover. I’ve had a parrot and a hamster, and I had 8 cats. Currently, I have 2 cats.

— What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
One summer day, I went out swimming with my friends. We were swimming near this extremely high bridge. We saw some teenagers jump from the top of it. When we got out of the water, we went to the top of the bridge, too. After looking down, we started feeling anxious just from being up there. After a long 40 minutes of standing there, we finally decided to jump into the water from the top. It was the scariest thing I had ever done. When I think about it, I get goosebumps.

Who:
Loo Loo — @looooooooolu — Korean from Seoul, South Korea — born September 6th — 175 cm / 5’9″ — she/her.

Where:
Majin Mgmt (Berlin – mother agency), Metropolitan / M Management / Makers (Paris), Trend Model Management (Barcelona)

— One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:
I have really tiny ears. So far, The only person I’ve met with smaller ears than mine is my mom. Let me know if you have also really small ears!

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I can dance to any kind of music.
2. I used to cry while counting my freckles in front of the mirror when I was young (now I love them.)
3. I can speak Ailen-Korean (I don’t know who made it up, but my friends and I used to speak it for fun, and actually, it’s sometimes useful.)

— Tell us about your hometown.
I was born in Chungju, South Korea. It’s located in the middle of South Korea, and there is no sea around. So I’m more familiar with the mountains than the ocean, And for me, the best thing is Musim-Cheon. It’s a river lined with cherry blossom trees. The best time for this area is the beginning of spring. That was a yearly tradition for me to hang out there with my family and friends during the season. The worst thing? The street in the local market near my high school sold live chickens and rabbits. I always feel bad whenever I pass by.

Who:
Malaika Darboe — @malaikadarboe — German from Hamburg, Germany — born July 31st — 178 cm / 5’10” — she/her.

Where:
HER Management (Hamburg – mother agency)

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
1. I completed a three-year apprenticeship as a seamstress.
2. In the past, I was part of a collective with friends that advocated for equality, anti-racism, and against discrimination. We also organized events like poetry slams.
3. I am very creative and enjoy doing things like jewelry and clothing design, crocheting, dancing, singing, writing poetry, painting, photography, and videography.

— Share a bit about your background and upbringing.
I come from a very creative family, which has shaped me a lot. My parents let their creativity run free in Gambia, opening cool restaurants and shops that were designed in a very artistic way. My mom would redecorate our home every day and craft a lot of decorations. Whenever my siblings and I had an idea, she would bring it to life right away. On birthdays, we would go on scavenger hunts, and at Christmas, we would search for Santa Claus with my dad. My dad always tells us that he was the first Afrobeat DJ in all of Hamburg. Of course, life wasn’t always easy, but with our creative minds, we were able to solve most problems.

— How did you become a model?
One sunny day, I was walking through my neighborhood and discovered a modeling agency. I simply walked in, introduced myself, and applied as a model. I thought to myself, “The worst they can say is no, so why not just give it a try?” It paid off; I was signed with HER MGMT immediately.

Who:
Ryuki Okamoto — @ku_rotoleo__ — Japanese from Osaka, Japan — born April 7th — 186 cm / 6’1″ — he/him.

Where:
HOLDER (Tokyo – mother agency)

— What’s a story your family/friends like to tell about you?
The story when I was little. They often laugh about the time when I was little, and I used to use a technique called “Kamehameha” from the anime Dragon Ball to hit large buses.

— What’s a favorite book/movie/TV show, and why do you love it?
It’s a Japanese drama called “Jin.” It is a story about a neurosurgeon named Jin who travels back in time to the Edo period. I remember being very moved by how he made great advances in medical technology at the end of the Edo period, such as refining natural penicillin, and helped and inspired many people. Watching it gave me courage, a smile, and many other things. It still leaves a strong impression on me, and I love it.

— What are 3 interesting facts about you?
Very goofy, BIG hands, and amazing leg muscles.

Who:
Theresa Patzschke — @glutenfree92 — German from Berlin, Germany — born March 1st — 181 cm / 5’11.5″ — she/her.

Where:
Let It Go MGMT (Amsterdam – mother agency)

— Did you always envision yourself pursuing a career in modeling, or did it come as a surprise? How did you first enter the world of modeling?
I entered the modeling world when I shaved my head! It was nine years ago, and Balenciaga was really into shaved heads for Demna’s first show. I never thought I would be a model — I was a total nerd, studying flute at the conservatory. But it came out that fashion was really fun! After some very interesting model jobs, I thought I’d retire (after all, I was already above 30). But I kept getting offers here and there via Instagram. Now Let It Go picked me up. How nice! I really appreciate that ageism seems to be less and less a thing, even in the fashion world, and that being someone of their best age is officially desirable. Finally.

— What advice would you give to models who are considering entering the modeling industry later in life? Are there any key lessons or insights you wish you had known earlier in your career?
I think for any model, it’s important to resist attaching your self-worth to the job.

— An issue or cause you are passionate about:
Let’s get rid of patriarchy, racism, and capitalism. I think we’ll be much better then.