{"id":74193,"date":"2025-05-22T09:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/?p=74193"},"modified":"2026-03-12T06:32:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T10:32:45","slug":"these-rookie-breakouts-are-making-the-industry-take-note","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/mdc-selects\/74193","title":{"rendered":"Proud of Their Heritage, These Rookies Are Fashion\u2019s Next Wave"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.gallery-item .gallery-caption {font-size: .6rem; color: #bbb; margin: 0.4rem;}\n.name-title {\n    font-size: 3rem;\n    font-weight: bold;\n    line-height: 1.2;\n    letter-spacing: -1px;\n    margin-top: 1em;\n    text-align: center;\n}\n.writeup a {\nletter-spacing: -1px;\nfont-weight: bold !important;\n}\n<\/style>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-74193 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_brandonwong02.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Brandon Wong\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_brandonwong02.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-74197\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-74197'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Brandon Wong\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_brandonwong03.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Brandon Wong\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_brandonwong03.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-74198\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-74198'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Brandon Wong\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_brandonwong04.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Brandon Wong\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_brandonwong04.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-74199\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-74199'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Brandon Wong\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"name-title\">Brandon<\/div>\n<div class=\"writeup\">\n<p><strong>Who:<\/strong><br \/>\nBrandon Wong \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/_brandonwg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@_brandonwg<\/a> \u2014 American from Monterey Park, California, USA \u2014 born May 19th \u2014 178 cm \/ 5&#8217;10&#8221; \u2014 he\/him.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/his-laboratory-management\">His Laboratory Management (Los Angeles &#8211; mother agency)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 How did you become a model?<\/strong><br \/>\nBack in June, I was hiking with some friends in the mountains when I got scouted. We went off the main trail to this creek, where my phone ended up sliding out of my pocket, and I had to chase it downstream. I was soaked, so we ended up staying at the creek for almost two hours. That&#8217;s when I was approached by this great stylist, who gave me his Instagram. We did a test shoot, he referred me to a friend, and by July, I was signed!<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 An issue or cause you are passionate about:<\/strong><br \/>\nI&#8217;m incredibly passionate about education and believe it&#8217;s so important to foster a love of learning in kids. I work as a tutor and it&#8217;s extremely rewarding to see kids be curious and start to display interest in academia outside of their assigned work.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:<\/strong><br \/>\nBeing super academically driven, my peers are sometimes surprised to find that I really love the arts, both visual and culinary. Though I&#8217;m still exploring my options, becoming a bakery owner or illustrator are dream careers of mine!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-74193 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_curtiswilder02.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Curtis Wilder\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-2\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_curtiswilder02.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-74200\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-74200'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Curtis Wilder\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_curtiswilder03.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Curtis Wilder\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-2\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_curtiswilder03.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-74201\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-74201'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Curtis Wilder\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_curtiswilder04.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Curtis Wilder\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-2\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_curtiswilder04.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-74202\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-74202'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Curtis Wilder\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"name-title\">Curtis<\/div>\n<div class=\"writeup\">\n<p><strong>Who:<\/strong><br \/>\nCurtis Wilder \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/curtiswilderr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@curtiswilderr<\/a> \u2014 American from Fairfax, Virginia, USA \u2014 born June 1st \u2014 187 cm \/ 6&#8217;1.5&#8243; \u2014 he\/him.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/ricky-michiels-management\">Ricky Michiels Management (New York &#8211; mother agency)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 What are 3 interesting facts about you?<\/strong><br \/>\n1. My mother was born in Okinawa and immigrated to the US when she was in high school.<br \/>\n2. I am a musician and play bass, guitar, and piano.<br \/>\n3. I write poetry and songs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 How did you become a model?<\/strong><br \/>\nA friend suggested I submit to her Mother Agent. Despite being reluctant and not being fully sold on the fact that I could model, I looked up how to take digitals at home and sent them to her agent. They wanted to meet and offered me a contract. I was stoked!! That&#8217;s how I got the bug.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 An issue or cause you are passionate about:<\/strong><br \/>\nI am very passionate about the importance of de-stigmatizing mental health issues and treatment. I&#8217;ve experienced severe family loss as a result of untreated mental health issues and would love to help others to avoid that pain. Perhaps if there was less of a stigma surrounding the treatment of mental health concerns, a larger population would seek help and could go on to lead positive lifestyles and enjoy a sense of well-being among their communities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-74193 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_gloriatang03.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Gloria Tang\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_gloriatang03.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-74203\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-74203'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Gloria Tang\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_gloriatang04.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Gloria Tang\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_gloriatang04.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-74204\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-74204'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Gloria Tang\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_gloriatang05.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Gloria Tang\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_gloriatang05.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-74205\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-74205'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Gloria Tang\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"name-title\">Gloria<\/div>\n<div class=\"writeup\">\n<p><strong>Who:<\/strong><br \/>\nGloria Tang \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/gloriatvng\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@gloriatvng<\/a> \u2014 American from New York, NY, USA \u2014 born May 21st \u2014 178 cm \/ 5&#8217;10&#8221; \u2014 she\/her.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/JAG-Models\">JAG Models (New York)<\/a>,<br \/>\nAbove and Beyond Creative Agency (mother agency), <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/one-management-uk\">One Management UK (London)<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/mgm-models\">MGM Models (Hamburg)<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/Stars-Model-Management\">Stars Model Management (San Francisco)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 Share a bit about your background and upbringing.<\/strong><br \/>\nMy parents came to America hoping to build a better life\u2014my mom from Mongolia and my dad from China. Growing up with Asian immigrants as parents had its challenges, but it engrained in me something really special. I was lucky to experience an amalgamation of Eastern and Western cultures in my household. I learned to appreciate where my parents came from, their languages, traditions, and stories\u2014and at the same time, I was figuring out what it meant to grow up American. This cultural duality is a core part of my identity and a meaningful connection to both my parents and my heritage. It keeps me grounded in both where I come from and where I&#8217;m going.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 An issue or cause you are passionate about:<\/strong><br \/>\nOne of my biggest passions is mental health and helping to reduce the stigma that still surrounds it\u2014especially within Asian communities. Growing up, I noticed how often mental and emotional struggles were brushed aside or seen as taboo. I truly believe that everyone can benefit from 1 support, whether it&#8217;s therapy, open conversations, or simply learning how to take care of their mental well-being. That passion is part of what led me to study the brain in college. As someone living with anxiety and ADHD, mental health advocacy isn&#8217;t just something I believe in\u2014it&#8217;s something I understand through lived experience. To me, taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body, and I try to normalize that in both my personal life and the spaces I&#8217;m part of.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:<\/strong><br \/>\nI&#8217;ve always been a huge nerd at heart\u2014I genuinely love learning, especially concerning psychology, biology, and anything related to the brain. That passion led me to study Cognitive Science at UCLA. Around the same time, my modeling career started to gain momentum. Balancing both was intense, but I was determined not to let either passion go. So, I doubled down on my coursework and graduated a year early to fully commit to modeling while holding onto the academic foundation I&#8217;d worked so hard for.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-74193 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_jackwald02.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Jack Wald\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-4\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_jackwald02.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-74207\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-74207'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Jack Wald\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_jackwald03.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Jack Wald\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-4\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_jackwald03.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-74208\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-74208'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Jack Wald\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_jackwald01.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Jack Wald\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-4\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_jackwald01.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-74206\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-74206'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Jack Wald\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"name-title\">Jack<\/div>\n<div class=\"writeup\">\n<p><strong>Who:<\/strong><br \/>\nJack Wald \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/jackwaldd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@jackwaldd<\/a> \u2014 American from Palo Alto, California, USA \u2014 born September 8th \u2014 186 cm \/ 6&#8217;1&#8243; \u2014 he\/him.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/amr-agency\">AMR Agency (New York &#8211; mother agency)<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/elite-paris\">Elite Paris<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 Tell us about your hometown.<\/strong><br \/>\nI&#8217;m from the Bay Area in California. I think the best thing about it is that there&#8217;s so much to do. Being right in between two major cities, San Jose and San Francisco, there&#8217;s so much good food, concerts, and activities. My hometown has mountains, cities, oceans, skiing and biking trails, all within one hour from my house.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 What&#8217;s an essential part of your daily routine?<\/strong><br \/>\nAn essential part of my daily routine is always picking out a fragrance. I own 40+ colognes, so in the morning, choosing a cologne always takes 5-10 minutes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 What are 3 interesting facts about you?<\/strong><br \/>\n1. I am currently a college student studying journalism and politics. I hope to go to law school after completing undergrad.<br \/>\n2. I am big on cooking. I love to cook simple food well &#8211; steak, fish, pasta.<br \/>\n3. I always have a hobby (that is short-lived) I get obsessed with. Rubik&#8217;s cube, piano playing, card magic, yo-yos, cooking, video games, etc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-74193 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_mayanazarae03.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Maya Nazarae\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-5\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_mayanazarae03.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-74211\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-74211'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Maya Nazarae\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_mayanazarae01_01.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Maya Nazarae\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-5\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_mayanazarae01_01.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-74222\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-74222'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Maya Nazarae\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_mayanazarae05.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Maya Nazarae\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-5\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_mayanazarae05.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-74210\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-74210'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Maya Nazarae\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"name-title\">Maya<\/div>\n<div class=\"writeup\">\n<p><strong>Who:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"\/\/models.com\/models\/maya-nazarae\">Maya Nazarae<\/a> \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/maya.nazarae\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@maya.nazarae<\/a> \u2014 American from Claremont, California, USA \u2014 born April 22nd \u2014 178 cm \/ 5&#8217;10&#8221; \u2014 she\/her.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/Nomad-Management\">Nomad Management (New York &#8211; mother agency)<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/Women-Model-Management\">Women Management (New York)<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/mandpmodels\">M + P Models (London)<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/nomad-mgmt-la\">Nomad Management (Los Angeles)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 Share a bit about your background and upbringing.<\/strong><br \/>\nI was born and raised in Southern California; in my youth, I was an elite soccer\/Futbol player with over a decade of training. In middle school, I trained with the Philippine National Team for a number of months.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 One thing people may be surprised to find out about you:<\/strong><br \/>\nI do nonprofit work in my spare time, working with various educational organizations catering to underprivileged youth, homeschool\/ independent study individuals, and student-athletes in need of unconventional educational resources. I currently am a bachelor student studying politics and philosophy, with a focus on morality and law.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 What&#8217;s a story your family\/friends like to tell about you?<\/strong><br \/>\nMy family loves to talk about the wide arrangement of places I&#8217;ve lost my belongings, whether it be on a plane or airport, a church, a car, or a restaurant; my phone seems to grow legs!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-6' class='gallery galleryid-74193 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_shamaripeek01.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Shamari Peek\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-6\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_shamaripeek01.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-74212\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-74212'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Shamari Peek\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_shamaripeek02.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Shamari Peek\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-6\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_shamaripeek02.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-74213\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-74213'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Shamari Peek\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_shamaripeek03.jpg' title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"courtesy Shamari Peek\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-6\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"952\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/i.mdel.net\/newfaces\/i\/2025\/05\/mdcselects_shamaripeek03.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-74214\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-74214'>\n\t\t\t\tcourtesy Shamari Peek\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"name-title\">Shamari<\/div>\n<div class=\"writeup\">\n<p><strong>Who:<\/strong><br \/>\nShamari Peek \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/shamarikoharu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@shamarikoharu<\/a> \u2014 American from San Diego, California, USA \u2014 born April 29th \u2014 178 cm \/ 5&#8217;10&#8221; \u2014 she\/her.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where:<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/Supreme-Management\">Supreme Management (New York)<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/Metropolitan-Models\">Metropolitan \/ M Management \/ Makers (Paris)<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/Premier-Model-Management\">Premier Model Management (London)<\/a>, <a href=\"\/\/models.com\/agency\/Two-Management-LA\">Two Management (Los Angeles)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 How did you become a model?<\/strong><br \/>\nI got scouted while I was working at an Abercrombie Kids store in high school. I was at the register ringing up my then agent and she asked me if I had ever considered modeling and took a photo of me holding her business card. I went in a week later to the agency to meet the whole team and got offered a contract.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 What&#8217;s an essential part of your daily routine?<\/strong><br \/>\nJournaling. I&#8217;ve been journaling every single day since I was 16. I have a collection of all the journals I&#8217;ve ever written in and even have a few of my diaries from elementary school. It&#8217;s not only therapeutic but also serves as a way to look back on previous chapters of my life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u2014 What is your biggest irrational fear?<\/strong><br \/>\nCrabs. I have no idea why. I can&#8217;t look at them without getting goosebumps. My mom says I&#8217;ve hated them ever since I was a baby.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brandon Who: Brandon Wong \u2014 @_brandonwg \u2014 American from Monterey Park, California, USA \u2014 born May 19th \u2014 178 cm \/ 5&#8217;10&#8221; \u2014 he\/him. Where: His Laboratory Management (Los Angeles &#8211; mother agency) \u2014 How did you become a model? Back in June, I was hiking with some friends in the mountains when I got [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":74195,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5440],"tags":[6109,4574,6120,3365,68,6512,201,3671,5771,4635,6293,90,5823,158,533,3720,218],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74193"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74193"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74193\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75569,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74193\/revisions\/75569"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/models.com\/newfaces\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}