Modeling Journey

Model veterans Liya Kebede and Liisa Winkler join forces with newer faces Julia Nobis, Carla Gebhart, Juliane Grüner and Milou Van Groesen for Balenciaga's Fall/Winter 2011 campaign. Steven Meisel captures each model individually in a futuristic-looking black and white tiled change room and then collectively as the models traipse up and down the arched hallways of an old-world cathedral. The combination of established and newer faces is a master stroke of casting genius very much in sync with designer Nicholas Ghesquiere's futuristic vision with references to the past.

At the recent Fall/Winter 2011 shows, Australia emerged as a veritable goldmine for modelling talent with a slew of new Aussie models dominating the runways of New York, London, Milan and Paris. According to Wayne Sterling, the co-founder and editorial director of models.com, "clearly the modelling industry has fixated on Australia and New Zealand as an incredible new source for emerging faces. The results of great scouting speak for themselves and now Down Under stands as a Top 3 scouting resource alongside Holland and Russia."

Leading the Australian charge were established Australian models Abbey Lee Kershaw, Ajak Deng, Julia Nobis, Myf Shepherd, Bambi Northwood-Blyth, Annaleise Smith, Alice Burdeu and Lauren Smith. Newcomers Dempsey Stewart, Codie Young, Ruby Jean Wilson, Rose Smith, and Lydia Willemina Collins eclipsed the competition by landing exclusives left, right and centre, appearing in only the most blue chip of shows. Here is my rundown of five of modelling's most exciting new prospects.

Discovered while working in her mother's tattoo parlour, Sydney-sider Lydia Willemina Collins is represented by Ford Models and is of Dutch and Indonesian extraction. Collins has a cool, androgynous look that is as beguiling as her spectacular bone structure and piercing green eyes. Collins scored a Givenchy exclusive at the Fall/Winter 2011 shows.

Sunshine Coast beauty Codie Young amassed a staggering 39 shows in her debut season walking for  the likes of Chanel, Lanvin and Roberto Cavalli. Discovered at the age of sixteen whilst shopping with friends in April 2010, Young was swiftly signed to DNA Models in New York and landed a six month Australian Vogue exclusive. Young is now based in New York and lives with fellow DNA models Maud Welzen, Emily Baker and Jessica Clarke.

Hailing from Perth, Rose Smith of Next Models logged runway mileage at Chanel and Fendi and has already been photographed by Daniele Duella & Iango Henzi for V Magazine. In an interview for the Vine, Smith reveals that "I'm waiting for my American visa to be approved, and I'll be moving to NYC as soon as it is. In the meantime I am going to Paris to shoot an editorial. I'm definitely ready to make the move..."

Elite's Ruby Jean Wilson landed a trio of exclusives, appearing at Olivier Theyskens Theory in New York, at Giles Deacon in London and at Yves Saint Laurent in Paris, the latter for which she opened. Seventeen year old, Scottish-born Wilson caught the attention of casting directors Ashley Brokaw and Katie Grand, and is destined for a killer show season come September.

It was Perth's Dempsey Stewart who was the standout star of the Fall/Winter 2011 shows, walking in a total of 41 shows including Prada, Burberry and Louis Vuitton. Represented by Wilhelmina Models in New York, Eighteen year old Stewart was discovered in a local modelling competition and modelled extensively in Tokyo before her career took off internationally.

After a succession of Brazilian, Beglian, Russian, and Dutch models, it appears that Australians could very well be riding high on the next wave of models set to infiltrate the modelling world. In the agency show packages released in the lead up to the Fall/Winter 2011 shows, Australians feature prominently, with 7 out of the 25 models presented in the official Elite Models show package being Australian.

Established Australian models Catherine McNeil and Abbey Lee Kershaw are not officially slated to appear at New York Fashion Week but will be duly represented by emerging talents; Bambi Northwood-Blyth, Julia Nobis, Ajak Deng, Alice Burdeu, Tallulah Morton, Amanda Ware, Myf Shepherd, Lauren Brown, Annaleise Smith, Ruby Jean Wilson, Melissa Johannsen aka MJ, and Codie Young. This is just the tip of the iceberg with fellow Antipodean models; Stephanie Cherry, Samantha Harris, Juliana Forge, Meg Lindsay, Rachel Rutt, Stephanie Carta and Alexandra Agoston O'Connor yet to be confirmed for appearances during the Fall/Winter show season.

According to influential US casting director Ashley Brokaw in an interview with the New York Times, "Thing's are steering away from the army casting we've seen in recent years." With the focus shifting towards personality and individuality, models like Abbey Lee Kershaw who possess a quirkiness and an unaffected, natural beauty that is endearing, are positioned to do well. There is no doubt that Australian models will feature prominently throughout the Fall/Winter 2011 shows, the question that remains however is which models will garner the attention of the all important fashion editors, photographers and stylists?