There is no single way into this industry.
Sometimes an opportunity comes quickly. Sometimes it finds you unexpectedly.
Sometimes it arrives at a time you never saw coming.
These are some of those stories.
Lilia Wong joined our sponsored programme in the final week of March. Within a week of signing, her portfolio and determination had attracted the attention of fashion designers and producers, leading to three exciting runway opportunities.
Things don't always happen this quickly in modelling, which made Lilia's early progress particularly exciting.
Her story is a reminder that preparation, determination and the right opportunity can come together when you least expect it.
Every rising talent has a moment when potential begins to turn into possibility.
For Matteo Clarkson, that moment came early.
At just 18 and before taking his first steps onto the runway, Matteo had already shown the confidence and presence to become the face of Woody's, an emerging name in men's haircare.
It marked an exciting first chapter in his career.
Matteo's story isn't simply about being discovered. It's about what can happen when someone sees the potential before the spotlight arrives.
And for Matteo, this is only the beginning.
I never planned to become a runway model.
In fact, by the time most people begin thinking about modelling, I was already well into my 30s, busy with life, work and all the things I thought were supposed to define adulthood.
Then, almost by accident, an opportunity came along.
One conversation led to another. One introduction opened a door. Suddenly, I found myself standing backstage surrounded by designers, stylists, makeup artists and models, wondering how on earth I had ended up there.
Then came the call to walk.
There was no carefully planned modelling career behind me. No years of training. Just a little courage, a willingness to say yes and the realisation that sometimes the most interesting chapters of our lives are the ones we never planned to write.
Walking onto that runway in my 30s felt less like starting late and more like arriving at exactly the right time.
Because perhaps becoming a model was never the dream.
Perhaps the real dream was discovering that it's never too late to surprise yourself.
Ethan Cole spent his days behind the chair, cutting hair and building a loyal group of clients.
He never imagined he'd one day be the person in front of the camera.
It started when a photographer visiting the barbershop noticed Ethan's distinctive look and asked whether he'd ever considered appearing in a campaign.
Ethan needed representation to take the opportunity further, so he reached out to us.
One opportunity led to another, and before long Ethan found himself taking his work all the way to Milan.
The funny part?
He still spends most of his week cutting everyone else's hair.
There was one photograph of Imani Wright on Instagram that changed things.
No professional lighting. No stylist. No photographer.
Just a photograph taken by a friend on a Sunday afternoon.
A scout happened to see it.
That one image led to a conversation. The conversation led to a meeting. Then came a test shoot and, eventually, Imani's first campaign.
Today, she has grown into one of our most regularly booked models.
Sometimes opportunity doesn't arrive through the perfect portfolio.
Sometimes it starts with someone seeing something special in an ordinary moment.
Yeah, look me up. Ms_BigTym.
Apparently, it just happened.
After a couple of campaign appearances, I was at a shopping centre when a woman walked up to me and said:
“I've seen you somewhere before.”
She pulled out her phone and showed me pictures of a dress I'd styled at Paris Fashion Week.
That was definitely a first.
My friends, naturally, found the whole thing hilarious.
And that's how Ms_BigTym ended up becoming my name in the group chat.
I don't think they're letting me forget it anytime soon.
There are moments in fashion that feel bigger than the clothes.
Standing at Piazza del Duomo during Milano Fashion Week and watching the journey move from commercial shoots to campaign releases was one of those moments for me.
Being there made everything feel real.
A new city. A new experience. Another step forward.
First Milan. First chapter. A dream come true.