In the opening paragraph of Angelina Kendall’s profile in the January issue of British Vogue, fashion features director Julia Hobbs likens the origins of a supermodel to the creation myth. “The world before she appears, formless and desolate,” she writes. “Then the lights suddenly flick on, and there she is.” The truth, as Hobbs discovers, while shadowing the 19-year-old at Paris Fashion Week, is not so much an act of divine kismet, but toil and graft and thick-skinned determination. And yet a model remains, for most people, a supernatural being: her life a confluence of luck and chance and serendipitous encounters with God-like figures—winning the genetic tombola and being discovered as a teen and thus catapulted onto the catwalk circuit and global adulation. (If destiny allows.)
This was pretty much the genesis of Awar Odhiang. “I was 17 and folding sweaters at Old Navy when I was scouted,” the now 24-year-old says. “I studied health sciences, so modelling wasn’t part of my hopes and dreams as a child, but I’m so grateful that it’s worked out.” It sure did: Odhiang walked the most shows of any model during the most recent spring/summer 2025 season—a recurrent face at Prada, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Jil Sander, Alexander McQueen and Schiaparelli—before closing Saint Laurent in the maison’s coeur fétiche necklace, a privilege that its founder Yves Saint Laurent was known to grant just one model a season. “It’s an experience that will never leave me,” she continues. “I exited the catwalk and all the other girls were cheering for me and surrounding me with such love.”
And then there’s Bebe Parnell: a 19-year-old Oxford student who was discovered at Bicester Village before she had even taken her GCSEs. “I remember it being such a surreal moment, someone approaching me out of nowhere. I was half-embarrassed, half-excited,” she says. “It felt like they’d mistaken me for someone else.” Cut to 2024 and Parnell counts Phoebe Philo, Victoria Beckham, JW Anderson and Miuccia Prada as clients. “The highlight has to be walking the Miu Miu show. Sharing the runway with Willem Dafoe? Completely unreal,” she adds. “I think moments like that make everything feel slightly cinematic, like you’re watching yourself from the outside.” Odhiang and Parnell are among a handful of young models that British Vogue has earmarked as future stars, all of whom are keen to debunk the myths that collect around this still mysterious job.
Get to know them in a little more detail, here.
Nyakier Buong, 24, Canadian-South Sudanese
“Growing up, I had always thought about modelling, but I’ve also never been a sample size, so I didn’t think it would be possible. I saw curve models like Paloma and Precious and wanted to do the same—so I just starting sending pictures to different agencies and eventually got signed. I look up to all the curve and South Sudanese models that came before me. They really opened the door so that girls like me could exist. Without them I couldn’t have walked for Maison Margiela Artisanal, which was a real highlight of 2024. (A core memory formed when I fell in front of John Galliano at the casting before getting up and laughing it off together.) Modelling, to me, is like acting. You need to embody whatever energy the clothes are giving, like, don’t be afraid to try different poses, even if they might seem foolish. It’s as much a part of the creative process as everything else: understanding shapes, lighting, angles. I’d love to work behind the camera: fashion is art, and I have thoughts and ideas that I’d love to bring to life. Other than that, well, I’d love a minor part in a major movie where I play the ‘hot side character’, like Gisele Bündchen in The Devil Wears Prada or Shalom Harlow in How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. I just know I could do that role justice.”
Awar Odhiang, 24, South Sudanese
“I studied health sciences and so a career in modelling was never part of my hopes and dreams. It came into my life as a gift. I was 17 and folding sweaters at Old Navy when I was scouted by the agent Kelly Streit. I gave modelling a go because of the unwavering support he provided that shy and reserved shop-girl and while it was at first overwhelming, I’m so grateful that it has worked out for me. 2024 has been full of new experiences that will never leave me, one being when I closed the Saint Laurent autumn/winter show wearing Yves’s infamous heart pendant. It was such a special moment in my life, and when I exited the catwalk, all of the girls were cheering for me and surrounding me with so much love. Modelling is an easier job than others, but it’s not as glamorous as it might seem—we all have rough days when we want to call it quits. We are more than just mannequins; we have emotions and opinions that must be as respected as the next person’s. In time, I would love to use my platform, experiences and education to advocate for women’s health, specifically in South Sudan, my motherland.”
Stella Hanan, 19, Australian
“I was scouted at a local farmers market when I was 14 years old, but my parents understandably wanted me to prioritise school and have a ‘normal’ childhood, so it wasn’t until I turned 16 that I started taking part-time jobs during school holidays, and until I had graduated that I went full-time. I’m so glad I did. I debuted on Alaïa’s spring/summer 2025 catwalk at the Guggenheim Museum—a building I had only ever studied in art class—in New York. It felt surreal, and the ‘pinch-me’ moments kept coming: opening Schiaparelli, closing Gucci. I started the season extremely nervous, but was eventually able to embrace each moment thanks to models like Julia Nobis and Kiki Willems, who took me under their wing. I don’t think I’ve ever met a more hard-working and committed group of people than backstage at shows. Another highlight was meeting the Beckhams—it was so refreshing to see how kind and normal they are in real life—but I don’t want to ever stop studying. I’d like to get a degree in business, because I’ve always loved learning, and after spending time in Paris, I’ve decided to learn French.”
Rosalieke Fuchs, 23, Dutch-Surinamese
“I was scouted by a photographer in Montpellier-Méditerranée airport when I was just 12 years old. I didn’t really understand what was happening, but it was fun to go through school knowing that in six years I wouldn’t be going to uni like most of my peers, but entering a world of fashion and dreams. There has been a lot to be grateful for since then. One memorable moment was when my heel broke as soon as I stepped out on the Versace spring/summer 2025 catwalk. I kept thinking, ‘It’s Versace, KEEP WALKING’, and I managed to finish the whole thing with just one shoe. Thankfully not that many people noticed. People tend to think there’s a lot of hostility and competitiveness within fashion, but I’m always quick to debunk that myth. Pieter Mulier has been so welcoming and sweet, and Awar Odhiang is one of those people I admire for everything. Her work is beautiful and she is beautiful on the inside, too. I’m in Hangzhou, China, as I’m writing this, with eight girls who are all dear to me. We all want to have a good time, and we make that happen, because we stick up for each other. I would love to be part of an even bigger movement making some real change in the world. During Covid, I got admitted to study governmental and organisational sciences in Utrecht. I’d still like to do that.”
Ajus Kengen, 22, South-Sudanese
“I never imagined a career in modelling when I was growing up, but life surprised me. I was first discovered online and sent to a mother agent, with whom I did lots of virtual development over a long period of time, which was tedious, but a great learning experience. I’m so proud of myself for getting here. I mean, making my worldwide debut on the spring/summer 2025 Saint Laurent catwalk—I’ve been a fan of Anthony Vaccarello’s since I knew about fashion—and walking the Louis Vuitton show was a dream come true. I’ve learnt to say a little prayer and just let the energy within me do its own thing on the catwalk because the best models bring character to their work. Personality, confidence and adaptability play a huge role in someone’s success. I love Anok Yai for that. It’s not easy, either—handling criticism and rejection requires resilience and hard work. I’m looking forward to my first beauty contract, but I have plans outside of fashion, too: helping underprivileged girls in South Sudan through my own NGO and the UN. I’ve always been passionate about the equality of female children.”
Betsy Gaghan, 23, American
“I wanted to own a cupcake bakery when I was a child, but I think younger me would be just as pleased with how modelling is turning out. I got scouted a couple of times as a kid—at fairs and while shopping at the mall—but it was my mum who first contacted my current New York agent. She flew out to meet me within the same week of receiving an email and I couldn’t ask for a better person to have on my side. 2024 has been unreal. I’ve worked with photographers and stylists who I studied in art school, and travelled to Japan for the first time. It’s funny: I used to swim competitively and when the buzzer would sound, I would almost black out and sprint, and I compare that to being on the catwalk. Game-time, adrenaline, pace, it’s about making it to the finish line. You have to be mentally prepared and able to adapt. But, for me, a big part of what a successful modeling career looks like is also being fulfilled outside of it. I am always doing some silly project on the side—I love set design, and want to make the visions in my mind physical.”
Ella Dalton, 19, British
“I’ve always had an interest in fashion and I would even sketch my own designs as a child in Dorset. I was scouted first at a music festival—unsure as to whether it was a con at first!—then I was 17 years old without having considered modelling before. I couldn’t have imagined the way it developed in 2024, with Paris Fashion Week being a standout. I don’t think it’s possible to prepare someone for all that chaos, running around the city like a madman for days on end. People don’t realise just how physically demanding the job can be. My stepcount as a model would be at least double that of normal exercise. Another misconception is that we get to keep the clothes: we’re hired to demonstrate the clothes in their best light, but after that, our job is done as far as the looks are concerned. There is no better way to do this than being yourself and feeling confident. You’ve got to pretend the world is in total admiration of you. I’ve got a place at university to study biochemistry and I would love to eventually do something that maintains a link with fashion—perhaps designing cosmetic formulas and fragrances—but one thing I’ve learnt from modelling is that you should take things as they come.”
Sara Caballero, 21, Chilean-Spanish
“My mum is a graphic designer and worked as a creative in Chile. Her boss used to see me walking around the office and once asked to send a photo of me to the director of Elite Models in Chile. It was, at first, a side project to fund my political sciences studies in Madrid, but I had to press pause on uni when modelling became more serious. I feel so grateful to have travelled to amazing places: the Mauritius Islands for a Rabanne shoot, and Wales, with a team I love and respect. Acting was my first love, and so I try to focus on the ‘character’ I’m impersonating, more than how ‘beautiful’ I’m meant to look. I admire designers like Nicolas Di Felice, Seán McGirr, Nicolas Ghesquière and Miuccia Prada for this, and models like Olivia Petronella, Alix Bouthors, Appoline Rocco and Libby Bennett—we love and respect each other despite all the TikToks I see making up ridiculous dramas about models envying others’ achievements. I read a lot of literature about psychology and I think being a successful model nowadays is about being a woman connected to the realities of life, to other passions and hobbies. It’s not about being a diva; it’s about being kind.”
Nyandeng Makur, 20, South Sudanese
“I grew up admiring models, but I was never sure a girl like me, with a bigger body, could make it. But still, I wrote into a reputable agent and was invited to meet its founder on a video call. His first words to me were, ‘You are such a beauty and would make a superstar’, which seemed surreal because my hips measured more than 40 inches. I was signed immediately after my call and scored representation in Europe and the US within two weeks. I’ve since had the privilege to work with lots of amazing, important people: among them Tommy Hilfiger, Sébastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant, for whom I walked the Coperni show at Disneyland Paris—where I met Paloma Elsesser backstage!—and Stuart Vevers of Coach. I’d love to work with Donatella Versace soon—she’s an inspiration to so many women, and I could see myself rocking her catwalks. I always try to own that space. My mother agent has always told me, ‘Make the runway your best friend’, which helps to make me feel confident, assured. Most people think modelling is light work—just taking glamorous pictures and walking in a straight line—but it requires a lot of hard work, dedication and resilience. It can be tough to face rejection. Something that’s essential to remember? Each ‘no’ brings you closer to the right ‘yes’.”
Bebe Parnell, 19, British
“Growing up in Sutton Coldfield, I didn’t really imagine myself in fashion or modelling—not at all, actually. At 15, I was bouncing between wanting to be a chiropractor one day, and a criminal psychologist the next. My life felt full enough. Modelling just happened to show up. I was scouted when I was 14, in Bicester. I remember it being such a surreal moment, someone approaching me out of nowhere. I was half-embarrassed, half-excited—it felt like they’d mistaken me for someone else, but it also planted seeds of possibilities. Fast forward to 2024, and my highlight has to be walking the Miu Miu show. Sharing the runway with Willem Dafoe? Completely unreal. I think moments like that make everything feel slightly cinematic, like you’re watching yourself from the outside. When I’m on the runway, it’s not just walking; it’s like slipping into a character. I think about the vibe of the show, what the clothes are trying to say, who I’m meant to be. It’s almost like storytelling, just without words. There have been moments where I’ve been properly starstruck—like seeing Debra Shaw at the McQueen AW24 fitting. She’s an absolute icon, and finding out that she was also walking the show was something else. It felt monumental. People always ask if it’s a toxic job or if the girls are mean, but, honestly, I’ve been lucky—every model I’ve worked with has been lovely. Some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Outside of modelling, I’m still a student. I’m at Oxford, reading English literature, which keeps me grounded. And I’m working on a comic book with my sister, who’s a concept artist. That’s been its own kind of magic, a mix of creativity and storytelling that’s entirely our own.”
Canlan Wang, 24, Chinese
“I became a model, almost by accident, in 2018. I had just finished high school—and was about to go to university—when my friend asked me to join her at a casting. (I didn’t even know that it was a proper job before then.) The highlight of my career since then was walking 27 shows during the spring/summer 2025 season. I was tired and in a constant state of rush, but when I look back at that month… I think I did a good job? Liu Wen is my idol – she’s the first model I ever came across, and I love all her photos. I want to be just like her, but there’s a long distance to travel to reach that level, so I have to work hard. I have to keep going: a professional, trying everything a photographer asks me, respecting the creative teams that work so hard and spend so much to bring a shoot to life, not falling on the catwalk! At this age, you are a student, in all regards, and so I’m taking English lessons and have enrolled on a tennis course. They’re the most important things for me outside of working.”
This article was originally published on British Vogue.
