Over 2000 applicants across Australia tried, but only eight winners — including one Shepparton teen — were able to grab a top spot in a recent modelling search.
A modelling competition with apparel store Jay Jays, Vivien’s Model Management and casting site StarNow caught the eye of 15-year-old Angela Baxter.
“I saw the ad for it on StarNow, which is a way to get jobs in the arts industry,” Angela said.
“I sent photos to Vivien’s management and they looked at my photos.
“They called me on a random Monday telling me that I won, and that Thursday I went to Melbourne, where I had dinner with the winners and the Jay Jays team.”
The next day, Angela had an eight-hour work day, beginning at 8am and finishing at 4pm.
“The day of, we woke up and took a taxi to Black Rock where we took photos all day,“ she said.
“It was a big day, but it was a dream, and the team there were such kind people and made it easy to be comfortable in front of the camera.”
Following the shoot, photos taken on the day will be used by Jay Jays stores and socials as promotional content.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to be in posters at Jay Jays across Australia and New Zealand and on their socials,” she said.
“It does not feel real to me now; even now, seeing my face on a window is a bit of a shock.”
Angela was interested in the modelling industry before applying to the competition and is excited about future opportunities.
“I’ve had an interest in modelling but I was unsure how to get into it, and the competition was such a long shot, but it’s given me the confidence boost I need to keep looking,” Angela said.
“I’m open to photo shoot and fashion modelling, and runways would be cool, but that’s all in the future.”
Angela’s older sibling, Robert Baxter, has done modelling, too, doing runways in Melbourne Fashion Week.
“It’s always good that I’ve got his support,” Angela said.
“He’s always been hyping me up, we’ve done photo shoots together and I guess that’s where I got my start in modelling.
“It’s his doing that’s got me into it.”
Now that she has done her first shoot, she said she felt her age wouldn’t stop her from pursuing her modelling career.
“A lot of us were new to modelling at the shoot but they [Jay Jays] made us feel comfortable,” she said.
“The industry is intimidating but exciting, especially at my age.
“I kind of always wanted to get started in a career, so I’m glad I got my start now.”