Grace Hollows

Unlike the usual spiel, "I never thought about modeling until I was discovered," lithe Libran Grace Hollows knew it was her destiny from a young age. A bundle of energy and total chameleon, the New Zealand-born teen can transform from young and innocent to strong and powerful in a heartbeat. Amazing Grace has been working nonstop throughout her native Auckland, Sydney (where she has shot for Russh and Oyster magazines), Paris and Tokyo, and is now ready to conquer New York Fashion Week. (Elite)

• Posted August 27, 2010
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Chloe Memisevic

Striking Swede Chloe Memisevic, just under six feet tall, towers over the competition. The Lou Doillon doppelganger of Croatian descent has been getting a lot of interest from those who appreciate androgynous beauty and an evolved sense of style. Still in high school, the otherworldly Aquarian (made even more otherworldly with recently bleached eyebrows) walked the runways of Berlin Fashion Week and now has her unobstructed sights set on New York. (Wilhelmina)

• Posted August 23, 2010
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Molly Kucera

Taurus teen Molly Kucera was scouted by Ford’s sharp-eyed Natalie Smith while walking her dog on the streets of San Francisco. Almost immediately the Czech-born charmer shot for Italian Glamour, and more recently posed in an Abercrombie & Fitch campaign by Bruce Weber. Currently the baby Claudia Schiffer is gearing up for the New York shows—we expect options to pour in. We hope that dog got lots of treats! (Ford)

• Posted August 19, 2010
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Isabelle Sauer

Following in the footsteps of fellow gap-toothed beauties Lara Stone, Georgia May Jagger, Jessica Hart and Ashley Smith comes German newcomer Isabelle Sauer. The Teutonic wunderkind and MGMT fan rocked Milan, London and Berlin Fashion Week, but we predict (and we have a pretty good record with our predictions) that she'll slay it next season. Watch this face. (Women Direct)

• Posted August 16, 2010
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Q&A with Brazilian Model Malana

Brazilian fashion consultant Erika Palomino recently told the New York Times, “I was always perplexed that Brazil was never able to export a Naomi Campbell, and it is definitely not because of a lack of pretty women…it is embarrassing.” Over the years, fair-skinned girls like Gisele Bundchen have come to symbolize the ideal of Brazilian beauty, both within Brazil and abroad, leaving the majority of Brazilian women, in all their glorious colors, painfully unrepresented in the fashion world.

There is, however, a sense that the inequity is starting to change. Take, for example, Malana, the exquisite black model who, with her shaved head and Grace Jones swagger, is causing quite the stir. The warmth in her voice and the optimism with which she, at only 22, approaches life make her all the more beautiful. Her story takes us from the streets of São Paulo to the runways of São Paulo Fashion Week and beyond...

Did you always want to be a model?
I always liked the idea of being a model, but it wasn’t an option for me because I had to help my family financially from a very young age. I didn’t really have much exposure to the fashion world growing up, except for sometimes skimming through fashion magazines on newsstands. At the age of 14, I started to understand more about what it meant to be a model and I became interested in the profession. I saw all those beautiful women, looking gorgeous and so powerful walking down the runway, in the midst of all that glamor with thousands of cameras flashing. Every girl is enchanted by that image, in the same way that every boy growing up in Brazil wants to be a soccer player.

So you began working at a very young age?
I come from a big family of six brothers and sisters. My grandmother and mother raised us. Our childhood was difficult and complex because we essentially grew up without a father figure. It was tough and my mother worked hard to support us. I started working at the age of 13, distributing pamphlets to people in their cars, while they were waiting at stoplights. That was a really hard time in my life.

How did you end up modeling?
I actually started modeling with my younger sister. I took her by the hand and we went to an agency. But in the end, she felt that it wasn’t for her. It’s really funny because I always saw her as the model. She has perfect teeth and perfect skin. But I’m the one who ended up sticking with the career. There was no scout that found me on the streets. Modeling was really something that I sought out on my own.

Was your family supportive of your career?
In the beginning, they weren’t very present in my modeling career, and after a while, as I grew in the industry, they started to understand what I was doing and what I wanted. They began to gain a better grasp of my world. Nowadays things have really changed. My grandmother, for instance, will call me up and ask me to bring photos of the work I’ve been doing. She’ll be really disappointed if I don’t bring her any images.

Your shaved head has become your signature.
Yeah. Actually, I used to have a huge afro and one night I dreamed that I was bald. At that time I really wanted to change my hairstyle, and I was thinking of getting dreads or dying my hair some crazy color. Coincidentally, a little while after having that dream, I saw a sale at a hair salon where you could get your hair cut for just $5. Also, I had seen pictures of Alek Wek, the Sudanese model, and I found her so stunning and exotic. So I had been flirting with the idea of shaving my head, but I really only got the guts to do it when I was literally standing in front of the salon, telling myself, “I’m going to go in and just do it.” Of course, when I first saw it, I was like, “Oh my God, oh my God, what have I done?”

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• Posted August 11, 2010
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Te'sa Love

With her bleach-blond locks and dimple-like apostrophe in her name, teen tearaway Te’sa Love (no relation to Courtney) is getting a lot of attention. The Colorado-born beauty made a quite the splash in London, shooting several editorials and walking for London Fashion Week. Citing ballet and composing music as her hobbies, the Scorpio siren says she's keen to shoot with Greg Kadel and Paolo Roversi—in case anyone out there can make that happen. Considering the way things are going for the fashion fanatic with artistic flair, Te’sa’s dreams have a way of becoming reality. (Wilhelmina)

• Posted August 05, 2010
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Sedene Blake

Captivating Cancerian Sedene Blake turns heads wherever she goes, from the beaches of her native Jamaica to the New York runways of Marc Jacobs, Tommy Hilfiger and Philip Lim, as well as Vivienne Westwood, Paul Smith, Richard Nicoll in London, topping out last season with Valentino in Paris. The island-smilin' ebony sensation can also be seen in W, shot by Bruce Weber, in addition to Russian and Italian Vogue. With all eyes on the Caribbean cutie, it's enough to give Usain Bolt a run for his money! (New York)

• Posted July 20, 2010
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• 1 LOVE

Nina Porter

Bashful Brit Nina Porter won’t be anonymous for long. With her pixieish demeanor and boy cut often compared to Stella Tennant, the engaging Aries has appeared in Love and Wonderland magazines, and recently shot for British Vogue. Yet her biggest achievement so far—and it's only the beginning!—is posing for Burberry Beauty with Mario Testino, alongside Model Mania alumni Lily Donaldson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Signorina Nina is here to stay! (Supreme)

• Posted July 17, 2010
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Morgan Chelf

As a youngster, Pennsylvania-born Morgan Chelf hated having her photo taken, thus all her family snaps featured a scowl. Things have changed for the spritely 17-year-old now that she's signed with Photogenics in Los Angeles and IMG worldwide. The savvy Scorpio—who has The Smiths, Arctic Monkeys and Phoenix on heavy rotation on her ipod—has appeared in Australian Marie Claire and the Finnish magazine Trendi. Miss Chelf is top shelf! (IMG)

• Posted July 09, 2010
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Hana Sigutova

With her piercing gaze and legs till Tuesday, Hana Sigutova is being called Baby Coco. The Czech charmer had an impressive season in London and now has her sights set on world domination. A few appearances at the recent resort shows in New York are a sign that the Aries teen will be in high demand for the ready-to-wear shows in September. Czech, please! (DNA)

• Posted July 03, 2010
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• 5 LOVES