Meet Malaika
MALAIKA FIRTH may not be a name you know, but give it time and the 17-year-old from Barking is almost certain to appear on your fashion radar. The young model owes her exotic looks to her Kenyan, Ugandan, Seychellois, Swiss and British heritage - and owes her new career to her mother, who saw the agents from Premier on television programme The Model Agency.
"When I first saw the photos of Malaika, I thought she looked striking and was really proud as her mother was the first person to call us after the first episode of the show aired, stating that she wanted her daughter to be with us as she liked the family atmosphere behind the agency," Carole White, Premier's founder, told us. "What drew me to Malaika were her almond eyes, caramel-kissed skin tone and unruly locks - perfect for a Gap campaign"
"When Malaika first came into the agency, I was struck by her sweet but exotic looks and delicate bone structure," Annie Wilshaw, director of Premier's new faces division, added. "After working with her in the studio for 20 mins, I was even more confident about her potential as her personality is fantastic. She also has a strong natural sense of how to move in front of the camera, which is rare for potentials her age."
Firth is enjoying every minute of her new job - attending selected castings whilst studying at sixth form college; learning as much as she can in both areas.
"I'm finding it easy to cope right now, because of the summer holidays - which means that I have a lot more time to complete any college work," Firth told us. "When I go to a modelling job or casting my mother is always with me which is great as she gives me a lot of support and encouragement. It's a brilliant experience. I get to find out a lot about modelling because most of the girls I meet at castings have been modelling for two or three years and it's always useful to pick a few tips along the way."
And, when it comes to her model icon and ultimate ambition, Firth already has her sights clearly set.
"I would love to be on the cover of British Vogue," she said. "And my favourite model is definitely Tyra Banks, because she not only is a model but she is also a great businesswoman and actress."
Watch this face.