Here's a recent article mentions Samantha and why she only appeared in 3 runway shows this year at AFW.
Aussie model's big break
Friday May 4 08:00 AEST
By Jess Scully
Fashion Editor at Large
ninemsn
Gemma Ward and Miranda Kerr have proven that, whether they're editorial or commercial stars, Australia has some serious beauty to export to the world.
The latest in that line is Catherine McNeil, a teenager from Queensland who is about to be launched as the world's next supermodel — thanks to a cover story and 18 page shoot in respected US magazine V, shot by super-snapper Mario Testino.
That major coup will be followed up by French and British Vogue covers in the next two months. Considering she was the star newcomer of the European Autumn Winter shows earlier this year, the "super" tag is no exaggeration.
This week I met the man who is shaping Catherine's career. Stephen Lee is an Aussie too, who moved from top agency Chic here in Sydney to Next Models in New York, where he manages the affairs of more supers than you can poke a celery stick at.
"My job is picking up the phone and saying no to people," the extremely laid back Lee says, "it's about exclusivity and longevity. You don't want to have a girl everywhere, doing every campaign at once. At the moment, she has one French campaign, an Italian campaign, her US campaign is DKNY, and she was just shot for the Pirelli Calendar last week. I have Catherine's career mapped out for the next three years."
Chic's Kathy Ward agrees that the most important part of modelling is playing the waiting game. It's something she's currently doing with the careers of stars-in-waiting Kristie Lee from Longreach and Samantha Harris from Tweed Heads.
"There's absolutely no urgency," Kathy says, "confidence is vital. If that means waiting another season and a half to launch a girl, we'll do it. You only get one chance when you meet the big names and so we're prepared to invest the time to help develop a girl. We see it as an apprenticeship."
"When we feel they can portray their beauty in the best way, we let them out there."
Samantha Harris walked in only three shows this week (Alex Perry, Jayson Brunsdon and Shakuhachi) and you won't be seeing much of her for the next few months, as the year 12 student prepares for her HSC, and gets ready to wear her Alex Perry dress at her school formal.
After school's out, though, Stephen's plan for Samantha will kick into action. He's already had her visit New York, where she was shot by Patrick Demarchelier for Glamour.
If it's all about the waiting game, I ask, then why do we see so many young girls on the runway?
"We could compare them to athletes," Ward says, "Until they're 18 they have a certain body shape, then as they age their bodies start to change. We're very conscious of the pressure they're under, and at Chic we counsel them on healthy eating and lifestyle.
"A lot of them hate exercise and can get away with eating whatever they like, but we help them develop healthy habits early so it's not such a shock for them as they go through adolescence and become more womanly."
Considering all the hoo haa about skinny models and BMI it's refreshing to hear it being addressed so sensibly. These girls are beautiful freaks of nature, just like Thorpie or Libby Lenton are, who need to train and maintain a certain lifestyle in order to perform.
I ask Lee why he thinks Australian models are doing so well around the world right now, and he says it comes down to personality.
"The American girls know they're beautiful, and they throw that beauty out there like cheerleaders. Russian and Brazilian girls have something to get away from, they're desperate to get out, and it comes across.
"Australian girls have a casual elegance and they're relaxed. I mean, think about it," Lee says, stretching back to take in the view of Sydney Harbour, "if it doesn't work out for them, this is what they have to come back to."
Don't know if these have been posted either:
I would love to see her on the international runways.
it looks like they've gotten a lot smaller. She looks kind of like Katja S. in that 3rd pic from Alex Perry. Oh well she's still beautiful!
New pics (didn't see them on previous pages)
thanks for the new photos!
You know what I mean?
fortunately she is with what sounds like a pretty decent agency that actually takes care of their models. let's just hope she keeps her feet on the ground if and when she goes international!
