MODEL MATERIAL

Stephanie Fox is one of my childhood friends and every time I go on her Facebook page I get slightly jealous (and that is not because she is currently living it up in Australia)... it's because she is absolutely stunning. 

As you can see from her photographs she is an exceptional model and certainly has an eye for fashion. The Doll House decided to catch up with Steph on all things fashionable, and find out how she got into modelling and if it is the industry for her. 

Steph started modelling in 2005 at the young age of 15, and it was through a friend of her dads that it all started. "My dads friends son was a photographer and he was interested in using me to experiment some shoot ideas, and I was always interested in getting into the industry. So we agreed to trade; he gets me - the model, and I get the professional shots to start up my books," she tells us. She then joined an agency in Newcastle called AM Models but was unsatisfied with the lack of work and professionalism. 

It was shopping in Debenhams one day that was to give her modelling career the kick start it needed: "I picked up a leaflet for a modelling competition... it didn't look much but I thought I may as well apply so I sent a few simple, non-professional photos and forgot about it." However, three weeks later she was set to be reminded when her mum received a phone call saying that Steph had reached the final ten out of 800 girls and that she was set to go to the final in London all expenses paid. "It was a bit of a whirlwind as I had no experience and was only 15 and was in the newspapers etc," she explains. 

After the competition Steph decided it was time to leave AM Models and join a different agency. In 2006 she joined Tyne Tees Models and has thankfully loved it ever since. She says; "this is where the majority of my work has come from and where I have had some amazing opportunities."

As much as Steph loves modelling she insists that it is only a part-time job as she cannot see it as her sole career in the future. "It is a demanding job to have as a career, you have to be very dedicated, very focused, and sometimes just very lucky. Everyone has a perception of it being ever so glamorous, and yes in some ways it is; especially if you're doing it big and earning well. But for me it is just something that I love which fits around uni and work," she tells The Doll House.

Nevertheless, for someone so young whom is only modelling part-time it is fair to say she has achieved a lot in the industry thus far. She's worked for well known brands such as Barbour, Northumbria Police, Northumbria University, The Metro Centre, Berghaus, Volkswagon, and the home of Newcastle's football team; St. James' Park. She has also participated in Miss Newcastle 2009 and says "competitions are a great way to get yourself in the public eye and boost your confidence."

Most young models have a particular person in the industry which has inspired them to want to achieve replica success. However, Steph states that there is no one out there she would class as her role model per se but they're certainly women that she respects. "I love the old school supermodels; Cindy Crawford etc, as they are classic beauties and aren't too skinny. I also love the Victoria Secret models as they are amazingly beautiful and have bags of confidence... kind of necessary for their job role though (she laughs). There are a few female celebs which I think are great role models in lots of ways, such as Kim Kardashian as she is all about embracing curves and keeping a womanly body, Cheryl Cole who left her husband when he cheated, and Beyonce... simple because she's Beyonce!"

There are so many models these days that look great yet dress terrible when they are not on camera, however this is certainly not the case with Steph. She loves Christian Louboutin shoes yet admits they're rather pricey, her favourite high street brand is the stylish KG by Kurt Geiger. With regards to clothing her choice of shop is Topshop, yet she admits that she finds its popularity a downfall: "I love Topshop as it is reasonably priced and 99% of the time I can run in and grab something straight away for a last minute night out. On the downside, it is so popular that everyone either has the same outfit or knows where it is from - which I hate. So I do try to buy one-off things or something that no one else would have."

Finally, Steph expresses that there are a lot of pressures in the industry which are not to go unnoticed: "It is such a cut throat industry, especially in big areas like London, Paris, and New York... even Newcastle is competitive." Steph says that girls should not be fooled into thinking that modelling is about being a size 0: "It is not always about being the skinniest, I have been booked again and again because I have been professional and have done the job well... NOT because I was a size 0. I think the pressure and scrutiny on women these days is crazy and magazines etc. should do more to prevent this and should embrace any size and shape... I'm all for the Gok Wan way of dressing for your body."

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