A teenager has gone from one runway to another after she was spotted by a modelling agent while waiting for a family holiday flight to Spain.
Ella Walker, 17, had never set foot on a catwalk when the talent spotter picked her out of the crowds in the airport departure lounge.
A year on from from being headhunted, the psychology student from Billericay, is working with model agent VSO Models, posing for major brands and recently appearing at London Fashion Week.
She said: ‘I was just waiting to go on holiday with my family as our flight was delayed. I was with my mum, dad and little sister and it was really early in the morning.’
She follows in the footsteps of Kate Moss who was also spotted at an airport when she was 14-years-old by model agent Sarah Doukas of Storm.
Ella Walker, 17, from Billericay, Essex is working with model agent VSO Models after being spotted by a talent scout while waiting for a flight to Spain
The teenager was waiting on a delayed flight with her parents and sister when she was spotted
The teenager said she was shocked to be approached and had never considered a career in modelling before
‘It was such a crazy thing to happen, I couldn’t believe it,’ Ella added. My family were really excited and my sister was saying it was amazing.’
After checking everything was above board, she signed a contract.
Despite the regular flights to Scotland, where the agency is based, and demanding work schedule, she says it is worth it.
She said: ‘London Fashion Week in particular is a really busy season. I spend a lot of my days going up to London and after school I will get on the train to go up there.
The psychology student is busy juggling her work with her burgeoning modelling career and regularly flies to Scotland where the agency is based
She is now focusing on doing castings for adverts, using her acting skills
‘It is quite difficult when you have got a lot of school work but it is so much fun. I do most of my school work on the train.’
Ella decided to study psychology at school after noticing changes needed to be made to mental health services.
She said: ‘When I was young I never really thought of being a model, but now when I think of it it’s such an amazing job.
‘It’s so fun and you get to meet so many people, and do such crazy things.’
The psychology student says she loves the variety of the work and never knows what she’ll be doing from one job to the next
Ella was waiting for a delayed flight with her mother, father and little sister when she was spotted by a model scout
The teenager is keeping her feet firmly planted on the ground, and is still pursuing her psychology studies as well as modelling
As London Fashion Week has just finished, she is now focussing on castings for adverts, using her acting skills.
She said her days were varied and she often didn’t know what she was doing until the last minute.
She said: ‘During London Fashion Week you will show up and will not know what you are doing or what you are wearing.
‘The fashion would is crazy. I do the modelling part-time for magazine blogs and adverts, for example for Essex Police.’
She has received a lot of support from her mum Tracey, dad Phill and 14-year-old sister Evie.