She idolises Gigi Hadid, and now one day Sydney teenager Maddie Thomson could follow her down the runway.
The 15-year-old has just been named this year’s winner of the Girlfriend Model Search, a competition which has helped launch the careers of big names like Ruby Rose and Samantha Harris.
Maddie, who had never modelled before entering the contest, will now be flown to New York to meet with model brokers at top model agency Next Management.
Sydney teen Maddie Thomson, 15, has just been named this year’s winner of the Girlfriend Priceline Pharmacy Model Search
Maddie, who had never modelled before the competition, will now be flown to New York to meet with model brokers at top model agency Next Management and has received a contract with Chic Management in Australia
The teen currently graces the cover of Girlfriend Magazine’s summer issue on stands now and has received a contract with Chic Management in Australia.
‘I didn’t think that I would even make it past the first round. When I saw the cover I almost started crying,’ she told The Daily Telegraph.
Maddie’s ultimate dream is to walk down the Victoria’s Secret runway, an honour earned by Abbey-Lee Kershaw in 2004.
And as Maddie prepares balancing high school with catwalk domination, FEMAIL has taken a look back at the women who went from the cover of the teen magazine to everything from David Jones shows to the big screen.
Flashback: Since it began in 1990, the Girlfriend Priceline Model Search has been responsible for kickstarting the careers of countless aspiring models…now, FEMAIL has taken a look at the former finalists and winners of the iconic competition
RUBY ROSE
Ruby Rose, 31, graced the pages of Girlfriend Magazine in 2003, when she was a finalist in the prestigious competition.
Then 16, the fresh-faced aspiring model rocked a red Mossimo jumper, jeans and a One Teaspoon Tie as she discussed her love for Pink’s Misunderstood CD and her desire to meet Angelina Jolie because she was ‘sexy’.
The Australian model and actress grew to be a powerhouse in both the music and television industry as an MTV VJ in 2000 and in 2009, she won an ASTRA Award for Favourite Female Personality.
Ruby Rose, 31, graced the pages of Girlfriend Magazine in 2003, when she was a finalist in the prestigious competition
A-lister: Ruby has made a significant impact on Hollywood’s elite, and is known to be friends with top models, actresses and singers including Taylor Swift (pictured at her famous Fourth of July party in 2016)
The striking raven-haired beauty picked up a number of television jobs over the years and in 2013 starred alongside Christina Ricci and Jack Thompson in the film Around the Block.
Clearly drawn to the Hollywood lifestyle, Ruby then joined the cast of hit show Orange is the New Black in 2015 and was a co-host at the 2015 MTV Europe Music Awards.
Ruby has made a significant impact on Hollywood’s elite, and is known to be friends with top models, actresses and singers including Taylor Swift.
Stunning: Clearly drawn to the Hollywood lifestyle, Ruby then joined the cast of hit show Orange is the New Black in 2015 and was a co-host at the 2015 MTV Europe Music Awards
CATHERINE MCNEIL
Cat McNeil, 28, was the winner of the Girlfriend Model Search in 2003 and was just 13 years old at the time.
The then-teenager rocked an array of ‘funky outfits’ for her winner’s shoot – from cargo shorts and knitted caps to camel heels and brown corduroy trousers.
After taking out the Model Search title, Cat’s modelling career soared and she has been featured in campaigns for Versace, Donna Karan, Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton, and Jean Paul Gaultier and appeared on the covers of Australian Vogue, French Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar.
Cat McNeil, 28, was the winner of the Girlfriend Model Search in 2003 (left) and was just 13-years-old at the time
Big deal: After taking out the title, Cat’s career soared and she has since been featured in campaigns for Versace, Donna Karan, Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton and Jean Paul Gaultier and appeared on the covers of Australian Vogue, French Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar
The supermodel has stormed the runway for some of the biggest names in fashion and just three years after her win, was signed with fashion photographer Mario Testino for a six month contract.
She has made countless top model lists and was declared as one of the top 30 models of the 2000s by Vogue Paris.
Cat has appeared in several David Jones campaigns and opened their Autumn/Winter show last year alongside ambassadors Jessica Gomes, Jesinta Campbell, and Montana Cox.
Also known to mix with A-listers and fellow models, McNeil dated and was engaged to model Miles Langford before ending the relationship and dating model and photographer Emily Hope until 2015.
Times have changed: The supermodel has stormed the runway for some of the biggest names in fashion and just three years after her win, was signed with fashion photographer Mario Testino for a six month contract
Groovy: The then teenager rocked an array of ‘funky outfits’ for her winner’s shoot – from cargo shorts and knitted caps to camel heels, cow print jackets and brown corduroy trousers
ABBEY-LEE KERSHAW
Model and actress Abbey-Lee Kershaw took out the Girlfriend Model Search title in 2004 when she was 17 years old.
In a spread for the magazine, Abbey-Lee donned a series of ‘trendy’ looks – from brown overcoats and denim skirts to pointed ballet flats and long denim shorts.
In the years following her win, the 30-year-old’s career took off and by 2007 she had signed with Next Management and moved to New York City.
Over the following few years she appeared in shows at New York Fashion Week, walked for high-end designers including Oscar de la Renta, Chanel, and Alexander McQueen and, in 2008, walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
My, how you’ve grown: Model and actress Abbey-Lee Kershaw took out the Girlfriend Model Search title in 2004 (left), at just 17-years-old (pictured right in February)
High-end: Over the following few years she appeared in shows at New York Fashion Week, walked for high-end designers and in 2008, walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (pictured in February with Kendall Jenner)
From model to actress: The in-demand supermodel then took time off from modelling and made her film debut in Mad Max: Fury Road, in 2015 (right)
Abbey-Lee sparked controversy in 2009 when she took part in an explicit shoot by Terry Richardson and was photographed by him again in 2010 when she featured in the Pirelli Calendar.
The in-demand supermodel then took time off from modelling and made her film debut in Mad Max: Fury Road, in 2015.
Over the past three years, the model has graced the cover of a number of high profile fashion magazines, starred in fragrance contracts for Versace and Gucci and appeared in the films Gods of Egypt alongside Gerard Butler, The Neon Demon alongside Elle Fanning, and The Dark Tower with Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey.
Abbey-Lee can next be seen in Welcome the Stranger, in which she has a starring role alongside Riley Keough – the eldest grandchild of Elvis.
Big difference: Over the past three years, the model has graced the cover of a number of high profile fashion magazines, starred in fragrance contracts for Versace and Gucci and appeared in films
Not always smooth sailing: Abbey-Lee sparked controversy in 2009 when she took part in an explicit shoot by Terry Richardson and was photographed by him again in 2010 when she featured in the Pirelli Calendar (pictured right at The Neon Demon premiere in June)
SAMANTHA HARRIS
Samantha Harris, 27, was a runner-up in the 2004 Model Search when she was just 13 years old.
The striking beauty described herself as ‘tall, thoughtful, and caring’, said she wanted to have dinner with Delta Goodrem, and that she wanted to be a model because she thought it would be ‘fun’ because she ‘loves trying on clothes.’
While she has not modelled internationally, Sam is best known for appearing in several swimwear and fashion campaigns and her record amount of booked shows at Australian Fashion Week in 2010.
Way back when: Samantha Harris (right), 27, was a runner-up in the 2004 Model Search at just 13 years old
Early days: The striking beauty described herself as ‘tall, thoughtful and caring’, said she wanted to have dinner with Delta Goodrem and that she wanted to be a model because she thought it would be ‘fun’ and she ‘loves trying on clothes’
Gorgeous: The natural beauty has also appeared in Vogue Australia and in 2010, was their June covergirl (pictured left ahead of the Tome show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2016 and right in July)
The natural beauty has also appeared in Vogue Australia and, in 2010, was their June covergirl.
In 2011, she was named as ‘young women’s fashion ambassador’ for David Jones and has also appeared on the TV show Dancing with the Stars alongside Tim Robards, Larry Emdur, Ash Pollard and Matthew Mitcham.
Sam has also starred in campaigns for Priceline, Bras n Things, and Jo Mercer.