Model material

Stephanie Fox is one of my childhood friends from Newcastle and everytime I go on her Facebook page I get majorly jealous, (and it's not because shes spending her months living it up in Australia)... it's because she is absolutely stunning.

As you can see from her photographs she is a great model and certainly has an eye for fashion. The Dressing Room decided to catch up with Steph on all things fashionable, and find out how she got into modelling and if it's the industry for her... Enjoy!

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 book," she tells The Dressing Room. She then joined an acency in Newcastle called AM Models but was unsatisfied with the lack or 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 aswell apply so I sent a few simple, non-professional photos and forgot about it." However, 3 weeks later she was set to be reminded when her mum received a phone call saying Steph had reached the final 10 out of 800 girls and 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 just 15 and was in the papers 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 thankfully has loved it ever since. She says; "This is where the majority of my work has come from and where I have had some amazing opportunites."

As much as Steph loves modelling she insists it is only a part-time job as she couldn't see it as the sole career in her 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 glamourous and yes in some ways it is, especially if you're doing it big and earning well. But for me its more something that fits in around uni and work that I love," she explains.

Nevertheless, for someone so young and only modelling part-time it's fair to say she has already achieved a lot in the industry. 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 build your confidence."

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

Cindy Crawford

Kim Kardashian

Fellow Geordie, Cheryl Cole

There are so many models these days that look great but dress terrible when they're not on camera, however this is certainly not the case for 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 shop of choice is Topshop, yet she admits its popularity is a downfall; "I love Topshop as it's 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's so popular so everyone either has the same outfit or knows where its from - which I hate. So I do try to buy one off things or something no-one else would really get."

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