Meet the Models — Melissa Bell

Last week, we held a casting with our Fashion Week contributors Mark Vassallo and Yimmy Yayo at Luxe Studios. I tagged along too, and fumbled around taking iPhone photos the girls. We'll be putting up one profile per day in the lead-up to MBFWA. Today you get to meet Melissa Bell, who had excellent taste in sneakers, was pissed off at Sydney's weather and really loves Lil Wayne (no, seriously). Like yesterday's girl — Lydia Carron — I also asked Melissa about her t-shirt. Facepalm.

Ingrid Kesa: How old are you?
Melissa Bell: 22.

What agency are you with?
Priscillas.

Melissa shot by Zac Steinic.

How long have you been with Priscillas for?
Coming up a month now... I was signed in January, in London.

So how long have you been modeling for?
Seven years, so quite a long time.

You’ve done fashion week before then?
Yes, everywhere. Milan, Paris, London, New York...

Is this your first Australian one?
Yes.

Are you excited about it?
Yeah, but the rain’s just, like, putting me off.

It gets pitch-black at, like, 6:30 at night now.
I know! It’s so bad!

So you’re just here for Fashion Week?
Yes, I’ll probably go back to London in four weeks.

Do you think you’ll do any other jobs while you’re here?
I’ve been working quite a lot, actually. Just doing a lot of general lookbooks...

Melissa shot by Zac Steinic.

In terms of Fashion Week and the casting process, does this seem smaller so far than what you’re used to?
Yes, very small. In London, it’s, like, 20 castings a day, five fits a day, six shows a day, and it’s crazy so this is just really nice and laidback, but I have to say it’s just the weather that’s putting me off.

Are there any shows that you really want to walk in?
For Australia? I don’t know; Sass & Bide aren’t out here anymore, are they? I’ve done their show twice... I did their show in New York, but I don’t really know anyone here. Like, all the castings I go to I’m like, ‘Oh, I’ve never heard of that’ because it’s a new market.

Did you do your walk already?
Yes.

Did it go okay?
Yep.

You don’t get nervous or anything?
Nah! I think you’ve just got to do it, and if you’re nervous then you’re not ready to do shows.

You’ve got a good t-shirt on, so I’ll ask you, what’s your favourite t-shirt that you own?
Ohhh, my favourite one’s Lil Wayne! I love Weezy! Weezy’s my favourite. I love Lil Wayne.

Words: Ingrid Kesa
Main image: Ingrid Kesa