The modelling business is no easy gig - there are long days, endless casting calls and physical demands - but if you make it big, it can be incredibly rewarding (and financially beneficial), with shows and shoots taking models around the world to work with some of the most creatively talented photographers and artists. As the modelling world has shifted away from the rake-thin archetype favoured by early-2000s Dior Homme, then under the direction of Hedi Slimane, Australian models have gained an increasingly strong presence on the global stage, with many faces from Down Under appearing in campaigns and on the runway for the biggest luxury brands. And perhaps its our clever casting eye, but nearly all of them got their start on the pages of Manuscript. Here, the first shoots of some of the current It-boys.
Before Manuscript was a printed magazine it began its life as a men’s fashion website, and our first shoot - in the autumn of 2011 - was of Jack Vanderhart in a tribute to the great Austrian portrait artist Egon Schiele. In the years since, Mr Vanderhart has gone on to walk the runways of Canali, Givenchy, Emporio Armani and Z Zegna. Photography Jordan Graham | Styling Jolyon Mason.
They’re certainly some of our favourite faces (we’ve shot them no less than six times for Manuscript), and you can see why. In their first story for the magazine, twin brothers Jordan and Zac Stenmark were fresh-faced and just out of high school, and in the five years since, have held exclusive contracts with Calvin Klein, shot a Vogue Hommes cover, and made a star turn on television series Dancing With the Stars. Photography Jordan Graham | Styling Jolyon Mason.
When we shot him for the second issue of Manuscript, man sculpture Ben Waddell was just beginning a career in modelling, and although he went on to walk several seasons of Giorgio Armani shows, he’s best known for currently starring on American reality show Taking New York. Photography Paul Scala | Styling Jolyon Mason
He’s graced our pages four times already, and for good reason: we always knew Jordan Barrett was a shooting star. Since this shoot in 2012, Mr Barrett has gone on to shoot with legendary photographer Bruce Weber and walk for Jeremy Scott, Versace and Balmain, and most recently appear in the Mert and Marcus-lensed DSquared2 campaign. Photography Georges Antoni | Styling Jolyon Mason.
He’s not your typical bronzed Aussie, but Reuben Ramacher caught the eye of Hedi Slimane after our shoot, Art Suits, in 2012, the Saint Laurent artistic director shooting him for an i-D magazine cover before keeping him on exclusive for the brand’s seasonal runway shows. In the season that just played out in Europe, Mr Ramacher walked a record number of shows, including Paul Smith, Rick Owens, Haider Ackermann and Diesel Black Gold. Photography Rene Vaile | Styling Jolyon Mason.
When Sam Armstrong arrived for this shoot, Rebel Youth, at the close of 2012, we knew he was destined for great things. He’s been a runway favourite in the years since, walking for everyone from Paul Smith and Kenzo to J.W. Anderson and Salvatore Ferragamo. Photography Sam Hendel | Styling Jolyon Mason.
Jacob Hankin has appeared three times in the pages of Manuscript, beginning with this cover story for our special project with Australian brand Saba. And while he walked a few shows during the January 2015 shows (including Dolce & Gabbana and Moschino) his real break came in the form of a Givenchy exclusive this season. Photography Jordan Graham | Styling Jolyon Mason.
It’s not often you come across a face as striking as that of James Phillips. For his first-ever shoot, we took him away to the Australian coast for a three-day leather story, and with that in his portfolio, he’s gone on to star in Paul Smith and Versus Versace advertising campaigns, close an Armani show, and walk for Etro, Ports and DSquared2. Photography Liz Ham | Styling Jolyon Mason
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