A 17-year-old netball coach from Turner has been chosen to represent the ACT in Top Model Australia’s national search for a fresh face to walk in London Fashion Week 2022.

On Sunday 10 July, the overall winner of the model search will be announced at a runway gala hosted by Q Events Melbourne, featuring the aspiring contestants from all over Australia. The winner will win the trip of a lifetime, to compete in London on the international stage.

Sophie Hillier, a born-and-raised Canberra girl in her last year of college, has been interested in modelling from a young age, but had never walked a runway before securing her place in the national final.

“My mum saw an ad on Facebook about the competition and thought I could do it … We had to take some photos in my backyard for my comp card,” smiled Sophie.

The sporty teen only recently decided to pursue modelling, previously focused on playing representative netball for Canberra Netball Association and representing the ACT in athletics.

“I love how [modelling] makes me feel powerful. And it doesn’t make me nervous at all. I love that I can have the freedom to be who I am on a runway.”

The ACT finals took place at South.Point Tuggeranong, where the runway was stretched out in the middle of the shopping mall. Resident stores, SportsGirl, Sussan, and Rebel lent garments for the competitors to model, while onlookers from the floor above filmed the commotion on their phones.

The first garment Sophie ever modelled was a flowy purple dress.

“We had to get changed in this tiny, tiny area backstage. It was hectic and I didn’t want to take that out on the runway.

“I knew I was only going to be out there for like 20 seconds… When I stepped out, I was in my own head, in a good way.”

Sophie describes her regional win as “unbelievable,” and hopes this is just the start of a career in the industry.

Top Model judge Deborah Miller says the young Canberran has the potential to “go all the way”.

This year, Top Model Australia is partnered with Bully Zero, with all contestants partaking in workshops to become ambassadors within their schools and community groups.

It’s hard to believe that a young model like Sophie could be a victim of bullying, but she confirmed that “it can happen to anyone. It can happen to kids; it can happen to adults.”

“When it happened to me, it really took a toll on my self-esteem. I was lucky because I did have people around me who supported me and helped me.

“I encourage anybody who is dealing with bullying to talk about it to anyone you trust, because it’s unhealthy to carry all that weight on your shoulders.”

Sophie aspires to one day use her platform to advocate for mental health, like role model Kendall Jenner, who came out about her struggles with social anxiety and panic attacks last year.

On nearer horizons, Sophie dreams of “going to London! Getting to know people in the industry and walking in London Fashion Week … That’s a dream. I’ve never been to Europe.

“Whatever happens, I’ve learned so much. I’ve gotten so much experience; it’s built my confidence a lot. Overall, it’s been amazing, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds,” she smiled.

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