Aussie Fashion Exports

As lovers of Tim Tams, Sass & Bide, and Colin Hay, we’re always taking stock of the latest Australian exports. Lately, we’ve been less enthralled with the aforementioned chocolate biscuits and former Men At Work singer, as we’ve found a new interest to focus on—Aussie surfer-babe, Oakley sunglasses wearing, supermodel-in-training, Catherine McNeil.

Fashion magazine readers have undoubtedly noticed McNeil. She’s featured in so many major fall campaigns that you practically can’t turn a page without running across a picture of her. Currently, she can be spotted in the Versace ads with Kate Moss, and she’s also the face of the Hugo Boss and DKNY fall campaigns. These major contracts were booked on the strength of McNeil’s performance in the Fall 07 runways shows (she opened Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, and Missoni, closed Pucci and also walked in big shows like Balenciaga, Valentino, and YSL) plus the fact that Mario Testino signed her to a six month exclusive upon their meeting. The result of that collaboration was McNeil landing on the cover of the June French Vogue and the cover of V’s fall fashion preview issue.

Another, more personal, reason we like the looks of this McNeil character is due to the fact she was discovered by the highly-addictive Australian magazine, Girlfriend. The powers that be at the popular teen read picked McNeil as the winner of their Girlfriend Model Search when she was just 14-years-old. Clearly they have quite the eye.

Only time will tell if Miss McNeil will follow in the famous footsteps of her fellow countrywoman, Gemma Ward, and climb the proverbial modeling mountain to supermodel status, but we think she’s a good bet. American designers seem to agree with our wager as well. While making her New York Fashion Week debut during the Spring 08 shows, McNeil clinched some highly coveted spots and opened the Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, Thakoon, and Preen shows—quite the stamp of approval!