It's 20 years of fabulous faces as star teen hunt comes of age

MIRANDA KERR may be one of the world's most sought-after models but when she entered Girlfriend Magazine's modelling competition in 1996 she did not even make the finals.

By InvestSMART · 21 Nov 2010

By InvestSMART ·
21 Nov 2010

MIRANDA KERR may be one of the world's most sought-after models but when she entered Girlfriend Magazine's modelling competition in 1996 she did not even make the finals.

Kerr, who is expecting a baby with actor husband Orlando Bloom, was a Gunnedah school student when she sent some photographs to the magazine in the hope of winning the quest. According to insiders, the supermodel even fronted up at Warringah Mall for the NSW state finals. But at 12 years she was considered too young by the judges and was turned away.

Kerr won the Dolly Covergirl competition the next year and the rest is history: she is the face of Victoria's Secret and David Jones and her face is everywhere, even in the advertisement on this page.

Kerr's bid for fame was discovered recently by staff at Chic Model Management who found photos in their archives. Kerr is represented by Chic, the agency behind the Girlfriend competition. Girlfriend's Model Search quest has launched some of the country's most recognisable faces on the international fashion scene.

Previous entrants - including Alyssa Sutherland, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Catherine McNeil,

Sam Harris and Ruby Rose - have become household names.

This year's winner, Adelaide St Aloysius College year 10 student Jemma Baines, 16, was announced on Wednesday. Girlfriend editor Sara Cornish acknowledged the 20-year-old competition had a rich history.

Baines, still wearing braces, plans to finish school and study journalism or interior design at university, as well as walking the international catwalks and gracing the cover of the world's top fashion magazines. "I'm still in shock; there were so many beautiful girls and my braces don't come off 'til next month," she told The Sun-Herald.

Chic spokeswoman Kathy Ward said Baines was the standout among tough competition.

"Jemma has incredibly long legs, she's in proportion and she's has a really photogenic face and comes alive in front of the camera. She has a great presence," she said.

Chic managing director Ursula Hufnagl would not comment on Miranda Kerr, but said the competition was about finding someone who could fit in on the world stage: "It is not like one look has taken over from another. There are just more looks in the marketplace now."

Lisa Seiffert 1995

Appeared in music videos with Robbie Williams and Jay-Z. Most appearances at Australian Fashion Week, 2010.

Sarah Stephens 2006

XStar of campaigns for Mambo, Portmans and Peter Alexander.

Camille Piazza 2006

Most appearances at Australian Fashion Week, 2010.

Meg Lindsey 2007

Miranda Kerr 1996

Did not make finals but now a star for Victoria's Secret and David Jones.

Alyssa Sutherland 1997

Face of Laura Mercier and campaigns for Chanel and Calvin Klein.

Tione Hawkins 1998