It all started at the inaugural Cairns Fashion Week. Technically, it was my second time attending a fashion show at Tank Arts Centre, the first one was a few years early, when I found myself at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Fashion Show. As I sat there, watching the models walk, I thought to myself, I can do this. It felt just like theatre to me, and with my background in acting, with a theatre and drama degree, plus a lifelong love of fashion, it made perfect sense. Not to mention the fact that there was the very beginning of an age positive grey-haired model movement gaining momentum! Pro age for the win! My sister died in her early 30s, I cherish every moment of this life.

During the event, I approached a woman, Jude Kingston, selling raffles for her charity, Mind Your Fashion, and struck up a conversation. She mentioned she was taking models to New York, and without missing a beat, I said, “I’m coming!” I had no idea what a comp card was, but I went home, did my research, and pulled one together. Luckily, I had just gotten some new headshots for acting, so I had the images ready to go. I submitted it, and a few weeks later, she personally called me to say I was in. Talk about excitement. This marked the beginning of the most exciting time of my life – imagine stepping into the life of a model at 53! I focused on keeping my hair and skin in top condition, I googled runway walks, devoured all I could about posing and runway walking and before I knew it, I was on my way to New York.

Walking in Times Square Fashion Week was a dream come true. I made my debut in an outfit by Outer, a Queensland designer I had first seen back in Cairns. It was a full-circle moment, and I’m not talking about their logo. From there, I went straight to the Coco Rocha Model Camp, wrong way around? Perhaps, but I haven’t looked back.

I walked with some amazing professional models, some from Queensland and the rest from New York, we are still in contact today, talk about a mind-blowing, life altering experience!