Walk of fame

The breezy teenager returned to school to rapturous acclaim on January 4, and just recently was asked for her autograph for the first time in a coffee shop in Dublin.

This week I caught up with her to find out how things have been going.

What have you been up to since we spoke just before Christmas?

I had quite a quiet Christmas, just hanging out with my family, which was nice. Then, basically, when the new year hit things started getting really busy!

I see you were in Europe again? What was that like? Whose clothes were you wearing?

Yeah, I went to Paris at the end of January to do Paris Couture fashion week, so I did lots of castings and happily got to walk in some amazing shows – Bouchra Jarrar, Iris Van Herpen and Maxime Simoens. Then I spent a few days in Stockholm doing another three shows – Filippa K (which I got to open, yay!), The Local Firm and Tiger of Sweden. I was tired when I got home because you’re running on adrenaline the whole time when you’re working but I absolutely loved it! I made sure to spend my free time productively so I went to Versailles and the Louvre with my room-mate Emilia who I got on really well with. And then in Stockholm I went around Gamla Stan and the harbour and visited the Fotografiska museum so I was satisfied in all respects! Now i’m in Dublin feeling super excited because I get to attend the IFTAs, fingers crossed the Model Scouts will scoop up the prize!

I see Models.com (New Faces) had you posted on Friday as their Model of the Week, with a good spread of photos. What’s that like given you have only recently started professional modelling?

It’s very surreal to me, things are moving so fast it’s crazy! I just want to keep gathering momentum and give it all i’ve got! I feel really lucky and privileged, i mean I get to go to all these amazing cities, I’m represented by the worlds finest modelling agency and I still have my amazing family and friends to come home to!

Have many people recognised you as you go out and about?

I do get recognised a lot in Derry. The people are so nice, congratulating me and wishing me luck for the future, that really means a lot to me. I’m in Dublin right now and it’s happening to me here too. I gave my first autograph to a lovely lady in a sandwich shop today!

How have you been managing with your studies?  What was it like going back to school ? I’ll bet the reaction was wild!! Did they congratulate you in assembly?

The reaction was incredible when i got back to school after Christmas, the teachers especially were very excited, and i got so many lovely comments on facebook from the students. The headmaster Mr. Magill even praised me in assembly one day, I was so taken aback! To be honest, the studying is harder than I imagined, I had to postpone my modules in order to do Paris Couture and this time I’ve taken schoolwork and my laptop with me in an attempt at long distance learning! Luckily Foyle is very supportive and recognise the importance of the opportunity that I have.