Are you fabulously beautiful with a Blue Steel that makes Adelaide’s city traffic stand still? If so, you might want to consider a career as a model. Lucky for you, Adelaide has some top regional modelling agencies that can help make your dreams come true. Check out our guide to some of South Australia’s leading agencies and kickstart your career right now.
Finesse first opened its doors back in 1983, but under the ownership and leadership of Brigette Mitchell, who took over in 1995, it has become a top Australian agency. They run boards for women, men, curve models and more commercial-leaning talent, including couples, families and older models. However, it’s discovering “new faces” where the agency has a worldwide reputation.
Top catwalk model Akiima, who has strutted her stuff for Hermes, Armani, and Calvin Klein, many more was discovered by Finesse. She told Vogue Australia she walked into the Finesse’ Adelaide offices and was signed on the spot. “I got into modelling because I wanted to, and thanks to the Finesse Models Australia team, they made that happen.” Clearly the bookers at Finesse know top talent when they see it. Might you be their next discovery? Only one way to find out!
Submission policy: If you want to get in touch with Finesse, the first step is to drop them an email on info@finessemodels.com.au, or give them a ring on +61438822396. Like many leading agencies (and despite Akiima’s legendary history there), they don’t officially accept walk-ins and only see aspiring models by appointment.
Launched in 2008, Pride Models works across Adelaide and Melbourne, and has placed its talent in high-end editorial work as well as commercial shoots. Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and Marie Claire, plus brands like Gucci, Sephora and Louis Vuitton, regularly collaborate with the models from this leading Adelaide agency. It’s not just Oz, either; Pride models get jobs on catwalks across the world. Clearly a good mix of work is coming into this agency’s offices.
Successful Pride names to follow include Miji Awakyr, Coco Smith, and Adelaide’s own Madison Stubbington. The agency has a women’s department and a junior new faces list. They’re keen to stress the importance of nurturing younger talent by working with parents and making sure education is kept up, and also are eager to chat right away about potential start-up costs, demonstrating their commitment to caring genuinely for their models.
Submission policy: Apply via Pride’s website here. As the form says, the application process is super quick: just send in a simple selfie or make-up-free headshot. If you want, you can also upload a video introducing yourself. Their top tip: don’t be shy!
The Models agency’s unique selling point is that it is an agency run by models, for models. Founders Rebecca Lawrence and Letitia Fitzpatrick are both former models with over 40 combined years’ experience working for themselves and then managing talent.
They set up their agency in 2018 after spotting a gap in the local Adelaide market, and went on to create an agency that they’d like to work for. Their agency motto? ‘By the models. For the models. With the models.’ Models are consulted about every decision, and are provided a transparent commission policy—models get the actual fee the client pays, minus (industry standard) 20%.
Their main board features over 60 female models, and the agency also represents male models, families, and younger models just starting out. Plus the range of work booked is impressive for a relatively new agency—there are Vogue covers, commercial work, and high-profile international bookings.
Submission policy: If you’re interested in being one of The Models’ models, apply via their website. It’s a simple form and all they want to see at this stage is three photos (no makeup, no filters). They do specify they’d like you to wear skinny jeans, a tank top and heels if possible.
Although it has a satellite office in Melbourne, Azalea is Adelaide-based through-and-through. Known as a solid mother modelling agency (the main base agency for models with multiple agents), Azelea was founded in 2013. Given its friendly, familial feel, it’s no surprise that the agency was founded and is run by mother-and-daughter duo Anne Sherwood and Stacey Hendrickson.
The agency has models working around the world, including Charley Wakelin on the catwalk in Milan and Beck Hume shooting with Dior, so clearly the agency has strong connections worldwide. Azalea mainly focuses on its women’s board, but also has a burgeoning men’s list—and this year also launched its actors’ board.
The agency promotes body positivity, and as co-founder Stacey says, “We are so excited to have not only built a board of beautiful people, but also a little family of very intelligent, kind, hardworking and easy-going human beings. We’re very proud of each and every one of them.”
Submission policy: Azalea are always on the scout for new faces. They ask for you to email them first using info@azaleamodels.com.au or give them a call on +61434523596. They want to know your height, location, and age, and see some clear, natural images of yourself.
One of Adelaide’s longest running agencies, the Tanya Powell Model Agency opened its very glamorous doors back in 1974. Once upon a time the agency helped Neighbours casting directors fill Ramsay Street with hotties, and 50 years on, Tanya Powell has a bustling board showing off the work of male and female models as well as a talent department that features older models as well.
Tanya herself retired in 2015, and now the business is run by Ute Petersen, whose own modelling career was launched with Tonya Powell.
The agency also runs modelling and deportment courses from its training studio base, graduates of which include some serious talent such as top models Sabah Koj, Ajak Deng and Cassie Gardner.
Submission policy: If you like the sound of TPMA, getting in touch is easy. Contact them via their website found here, drop them an email on info@tanyapowell.com.au or give them a ring on +61484305076.