Discovered in a Girlfriend magazine competition at 13, Samantha Harris went on to forge a stellar modelling career that led to a Vogue cover, among other highlights. She’s honoured that her achievements inspire other young women to pursue their passions too, as she tells WHO.
When Samantha Harris began modelling at age 13, she it “would never have crossed my mind,” she says, to imagine herself one day making the cover of Vogue—but that’s what happened in 2010, when she became only the second Indigenous model to do so. That career highlight was “very special,” says Harris, 27.
Today Harris treasures the messages she receives daily on social media from young women who share how she’s encouraging them to pursue their own dreams. “When I first wanted to be a model, I never thought that I would inspire so many young girls to pursue their careers, whether it’s modelling or whether they wanted to be a doctor, or anything,” Harris tells WHO.
“I’m happy and proud that I can be somebody’s role model—I can be the reason that someone will push that little bit harder,” says Harris, who’s still chasing big dreams of her own. “I would love to be a Victoria’s Secret model! That is my next thing. I would love it. Fingers crossed.”
For more on Samantha Harris and why she’s passionate about seeing more diversity on Australian catwalks, pick up this week’s issue of WHO, on sale now.