Meet Ruairi Luke, an Adelaide model now based in London. Her sweet personality, fierce eyes and eyebrows, and luscious lips draw you in.

Photographer & Stylist: Lauren Engel

Ruairi, tell us about your upbringing
I’m from Adelaide. Growing up there I would always go to the beach and play in the sun and it was always warm. I had a great childhood and Australia was a wonderful place to grow up. I have a younger sister and she’s so awesome. She’s 17 turning 18 in two weeks. Oh my God, she’s growing up. I used to play a lot of sports like basketball, cricket, soccer and I was on the school team for basketball and soccer. I was really competitive (laughs). I trained at recess and lunch and I was pretty good (laughs).

I didn’t really know what I wanted to do even after school. I left school early and did hair dressing for three years realizing that it wasn´t really my thing, but at that time I didn´t know what else I could do.

How did you get scouted?
I actually did it myself. I contacted all these agencies around Australia and got signed by a small agency in Adelaide. Then I started traveling and went to Italy and America.

How was it like having your first overseas experience in Milan?
It was scary. In my experience, people there pretend to understand you but they don’t. I was a bit lost probably also because I was so young at that time and it was the first time that I had left home. Basically I got signed when I was 18 and went abroad the same year. I had no idea what was ahead of me and I had to learn things really quickly compared to other people my age.

“I’m honestly homesick all the time. I’m a little baby when it comes to that stuff. Give me three months and I’ll start to freak out (laughs).”

Where did you go after Italy?
After Italy I went back home for a while to see family and then I went to LA. That was my first time going to America and nowadays I am with Hollywood Models in LA. I’m with Wilhelmina for London and Miami and I’m going to be signing with the New York one. But I’m going to see what happens.

Did you like working in LA?
LA was so much fun. I met some amazing people and it was a really good experience. The weather of course makes it just a great place to live. It’s so exciting, everything is always happening in Hollywood. Afterwards I came home. I’m honestly homesick all the time. I’m a little baby when it comes to that stuff. Give me three months and I’ll start to freak out (laughs). After home I went to London and this is where I am based now since June 2015 and I am with the agency Wilhelmina London these days.

Do you know where you are going to be next?
Probably America but now I’m going to focus on London and building up my portfolio here.