The inside scoop on the bad-ass bunch of girl bosses that helped make Miss FQ Issue 2, 2018 happen.
Aasha-Samara Nimo
@glittergirlclub | @glittergirlfilmclub
Age: 21. Where I’m from: Mangere – Southside, baby. We’re consistently dissed by the media but that discriminative reality against where I’m from has pushed me to represent my home and culture in every aspect of life. Main hustle: Breaking into the magazine industry, with a schedule of interning, writing articles, zine making, modelling and creating. Side hustle: Teaching kids how to swim. Dream interview subject: Prince. Last meal on earth: Probably apple pie. Latest fashion discovery: A ‘13 Going on 30’, Jenna Rink-inspired look from the op shop. Being a millennial means: Our generation makes an effort to wade through a problematic world with love and personal beliefs.
Aimee-Leigh Scott
Age: 17. Where I’m from: Born and raised in Whangarei. You’ll often find me on the athletics track or hockey turf. When I grow up I want to be: A graphic designer. Dream interview subject: Jess Conte. I would definitely ask about how she edits her ‘gram posts. Last meal on earth: Sushi with a large mango smoothie on the side. Latest fashion discovery: Dangly earrings as they always pull an outfit together. Something in the world making me excited: Seeing plastic bags being banned throughout New Zealand. I can’t wait to see a thrifty, well-designed alternative in the future. Being a millennial means: Being a bold risk taker and exploring my full potential.
Bhavana Bhim
Age: 23. Where I’m from: I’m a New Zealander with an Indian background, it has taught me to embrace my culture and be diverse. I live in Wellington. Main hustle: Studying a postgraduate degree in classics. I’m writing a thesis about the exchange of women as war prizes in the Iliad. Side hustle: Working at a contemporary art museum, taking photos and reading. Book on my bedside table: A biography on the artist Frida Kahlo. It’s painful, inspiring and beautiful. Something in the world making me excited: Saudi Arabian women being able to drive. Being a millennial means: Living in a fast-paced world where there is never enough time to stop and focus on yourself.
Bonnie Mary Anna Brown
Age: 23. Where I’m from: I grew up amongst the picturesque mountains of Queenstown and I now live in Wellington. Main hustle: I work as an illustrator and in the future, I want to work towards art direction. Latest fashion discovery: I love sustainable fashion and I’ve got my eye on pieces from Kowtow and Kate Sylvester. Book on my bedside table: The Defining Decade by Meg Jay. Dream interview subject: Emily Weiss, founder of Glossier. I’d ask her about how she created a beauty brand that challenged the market of the time. A story I’m interested in: The state of America’s political climate and those pushing back, be it women’s marches or social media voices.
Carla Ellen Hastie
Age: 23. Where I’m from: I grew up on Auckland’s North Shore and now live in a cute Grey Lynn villa. Main hustle: Working as a showroom manager at a PR agency. Side hustle: Running my blog hatemedateme.com, modelling and always striving to be a better version of myself than the year before. TV shows I’m binge-watching: Made in Chelsea or The Sinner, with olives, cheese and merlot nearby. Dream interview subject: Andy Warhol. I’d love to pick his brain. Go-to karaoke song: Gun and Roses, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’. Currently reading: The Power of Now (stay tuned for a blog post). Being a millennial means: Doing the most and being there the most for others.
Elizabeth Paul
Age: 19. Where I’m from: I was born in Christchurch but I now live in Dunedin. The best part is the freedom and independence of living away from home. Main hustle: Studying marketing and media communications at university. Something in the world making me excited: Everyone is becoming more aware of their impact on the environment and realising their voice can be heard. Something making me angry or anxious: It annoys me that so many makeup brands still test on animals! I think it is so unnecessary. I have stopped supporting those brands by not buying their products. Being a millennial means: Being adaptable and able to hustle in this fast-paced world.
Ella Cook
Age: 16. Where I’m from: Auckland’s North Shore. All the things I love are close by: My family, friends, sports, beautiful beaches, great shops and cafes. Main hustle: School. Side hustle: Rowing and getting fit for the competitive season. When I grow up I want to be: Editor-in-chief of Vogue! But something involving creativity is my number one goal. Skills I bring to the Miss FQ Collective: A ‘Generation Z’ perspective. Currently reading: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Dream interview subject: Kaia Gerber, the daughter of Cindy Crawford. I’d ask her what it’s like to make her own way in the modelling industry. Last meal on earth: Sushi. 100 per cent sushi.
Harriet Keown
Age: 21. Where I’m from: I grew up in a small rural community in West Otago, and have lived in Auckland for the last four years. Main hustle: I produce and edit travel content at Roadtrippers, an online platform for building your own kick-ass road trip. When I grow up I want to be: Can I say working for Miss FQ? Talk about dream job. Latest beauty discovery: I recently had my first facial and it has totally changed my life. TV show I’m binge-watching: Atlanta. Something making me angry or anxious: You don’t need a plastic bag to carry two things people! Being a millennial means: What we are now isn’t necessarily what we will be tomorrow, and I think that is so exciting.
Marielle Hawkes
Age: 27. Where I’m from: I grew up in Alberta, Canada and have been living in Wellington for 2.5 years. Main hustle: Senior advisor at the Ministry of Education. Side hustle: I co-founded We Love Local, a curated gift box store that only uses product from Wellington businesses. I also run a blog called Beyond the Ballot. Dream interview subject: Kim Hill, she is a fierce interviewer and it would be cool to turn the tables. Book on my bedside table: A French-Canadian murder mystery series and a million magazines. Last meal on earth: Gluten-free waffles with Canadian maple syrup. Being a millennial means: Knowing how to hustle and having strong values.
Molly Floyd
Age: 17. Where I’m from: Nelson. Originally a rural girl, I moved to the city when I was 12 and that broadened my horizons. Main hustle: High school student. Side hustle: My blog, Wildflower HQ. I also love filmmaking and rowing. When I grow up I want to be: A filmmaker and an editor for Vogue in New York. Currently reading: Things Are What You Make of Them: Life Advice For Creatives. It’s really valuable for anyone who is a creator. Something in the world making me excited: 125 years of suffrage in NZ and that the government has banned plastic bags. Being a millennial means: Being forward thinking, career driven, fearless and empowered.
Ruby Major
Age: 21. Where I’m from: I was born and raised in the beautiful Hawkes Bay and currently live in Mount Eden, Auckland. Main hustle: Studying commerce with a major in marketing and commercial law. Side hustle: A food blog and Instagram account, Eats by Ruby. Skills I bring to the Miss FQ Collective: I love writing and putting my opinions and thoughts into words in a way that’s interesting for readers. Something in the world making me excited: Seeing local businesses thrive in markets that are overwhelmed with chain stores and online competition. Being a millennial means: Being a quick thinker, a tech-savvy innovator, and a change maker. This generation cares about our environment and the future of our country and planet.
Rosemary Kim
Age: 20. Where I’m from: My parents emigrated from South Korea 30 years ago so I was born here in NZ and live on the North Shore. Main hustle: Student at AUT. What I want to be when I grow up: A visual development artist in the indie film animation industry. Last meal on earth: This brand of Korean chips that I love. Something in the world making me excited: It’s great that people can speak without fear about issues that matter in a way that they couldn’t 10, 20, 30 years ago. Being a millennial means: Connecting with people in dynamic ways, hustling, facing challenges, a more focused idea on the self and self-actualisation, and sharing experiences.
Georgia-Jane Rippin
Age: 23. Where I’m from: Wellington, which made me fall in love with dense cities. I now live in New York. Main hustle: I just finished my degree in law and Maori, which I did for the analytical thinking skills I need for the film industry. Side hustle: My travel website Explorippin. I’m obsessive about researching the best cafes, art galleries and shops in cities I travel to. TV show I’m binge-watching: The Marvellous Mrs Maisel. Book on my bedside table: The Lonely City by Olivia Laing. Go-to karaoke song: Love You Like a Love Song by Selena Gomez. Something making me angry or anxious: Lack of representation of diverse people/narratives and cultures in the film industry.
Jemma Eliza Standley
@11ninestudio | @jemmastandley
Age: 23. Where I’m from: England originally but moved to NZ when I was 5 and I live on Auckland’s North Shore. Main hustle: I’m a photographer and trying to make that my everything. Side hustle: I do makeup on the side. Dream interview subject: David Attenborough. I would ask him what has been his favourite hour in his life. Currently reading: F**k It. It’s a non-spiritual spiritual guide on how to have a better life. Being a millennial means: That we are going to have work a hell of a lot harder to get to where we want to go but when we get there we can change the future of our world.
Taylor Compain
Age: 24. Where I’m from: West Auckland, born and raised. Main hustle: I’m a restaurant shift manager as well as their social media and marketing guru. Side hustle: Anything creative I can get my hands on. Illustration and writing are my true passions. TV show I’m binge-watching: I just finished Dynasty. The fashion is insane and Liz Gillies is a powerhouse of a woman! Book on my bedside table: Tully by Paullina Simons. This will be the fifth time I’ve read it. Last meal on earth: Vegetarian chicken waffles from Sweet Chick in LA. Something in the world making me excited: The movement of women in power breaking boundaries. Being millennial means: No compromise, no limits.
Lydia Molly Michael
Age: 23. Where I’m from: I was born in England and now I live in Cockle Bay, Auckland. In summer it feels like a little coastal village. Main hustle: Marketing coordinator in FMCG. Side hustle: My blog! I love to write and share ideas. Book on my bedside table: A thriller called The Secret She Keeps by Michael Robotham. Go-to karaoke song: A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton. Latest beauty discovery: Olaplex. Last meal on earth: Cheese pizza and coke. Being a millennial means: Standing up for what’s right, using our voices to make change happen and embracing the future. I love being a part of such a vocal and diverse group.
Video editor: Lana Bryne
Photos: Angie Humphries
