In the swim: Melise Williams

metro/platform models

Remember Melise Williams? Frockwriter spotted her back in November 2008 at the graduation show for Sydney Institute's Fashion Design Studio. Then just 15, the statuesque Olga Sherer lookalike was too young to participate in 2009's Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. However Williams is now 16, RAFW's Spring/Summer 2010/2011 showcase - the fifteen year anniversary of the event - is just three months away and it will be interesting to see how she fares. Platform Models is not a major Sydney agency, but here's a player alert: Josh Flinn has just joined the agency as a booker. Well-connected Flinn is ex-IMG FASHION Asia Pacific, a great mate of Sydney expat uber-stylist Ms Fitz (and a Banana in Pyjamas in his spare time) and could help raise the agency's profile.

Williams has just returned from a month-long stint in Auckland, where she shot a multi-girl swimwear editorial for Metro magazine (above/below), with one of the shots making the cover.

While in New Zealand, where she is repped by Nova Models, Williams appears to have done at least one other swimwear shoot. This could enhance her chances of booking RAFW shows this particular season. Not every model is, of course, cut out for swimwear.

With the cancellation of IMG's Swim Fashion Week which was due to take place later this month, IMG has announced it will amp up the swimwear focus of the SS1011 showcase.

In the interim, the Gold Coast Council is planning to stage a smaller replacement event called BusinessGC on March 2-3.