Having had her first taste of modelling while still in school – walking at Australian Fashion Week in 2009 – Australian teen model Olivia Thornton has made a meteoric rise in the modelling industry and today boasts walking for some of the most prominent designers in the world.

Intrigued by this Queensland beauty’s jump to the international show circuit, Talent Management wanted to know more.

Thornton, who on Twitter dubs herself a “professional female Zoolander… for now”, recently spoke to Vogue Australia about her sudden popularity increase, the best and worst aspects of being a model, and her ultimate modelling fantasies.

When asked what her favourite thing about being a model is, Thornton said it was all about the people and places. “Definitely travelling,” she answered, “and the people I get to meet. I met my boyfriend through modelling, and I’ve met girls who are fast becoming some of my closest friends.”

Continuing, the teen spoke about the aspects of modelling she’s not such a big fan of: “Castings, especially during fashion week, can get kind of gruelling. And sometimes travelling – I mean it’s a good thing, but with a lack of routine and living out of a suitcase for six months at a time, it can get a little bit frustrating. But it’s all part of it.”

As well as the good and bad bits, we wanted to know how she’s coping with her rapid rise in the modelling industry: “It seems a little bit [rapid]. But to me it doesn’t feel that rapid, [it more] feels like I did it step by step. But at the same time, it has happened relatively quickly. When I look back maybe six months ago, I never thought I’d be doing this so soon – or doing it at all.”

And looking to where her career in modelling is headed in the future, Thornton told Vogue a few of her modelling fantasies: “One thing that I’d like to do is a lot of the big shows for a fashion week. And then I guess the ultimate thing would be to book a beauty campaign – that would be really nice. Any opportunity to work with any of the big designers, and anything further than a show, like a campaign would be awesome.”

Looking at her performance on the catwalk and the way she photographs in the few pictures we’ve seen of Thornton on the net, we’re confident her ‘modelling fantasies’ will all materialise in the next year or so. What do you think?