60 Seconds With: ‘The Look of the Year 2015’ Winner Mia Maretić

by croatiaweek
September 24, 2015
in News

Mia (right) with sister Dea celebrating her win

Earlier this month Croatian teenager Mia Maretić, from Zagreb’s Talia Model agency, beat more than 200 girls from 40 countries to win the prestigious ‘The Look of the Year 2015’ fashion modelling contest in Italy. Croatia Week caught up with Mia to ask her what it felt like to win, what she gets up to when she is not modelling and more…

How old are you & where are you from?

I am 16-years-old and I am in the 2nd grade at XIII gymnasium – nature-history and mathematics department. I was born and live in Zagreb.

How did you get into modelling?

I started modelling with my sister Dea when I was small, modelling kids clothes at Fashion Week, in shopping centres, shooting commercials for Orange, catalogues for children’s clothes, big posters for Magma ect. Also my sister and I played volleyball for 5 years for the Mladost club. We were also part of the children’s fashion agency Fashion Team under the expert guidance of our first fashion agent Marina Budanko.

When I was 12-years-old at one fashion event Mrs. Tihana Harapin Zalepugin asked my Mum if I could in a year or two come to her modelling agency Talia Model, where I am now a member.

The Maretić sisters

What was the feeling like to win ‘The Look of the Year’?

The Look of the Year is an extremely important event in the fashion and modelling world which has been held for a number of years and one which has ‘created’ a number of big names on the world modelling scene. Of course winning such a competition tickles the imagination and fills me with happiness and pleasure, but I think it all goes in its own time, and now, despite the spotlight and cameras, I am focused more on my schooling, which also is not easy.

Nevertheless, of course I am aware that this victory is key in fast-tracking any eventual modelling work outside of Croatia.

Mia on the catwalk at The Look of the Year

What is your dream modelling job?

There are a lot of creators that it would be an honour to model for, at the same time I also know that in time I will get to know a lot of creators.

When you are not modelling what do you enjoy doing?

For now, my spare time is taken up with playing volleyball with my sister and friends, my indispensable social networks, and music which I love.

What clothes do you enjoy wearing away from modelling?

From my favorite styles I tend to like the most ‘teenage casual’, jeans, converse, doc martins, leather jacket ect. For an important event, a little black dress is the winner, or a nice Matija Vuica creation which I simply adore.

Mia poses with other models from the region at this year’s contest

Who is your favourite model (in Croatia and overseas)?

From our models here I would single out Kim Kosanović, who two years ago also won The Look of the Year, then Korina Longin and Vanja Rupena, and there are others too…Out of the international models I adore Adriana Lima and of course Gisele Bundchen, who also was discovered in the world by winning what I have just won.

Kim Kosanović

What are your modelling plans for the future?

In the fierce competition which exists, it seems I have the predisposition to make it. What remains now is just to work and patiently build a career.