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The ELLE Next Gen Awards for 2025 are here!
For 80 years, ELLE has been an incubator of emerging, ground-breaking talent across fashion, beauty, film, art, music, literature and more. On home soil, ELLE Australia is a launch pad for fresh, new talent. Every issue, we feature new photographers in our shoots, bold new voices in our stories, and give tomorrow’s stars their first covers.
This year, ELLE Australia’s editors have nominated 32 of the country’s best and brightest talents across eight different categories. The winners will be announced at the ELLE Next Gen Awards, taking place in Sydney on September 4. Who do you think should win?
ELLE Next Gen Actor
Yerin Ha
The star of Netflix drama The Survivors, Australian actor Yerin Ha has recently wrapped filming for the fourth season of hit series, Bridgerton. The Sydney-born, London-based actor will play the leading love interest to Luke Thompson, with the show predicted to hit screens in January 2026. Before Ha made the leap onto the international stage, she graduated from Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), and in 2021, she was named a “rising star” by the Casting Guild of Australia. One to watch.
Aubri Ibrag
Dagestani-Australian actor Aubri Ibrag shot to international fame as Lizzy in the acclaimed American television hit The Buccaneers. One of the biggest television series among Gen Z right now, the show is set during the Gilded Age and explores the happenings of five young, wealthy American women as they navigate the glamorous, and often fickle, world of London’s high society. Prior to getting her big break on the Apple TV+ show, Ibrag starred in the Australian television series, Dive Club, which was picked up by Netflix in 2021.
Annabel Wolfe
You might have seen Annabel Wolfe as a competitive young surfer in Netflix’s Surviving Summer or as Ava in beloved Australian soap Home and Away. Wolfe has been working in the entertainment industry for more than half of her life, landing her first role at just 11 years old in the 2012 production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. She was personally selected by Baz Luhrmann to take on the role of Kylie Hastings in Strictly Ballroom The Musical. Next, she is set to appear in a short film titled Purity, and a feature film called Seven Snipers starring Tim Roth.
Odessa Young
Odessa Young recently captivated audiences as Amy in the acclaimed Prime Video miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North. You will next catch her as Faye — Bruce Springsteen’s love interest — in Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, starring Jeremy Allen White. Young’s breakout role came at just 16, as the lead in the Simon Stone-directed drama The Daughter, and was enough to convince Young that a career in acting might be written in the stars.
ELLE Next Gen Fashion Designer
Ruby Pedder, Rube Pedder
Inspired by Vivienne Westwood and the riot grrrls, Ruby Pedder‘s custom couture flips the script on hyper-feminine dressing and instead focuses on punk and underground feminism. She hand-makes each creation with classic couture methods using dead stock fabric and tactile silks that add a delicate touch to otherwise structured pieces and form her brand Rube Pedder. Katy Perry and Jennie from Blackpink have both been spotted sporting Pedder numbers.
Courtney Zheng, Courtney Zheng
For Courtney Zheng, fashion isn’t just a career — it’s a legacy stitched through three generations, from her grandmother to her mother, and now, to her. It’s this legacy that inspired Zheng to launch her own label in 2023 and, in just 18 months, she has secured major international retailers including Bergdorf Goodman and Revolve, and her gowns have even been worn by Gracie Abrams. Her signature aesthetic blends feminine silhouettes with a confident edge, and with dreams of opening a Paris studio, Courtney Zheng is proving that heritage and modernity can be seamlessly woven into one unforgettable line.
Jackie Galleghan, Madre Natura
With a focus on sustainability, Jackie Galleghan’s label Madre Natura is dedicated to circular and slow fashion, an approach that is not only helping the planet but has also seen her placed as a finalist in the National Designer Awards. She made her debut at last year’s Australian Fashion Week with a bold statement on waste. With an eye for fluid tailoring and a quiet elegance, every piece was crafted from dead stock fabric.
Daisy-Rose Cooper, Sleight Of Hand
Daisy-Rose Cooper has a humble goal for her label, Sleight of Hand: to bring people back to the beauty of hand-crafted garments and develop a higher standard for their clothing. Cooper was raised in the Blue Mountains and is constantly working to harness the natural resources already available to us, from hand-dyeing fabrics using leaves, to the simple celebration of the skilled artisans who construct our clothing. Cooper was a TAFE Fashion Design Studio 2024 graduate and her DMs are open for commissions and collaborations.
ELLE Next Gen Filmmaker
Tilda Cobham- Hervey
Hailing from Adelaide, Tilda Cobham-Hervey is a young actor who you might have spotted as Lucy in Netflix’s hit series Apple Cider Vinegar. Now, she’s turning her focus to directing and is currently in production for her debut feature It’s All Going Well No Problems At All. Written and directed by Cobham-Hervey and produced with Dev Patel, the film centres on a young artist who forms a close and profound connection with an elderly resident at a care home.
Phoebe Wolfe
Recently honing her craft at the Australians in Film Development Lab under the mentorship of revered film director Patricia Rozema, Sydney-born writer and director Phoebe Wolfe’s debut feature, Purity, is a coming-of-age drama which explores the big questions: What do we owe the people we love? And what do we owe ourselves? With a strong desire to make projects that don’t just provoke—but expose, unravel and console—Wolfe is also a highly sort-after short filmmaker who creates feminine, cinematic and character-driven pieces for luxury fashion houses like Chanel and Celine.
Emma Hough Hobbs & Leela Varghese
A joint nomination, young filmmakers Emma Hough Hobbs & Leela Varghese produced their debut feature film, Lesbian Space Princess, and saw it win one of the top prizes at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. The animated film follows an introverted Princess, who is thrust out of her sheltered life and into a galactic quest to save her ex-girlfriend from the “Straight White Maliens.” The duo took home the Teddy Award which recognises exceptional films with LGBTQIA+ themes and content.
ELLE Next Gen Writer
Madison Griffiths
Leading a new generation of investigative journalists, Madison Griffiths is committed to exposing systemic flaws and injustices that women face in myriad areas of their lives: abortion, sexual pain, domestic violence. She reports for titles such as The Saturday Paper, Marie Claire, and The Sydney Morning Herald, among others. Griffiths is also the author of two books: Tissue and Sweet Nothings, the latter of which was released this year.
Diana Reid
Touted as Australia’s answer to Sally Rooney, Diana Reid is an award-winning author whose debut novel, Love & Virtue, was released in 2021 to great acclaim. She defied the sophomore slump the very next year with her follow up, Seeing Other People, and in March 2025, released Signs of Damage. Reid recently wrote a screenplay for an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility, to be produced by Working Title and starring Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Winnie Dunn
The first Tongan writer to be published in Australia, Winnie Dunn is the Tongan-Australian author of Dirt Poor Islanders, which came out last year and was shortlisted in this year’s prestigious Miles Franklin literary award. Dunn is also the general manager of the Sweatshop Literacy Movement, a collective of culturally and linguistically diverse authors based in Western Sydney.
Amy Taylor
Before her second novel, Ruins, had even hit shelves, Amy Taylor found herself in the middle of a bidding war as production companies fought to buy the rights to her story. Vanessa Kirby and Sebastian Stan were the winners, with the pair set to produce through their respective companies and also star in the film. Taylor’s debut novel, Search History, was also optioned by Netflix earlier this year.
ELLE Next Gen Musician
Jacoténe
Even before her debut EP Untitled (Read My Mind) dropped in June 2025, Melbourne’s Jacoténe was already creating industry buzz with goosebump-raising performances at Laneway and Vivid Sydney. Drawing comparisons to Amy Winehouse and Adele, she recently made NME’s prestigious 100 list. And the good news? New tracks are on their way.
Ayesha Madon
Ayesha Madon’s breakout role as Amerie Wadiain Heartbreak High earned her both an AACTA award and a dedicated social media following. Off-screen, she’s been carving out a formidable music career, releasing singles including ‘Eulogy’, ‘Blame Me’, and the Triple J favourite ‘Michelle Obama’. Next, she will support G Flip on their 2026 Australian Dream Ride Tour.
Kita Alexander
ARIA-Nominated Australian musician Kita Alexander’s career was already on a good trajectory with her pop anthems garnering over 300 million global streams. Think singles like “Hotel” and “Atmosphere”. But everything changed when Dua Lipa sent her a DM on Instagram asking if she’d like to support her on the Australian and New Zealand leg of her Radical Optimism Tour. Alexander’s Press Pause tour is now underway.
Charley
Born on the Gold Coast, Charley (real name: Claire Howell) has been hailed as Australia’s answer to Olivia Rodrigo. She first broke onto the scene with her single “I Suck At Being Lonely” — a raw reflection on a relationship with four breakups — on SBS’ Eurovision – Australia Decides. And with a highly engaged social media following, she will have new music for us very soon.
ELLE Next Gen Beauty Star
Tatenda Luna
Tatenda Luna is a fashion and beauty creator who provides real-world tips while delivering the joyful energy we all need on our feeds. She is a firm believer that our beauty routines are a reflection of our inner selves, and hopes to encourage others to embrace their own unique features. Currently, Tatenda Luna is counting down to her wedding in the precise way we all love: by breaking down her bridal skin prep and beauty routine, and bringing us on her journey to the big day.
Kathleen Paton
As an internationally-recognised model, content creator, and advocate, Kathleen Paton’s career has spanned global campaigns from Australia and the Philippines, to Indonesia and Egypt. But she also uses her platform for meaningful change. Crowned Miss Eco International 2022 and serving as a UN Goodwill Ambassador, Paton champions causes including HIV/AIDS awareness, education, mental health, and menstrual health.
Rowi Singh
For Rowi Singh, beauty has always been her chosen artistic medium, rather than a tool to make herself beautiful. As a makeup artist, content creator, and the founder of Embellish by Rowi, makeup became a form of rebellion in a post-private girls’ school life, where maximalism and the freedom to explore her artistry “hooked” her from the beginning. From travelling the world to fronting magazine covers, she’ll soon be painting faces at New York Fashion Week.
Billie Jean Reed
Billie Jean Reed is unapologetically herself, which is just one reason why her audience loves her. Over on TikTok, Reed shares glossy hair tutorials, unfiltered travel vlogs, and simple recipes alongside refreshingly honest takes on dating. With her effortless style and unapologetic attitude, she’s built a community who favours a no-holds-barred approach to life, and coupled with her experience as the marketing expert for one of Sydney’s most buzzy hair salons, Reed is definitely a creator to watch.
ELLE Next Gen Artist
Carla Uriarte
If you’re in Sydney — or own an Instagram account — chances are you’ve seen the multi-disciplinary artist Carla Uriarte’s whimsical, childlike (complimentary) paintings and illustrations. The artist, DJ, and graphic designer is also the co-owner of the European-style Cafe Freda’s, which recently relocated and relaunched as Bar Freda’s. Uriarte has collaborated with fashion brands such as Chanel, Romance Was Born, and Ganni.
Tiarna Herczeg
Art is deeply personal for all artists, and especially so for Tiarna Herczeg, who weaves her First Nations and Hungarian heritage throughout her minimalist, abstract paintings. She treats her work as a conversation between “memory and place, body and land, silence and sound”. Herczeg also works in sculpture, sound and installation. During NAIDOC Week this year, Herczeg was among a group of artists that painted a 70-metre textile at China Heights Gallery.
Holly Greenwood
With expansive, expressionistic strokes and just the right amount of restraint, Holly Greenwood has become a favourite among collectors. Her figures are often seated in pubs, like if Edward Hopper was a bit freer with his paintbrush. At Greenwood’s first solo exhibition, the majority of her paintings were sold before they were hung. She currently shares a studio with last year’s Archibald Prize winner, Laura Jones, so we sense big things are coming.
Hayley Millar Baker
As a Gunditjmara and Djabwurrung woman, film and photographic artist Hayley Millar Baker’s works are always entwined with culture, family and Country. In her signature black-and-white visual language, Millar Baker often blends historical images with her own to create works that shift between eras. The curator and writer Hetti Perkins saw promise in Millar Baker early, commissioning her first film for the National Gallery of Australia in 2022. This year, Millar Baker featured in a group exhibition at Buxton Contemporary.
ELLE Next Gen Model
Stella Hanan
Scouted at Paddington Markets in Sydney’s east at just 14 years old, Stella Hanan tallied an impressive number of local runways in Australia before heading overseas. Today, she is signed to mother agent Priscillas and with the poise and presence of a seasoned supermodel, books the big campaigns and shares runways with the likes of Kendall Jenner and Vittoria Ceretti.
Anna Robinson
Frankston-born Anna Robinson never entertained the idea of walking European runways, but her mother agent at Chadwick Models had other ideas. Just last year, Anna caught the eye of Prada’s casting director and secured the number two spot for the Maison’s Spring/Summer 2025 show. Since, she’s walked 41 runways—including Gucci, Dior and Chanel—making her one of the most in demand models of the moment.
Achok Akoi
Kenya-born, South Sudanese-Australian model Achok Akoi’s rise is as unconventional as it is compelling. At 26, she was working as a dental assistant before leaping into the fashion world and signed to IMG with the encouragement of her cousin. Making her international debut at Gucci’s Spring/Summer 2025 show, before Hermès and Lacoste came calling, Achok is poised for a successful international career.
Latahlia Hickling
From Casino in New South Wales, to the cover of fashion magazines, Indigenous model Latahlia Hickling embodies a new generation of First Nations talent reshaping fashion’s future. First spotted on TikTok, and now signed to The Scouted, she has earned her stripes at Australian Fashion Week, and is one to definitely watch.
ELLE Next Gen Icon
Sophie Wilde
In just a few years, Sophie Wilde has transitioned from a promising newcomer to an award-winning lead. Wilde, who, among her many accolades, was ELLE Australia’s relaunch cover girl in 2024, collected an AACTA (edging out Cate Blanchett and Sarah Snook) and a BAFTA Rising Star nomination for her breakout role in critically acclaimed A24 horror Talk To Me. Since then, she’s appeared alongside Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson in Babygirl and taken a lead role in Netflix’s Everything Now. With scripts from some of the world’s most celebrated directors on her desk, and an Alejandro G. Iñárritu project in the pipeline, she tells ELLE Australia she’s “only getting started”. We’re honoured to award Wilde with our very first ELLE Next Gen Icon Award.
The post Introducing The ELLE Next Gen Award Nominees For 2025 appeared first on ELLE.
