About
Tess McMillan is an American fashion model, painter, and budding actor whose copper‑red curls and Pre‑Raphaelite features have turned her into a favorite of designers looking for striking, size‑inclusive beauty. Raised in Texas and now based between New York and London, she has walked for Simone Rocha, fronted a Marc Jacobs Beauty campaign, and in 2024 became an ambassador for Jean Paul Gaultier’s perfume Gaultier Divine. Her creative work goes hand in hand with modeling: she opened a solo painting exhibition, “Find Me Where You Left Me,” at Laurence Esnol Gallery in Paris in 2023. The double career underpins her image of authenticity and creative versatility, whether on a catwalk, a movie set, or splashing oil onto canvas.
Before Fame
Tess was born in Beaumont, a small city in east Texas, and spent much of her childhood in nearby Austin, soaking up the music‑and‑arts scene her mother’s circle exposed her to. At seventeen, she began posting experimental self‑portraits on Instagram and caught the eye of photographer Heather Hazzan, who arranged the shoot that led to agency representation. Her first big booking— a Marc Jacobs Beauty campaign in 2018—pushed her straight into high‑fashion editorials, convincing her that a career once thought improbable for a curvy, 5’10″ Texan was not only possible but needed in an industry hungry for new standards.
Trivia
- Runway reluctance: Early on, Tess swore she would never walk a runway, fearing it “wasn’t her world.” She eventually changed her mind for Simone Rocha and has opened three London shows for the designer since.
- Art first: In interviews, she calls painting her “total examination” of self; modeling, by contrast, is “performance without personal stakes.”
- Film cameos: She played a pregnant teen in the cult road movie The Sweet East (2023) and appeared in the indie hit Babygirl (2024).
- Music‑video star: Tess pops up among Julia Fox, Emma Chamberlain, and others in Charli XCX’s viral “360” video, part of the singer’s 2024 album rollout.
- Fragrance fanatic: Despite fronting a perfume campaign, she told Nylon she still layers unexpected scents so she “doesn’t smell like anyone else.”
- Languages & hobbies: She can slip into French mid‑conversation, journals to calm pre‑show nerves, and remains devoted to Austin breakfast tacos when back in Texas.
Family Life
Though Tess hardly ever shares names, she thanks her parents—who now reside in upstate New York—for encouraging her artistic side. Her mother’s friends, several of whom were musicians and visual artists, transformed family gatherings into mini salons that ignited her passion for painting. She returns north between seasons to recharge, describing the slower pace as a chance to “stew on ideas” before executing them in London studios. Beyond that, she keeps relatives off social media, saying their privacy helps her maintain balance amid fashion’s spotlight.
Associated With
Tess’s network cuts across fashion, art, and pop culture:
- Designers: Simone Rocha, Maison Margiela, Jean Paul Gaultier.
- Photographer & scout: Heather Hazzan, whose Instagram message launched her career.
- Campaign collaborators: Marc Jacobs Beauty’s creative team, Vogue stylists, and model peers pushing body inclusivity.
- Pop‑culture circle: Charli XCX and the “It‑girl” cast of the “360” video—Emma Chamberlain, Julia Fox, Salem Mitchell, and more.
