Name: Azzi Kalili
Age: 27
Place of birth: Abadan, Iran
Current residence: London

I was born in Iran and my family moved to Sydney, Australia when I was four. It was a very big culture shock, but eventually I got used to the sunshine and the freedom to do whatever I wanted.

I started out editing educational magazines which then led to a job in publishing at Thomson Reuters where I was trained to become a journalist. I did a bit of news reporting for a few years while juggling my own artistic career.

Four years ago I just stumbled on a film set in Sydney where the director suggested I try commercial modelling. I had an exciting time juggling features for The Times newspaper while racing to castings.

Now I collaborate with my partner, we focus mainly on developing our art and photography projects. We are called Picle and we exhibit in Sydney and London.

We also combine our skills to create portfolios for models, actors and performers.

My style is effortless and practical with a splash of colour. I love mixing the old and the new, the cheap and the decadent. I’m obsessed with Portobello Market and grabbing timeless pieces at bargain prices.

A unique place I visited was Exmouth in Western Australia. I had the rare opportunity to swim with whale sharks. My next trip is to Cuba, like Iran it is a country with warm and vibrant people living under an oppressive regime.

Women have an inner, emotional strength that is often underestimated. I am a Complexd woman because being a Persian who grew up in Sydney and now living in London has given me opportunities to see the world. I am academic as a journalist, creative with my art and expressive in my modelling.