By Andrew Hornery
Sydney male model Mattia Harnacke was just four years old when dimwitted Derek Zoolander burst on to the world stage with his hilarious "Blue Steel" pose.
Little did Mattia realise that all these years later, he would be making a living across the catwalks of Europe and being photographed by some of the biggest names in the world by doing exactly the same thing.
Mattia Harnacke walks in for Italian label Dolce & Gabbana in Milan, the latest feather in his modelling cap.Credit: Dolce & Gabbana
But that's where the similarities end. Harnacke looks set to scale much greater heights than Derek Zoolander could ever have imagined.
Days ago Harnacke walked in the summer menswear fashion show for Italian label Dolce & Gabbana in Milan, the latest feather in his quickly growing modelling cap, having already been summoned to meet with fashion photographer Mario Testino in Los Angeles for an upcoming project and cast as the lead model in a new global campaign for Emporio Armani.
Mattia Harnacke has been cast as the lead model in a new global campaign for Emporio Armani.Credit: Milos Mlynarik
Born in Italy, Harnacke moved to Sydney with his family when he was 10 and considers himself very much an Australian.
He has fond memories of going to Five Dock primary school, where his mum would turn up every day at lunchtime with home-made pasta. Just a year ago he was modelling for David Jones.
"It is handy to speak Italian in Milan ... but as soon as I arrived in Sydney I knew it was more natural home ... I love the outdoors lifestyle and was very much in tune with how I like to live my life," the keen equestrian, who was discovered by Chic Modelling's Kathy Ward at a showjumping competition a little over a year ago, told PS.
Having deferred his university studies to pursue his burgeoning modelling career, Harnacke, 20, says he intends to further his education when – and if – his modelling career comes to a sudden halt.
"I don't really know how far this will take me or where I'll end up, and while I believe that education is the key to many things in life, this is an amazing opportunity for me so I'm just going to go with it," he explained.
He has a fraternal twin brother still in Sydney who is carving out a career as a photographer, and the pair have collaborated on a few projects together, something he hopes will continue.
"He is six foot seven [2.01 metres]," Harnacke explained. "And while you can tell we are brothers we are not identical ... he is more interested in a career behind the camera than in front of it."