Catherine McNeil was born on March 20, 1989, in Logan, Australia. She lived a modest life growing up Down Under, where her favorite pastime was riding motorbikes and she aspired to be an auto mechanic. At 14, she won the Australian Girlfriend/CoverGirl Model Search competition, after which she got modeling gigs doing ad campaigns for Australian designers as well as editorials for magazines like Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue.
 
Catherine moved permanently to New York City in 2007, and she quickly established herself within the industry. After appearing in many high-profile runway shows for the Fall 2007 season, she landed her first major cover: V Magazine, who predicted she would be a supermodel. She was also featured in the D&G's pre-Fall and Hugo Boss's Fall ad campaigns in 2007, photographed by Mario Testino. After just photographing her twice, Testino was so taken with Catherine that he signed the then 17-year-old to an exclusive contract.  

"I was sent some Polaroids of Catherine by her agency," Testino remembers, "and I just thought, Wow! This girl is amazing. I think Catherine has got what it takes to be an amazing model. That's why I've put her on an exclusive contract. It's one thing to spot someone early in their career—I'm never afraid to take risks on a new girl—but it's a great luxury to be able to develop what starts as an instinct and turns into a rich working relationship. It means we'll have time to make some fantastic photographs together."  She is equally full of praise: "I love working with him. He's a good teacher and he's got me some great jobs."
 
In September 2007 she appeared on the cover of Vogue Paris and was named one of British Vogue's "Head Girls" and a model to watch for in the upcoming season. In 2008, Catherine was photographed for Vogue Paris and the Pirelli calendar, on top of becoming the face of Jean Paul Gaultier and renewing her contract with Hugo Boss.
 
Catherine is refreshingly down-to-earth, and despite being named "fashion's latest crush" by the New York Times, she declares that she is a Loganer at heart. "It's pretty hard to find Versace in Logan," Catherine says. "I didn't even know how to say it properly. I shopped at Supre and City Beach."

Despite the glamour and excitement of her new life, Catherine misses her family and her home in Australia immensely and looks forward to times when she gets to visit and hang out. Still, she readily admits she has been blessed with success. "I have been really lucky with my career being at 'the right place at the right time,' so I am definitely fulfilled on the professional front. My dream is to be able to do what I am doing, but have my family around me." We're sure she'll make that dream come true.