Meet Kane Parker, your everyday international model
Read an excerpt from the cover story in the spring 2026 edition of Murraylands Life magazine, available from September 11.
Kane Parker sounds like it could be the name of a Marvel superhero.
In fact, it is the name of a Marvel superhero – with the Kaine part spelt with an “I”.
Murray Bridge teenager Kane Parker isn’t planning a career as a superhero, but he is making his presence felt in modelling.
He’s already walked the runways at major European fashion events for Prada and Issey Miyaki.
Marvel character Kaine Parker isn’t as well known as the man he’s cloned from, Peter Parker, AKA Spider-Man.
But 18-year-old Murray Bridge model Kane Parker is well aware of Kaine, as when he searches for his own name online, he often gets the superhero instead.
Regardless, all superheroes have origin stories, and so does Kane.
“About four years ago, when I was 14,” Kane says, “my family and I were in the Adelaide Central Markets, and we were just buying mushrooms from the mushroom store.”
“This very gorgeous, tall, slender woman who was behind the counter was quite obviously a model … She was sort of giving me a positive look, and I thought, ‘Oh no. What have I done wrong?’”
The mushroom-loving model then said to Kane’s mum that she should get her son into modelling, as he had just the look that was in demand.
“That was the funniest thing I’d ever heard in my life,” Kane says.
“We laughed quite a bit when she said that.
“She said, ‘No, no, no, I’m serious,’ and I was just like, ‘Whatever, that’s crazy.’”
But without Kane’s knowledge, his mum sent photos of him to some agencies in Adelaide, two of which wanted to sign him up.
When Kane, a down-to-earth and intelligent country lad, met Brigette Mitchell, the director of Finesse Models, he liked her honesty, and she liked his eloquence and genuine nature.
Kane also liked that Finesse Models felt more like a home than an office.
Brigette told Kane, “I will never sign a model that can’t actually have a conversation or be a real person.”
“That was one of the main things,” Kane says.
“She’s not just interested in money or stuff like that when it comes to me.
“I signed the contract with them later that night, and from that point on, it’s just been amazing.”
Kane’s first runway show was at the Glenelg Ice Cream Festival.
Later, he secured a modelling contract in Korea for three months; but it didn’t get off to a good start.
On his first night there, his phone ran out of charge, he didn’t speak Korean, and he got lost.
He eventually flagged down a Korean couple on bicycles, who helped him book another taxi using Google Translate.
To thank the couple, Kane gave them a very Australian present.
“I gave them a little jar of Vegemite,” he says.
“They probably would have gone home and thought it was a chocolate spread or something.
“I was so sad I didn’t tell them how to eat it properly.”
Kane’s awkward start in Korea remained awkward.
He made some new friends but didn’t get much work.
After three months, he felt frustrated that he’d only booked three jobs.
“Most of my roommates were working every other day,” he says.
“They were going here, there, flying to Japan, and I was like mmm, maybe modelling just isn’t for me.
“I got back from Korea, and I was so embarrassed about not working that I’m just like lying to my friends. I’m saying, ‘Oh, yeah, I made quite a bit of money.
“I worked so many jobs.
“When I got home, I was just sort of wondering when Brigette’s going to pull the plug on me and cut me because I can’t work.”
Instead, in 2024, Kane received a mass text sent to agencies, saying that a talent scout from Milan was coming to Adelaide.
Kane wasn’t keen to audition, preferring to focus on his schoolwork; but his mum insisted he go to the casting, so he did, and his ability to converse freely again made an impression – this time on Alexi, the scout from Milan’s Crew Model Management.
“We talked for about half an hour about pretty much anything – not much to do with modelling,” Kane says.
“Then we went outside and he got his professional camera out to take photos.”
A week later, Brigette called Kane to ask if he wanted to fly to Milan, as Crew wanted to represent him.
“I’m like, ‘Yeah, bloody oath!’” Kane says.
Kane travelled with his parents to Milan, where he visited the agency and had some photos taken.
“I was just thinking I’d be happy if I even went to a casting; or if I booked a job, I’d be over the moon.”
While relaxing at a café with mates – Alec from Canada and Jack from Ireland – his mum called him with game-changing news: “Oh, by the way, you’ve just been confirmed for the Prada show. You’ve got a private casting tomorrow.”
His mum apparently thought his reaction was so understated that he didn’t care about the opportunity.
“I didn’t really understand what it meant,” Kane says.
“I went back to Alec and Jack, and I told them what happened, and they just went mental, and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s a pretty big deal then,’ because I knew nothing about fashion at all.
“I think it was a lot better that I wasn’t aware.
“I was so scared, I can’t really remember walking the actual show.
“I remember being in the line-up, and the lady yelled at me: ‘Go, go, go.’
“Then the next thing I know, I’m already backstage, and I’m lining up for the finale.
“I’m like, ‘What just happened?’ It’s really weird.”
While Kane was completing his exclusive contract with Prada, Brigette phoned him to say that he had to go to Paris, as IMG Models, the biggest agency in the world, wanted him.
“So I got all the contracts signed,” Kane says, “and then we flew to Paris.”
Read more of Kane Parker’s story in the winter 2026 edition of Murraylands Life magazine.
Where to get your copy of Murraylands Life magazine
The spring 2026 edition of Murraylands Life magazine should be available at almost 100 newsagents, supermarkets, hotels, service stations, accommodation providers and other outlets around the region from this Friday, September 11.
Click here to find out where you can pick up your free copy at Callington, Karoonda, Lameroo, Mannum, Monarto, Murray Bridge, Mypolonga, Pinnaroo, Tailem Bend or Wellington.
Copies of this edition will not be available at Coonalpyn or Tintinara, as we have been unable to find a regular distributor in that area.
If you can’t find a copy at your local pick-up point, let us know by emailing jane@murraybridge.news – we’ll circle back to top up supplies as required.
Alternatively, subscribe to Murraylands Life magazine at murraybridgenews.square.site and we’ll post our next four editions direct to you for the cost of postage and handling.
Advertising space is now available in the summer edition, due for publication in early December.
- More information: Visit www.murraylands.life or email jane@murraybridge.news.
