The Fashion Plate Magazine

Mesmerizing new face Aqua Parios, of African-American and Japanese heritage, grew up in Las Vegas before relocating to Phoenix, where she was discovered while shopping after cheerleading practice.

Now 19 and based in New York, the high-school graduate wrapped her first major runway season, walking for Marc Jacobs, Anthony Vaccarello, Narciso Rodriguez and Prabal Gurung. Parios’ love of music stems from her grandfather, Phil Phillips, who wrote the hit “Sea of Love” in 1959. She gets her first name from one of his songs.