Jessica Ashley Gagen is an aerospace engineer, fashion model and former Miss England, Miss United Kingdom and Miss World Europe.

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Born on September 6th 1995, Jessica grew up in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, alongside her younger sister, where she achieved 10A/A* GCSE grades, won Sports Woman of the Year and was Assistant Head Girl in her final year of Secondary School.

 

Jessica was inspired to try modelling by the TV Show America’s Next Top Model and was signed to her first modelling agency at the age of 15. She carried on with her studies, but in 2014, against the advice of her academic advisor, withdrew her university application to study optometry - confessing to feeling pressured into studying a subject she never had interest in. She carried on with her student job where she stacked shelves in a supermarket, and began working towards a career as a fashion model.

 

Within a year, Jessica had signed with modelling agencies in Milan and London, and over the course of the next decade would go on to work for renowned brands across the UK, Europe and Middle East, including Moncler, MaxMara, Regatta, M&S, Matalan, Remington, Guess and Grazia Magazine.

 

In 2018, alongside her fashion career, Jessica returned to education, studying physics for a year before starting her bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering at The University of Liverpool. During her time at the university, she noticed a lack of females in her cohort, and so began creating social media content aimed to get more girls interested in engineering. Her efforts saw her scouted via Instagram for the Miss Lancashire Contest in 2021, which she won, qualifying her for that year’s Miss England Contest, where she placed 2nd.

 

In 2022, she competed for and won Miss Lancashire again, and later that year was successful in winning the Miss England Contest, becoming the first redhead and engineer in the contest’s 94 year history to win the title. Her combination of polar opposite career fields proved to be a popular story within the British press, and as such, Jessica used the media to shine an international spotlight on opportunities within STEM, diminishing stereotypes and empowering women.

 

Winning Miss England qualified Jessica for the 71st Miss World Contest, where she won the title of Miss World Europe, and by default, also won the title of Miss United Kingdom for placing highest out of the contenders from the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). During the contest she received recognition for winning the preliminary public speaking round that fast tracked her into the top 40 contenders, where she delivered a speech focused on decarbonising the aviation industry with hydrogen technology, and the importance of the next generation becoming scientists and engineers.

 

Nowadays, Jessica is still heavily involved in the STEM community, she works in London as an aerospace engineer and regularly partakes in STEM outreach, engaging in public speaking events and creating informative social media content. In 2023 she was awarded a Women of the World Award by NRI Institute, named an Official Ambassador for International Women in Engineering Day and an Ambassador of the National Numeracy Charity. Alongside her engineering career, she also still works as a model, represented by Boss Model Management in Manchester.

 

Outside of work, Jessica lives a very active lifestyle and in her spare time likes to hike, run and row. She ran the London Marathon in 2025 and currently rows for Vesta Rowing Club in Putney.