Agyness Deyn (born Laura Hollins^[1] on 16 February 1983^[2]) is an English model. Deyn is hailed as "the fashion industry's next great supermodel" and an "ambassador of British youth culture."^[3]

Deyn is from Failsworth in Greater Manchester.^[4][5] The daughter of a nurse, Lorraine, and second of three children she attended All Saints RC High School , as well as Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School and Sixth Form in Waterfoot, Rossendale. Deyn has a younger sister, Emily and an older brother Greg.

Deyn's name was apparently coined after she consulted her mother's friend, a numerology expert who advised her of the most 'fortuitous' way to spell the name 'Agnes'. ^[6] It was reported that her mother Lorraine and sister Emily have both changed their surname to Deyn, while Lorraine has changed the I in her first name to Y.^[7]

Deyn's working life started serving part-time aged 13, at a fish and chip shop in Ramsbottom. Even at an early age she had an eye for style and by 17 she had already had her head shaved. ¡§I¡¦ve had short hair since I was 13, and when I was 17, I had a skinhead.¡¨ ^[8] In 1999, she won the Rossendale Free Press "Face of '99" competition, aged just 16.^[9] She then moved to London, working in a fast-food restaurant during the day and a bar at night but admits: ¡§It didn¡¦t quite work.¡¨^[10] During this time she says she was also at college in Hull, studying drama and music. She was signed up by Models 1 when she visited the agency.