Homegrown head-turners carried by elongated legs strapped in stilettos flocked to West Edmonton Mall yesterday, vying for a shot to be on top.
The search for Canada’s Next Top Model is on, and though judges agree women from the West are fierce competitors, rejection is a recurrent theme even for the blindingly beautiful and charming.
“Personality is important, but if the girl doesn’t have the right body, it doesn’t matter what her personality is,” said top model scout Elmer Olsen. “I always say that everyone who wants to be a doctor can’t be a doctor, because they weren’t given the right brain. Not everyone can be a model.”
Topping the list of essential features for contestants for the reality show are long legs, flat ears, narrow hips, full lips. Olsen said that in addition to a $100,000 contract with Procter and Gamble, the winner of this year’s competition is destined for the runways of Paris.
Through the afternoon, svelte, stunning women walked away from judges, shaking their heads in defeat.
Though five-foot-eight, blonde bombshell Karli Bayne appears to have walked off the cover of Vogue, she was courteously denied at casting.
“I’m a little disappointed,” the 22-year-old said with a laugh. “At least I tried.”
Olsen said some of the best models he’s discovered were gangly, awkward, and worked minimum-wage jobs before hitting it big, and that no matter how striking a girl simply has “it” or doesn’t.
“That’s kind of life, isn’t it?” he said.
