While running through the rainy streets of world fashion capital New York City, Heather Delaney realized she wasn’t in Toronto anymore. This was the big league.
“I know that in New York specifically you need to be tiny tiny for the job,” said the Ottawa-based Canada’s Next Top Model contestant, 20. “I think I was a little hesitant already when I was heading to New York feeling that way … I was nervous.”
Predisposition proved counterproductive for Delaney. Failing to impress New York designers when the five remaining women were whisked southbound for consultations called “go-sees” on Tuesday night’s episode, the hopeful was sent home. But Winnipeg’s Meghan DeWarreng-Waller felt right at home in New York, winning the go-see challenge, with Edmonton’s Linsay Willier trailing closely.
Their competition was limited, however, when Maryam Massoumi from North Vancouver, B.C., was forced to remain in Toronto for not having a passport.
It was the second time during the series Massoumi couldn’t participate due to the setback. And although the show organized a domestic shoot for her last time, the second strike was her last one.
However, Massoumi dodged the obstacle by calling her photographer friend to shoot her in his home — a basic white-backdrop setup featuring Massoumi with a gecko on her back and makeup to match.
It didn’t match the shoot the other women participated in. Atop a New York high-rise, the competitors posed for two photographs: One as a model diva and a second as the preppy crewmember styling her. The images were then integrated into one, each model playing her own alter ego.
Back in Toronto, the judges awarded the week’s top photo to Willier, who rebounded from her bottom two position the week prior, finally sending Delaney home.
“I think the judges felt, in the real world, I wouldn’t be able to book the job,” she said. “I’d been struggling with really showing my personality throughout the show and doing castings was really tough for me.”
Delaney also struggled with being compared to fellow tall blonde DeWarreng-Waller, who typically fared worse than her. But as her competition began to outshine her, Delaney said she saw the end in sight.
“Of course you never want the experience to end — it’s fun and I’ll never likely have the opportunity to do something like that again. But at the same time, it was quite stressful, so there was a little bit of relief, for sure.”
• Canada’s Next Top Model airs Tuesday nights on CTV
