AND THE WINNER IS....

ANNOUNCING AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL LIVE 2012!!  TORONTO’S NEWEST CONSUMER FASHION AND SHOPPING EVENT FOR THE FUN, FIERCE AND FABULOUS!!!!

It’s official!!!  America’s Next Top Model Live is coming to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on May 4 – 6, 2012!!!!  Get ready for the ultimate fashion, beauty, modelling and shopping event of the year!  I am your inside ticket to the creation of what is sure to be a fixture on your social calendar! 

For those of you who are already fans of America’s Next Top Model, the fabulous Miss Tyra Banks and all things fashion, this will be the place for you to rest your heels and contemplate the television fixture that is ANTM.  You will surely know all about looking good H2T (Head to Toe), putting on your best SMIZE (Smiling With Your Eyes) and being as FIERCE as you possibly can!  As for the rest of you, jump right in, the water is warm and you do not have to watch the show to be interested in immersing yourself in a wonderful weekend of retail therapy, beauty advice and the Top Model experience!

Hello ANTM Fanatics!!!

Here we are at the finale of America’s Next Top Model and I have to say I have no idea what I will be doing at 8PM on Wednesday nights now that the show is on hiatus till the fall.  We will have to live off the fodder of discussion about all things ANTM until then!

The show opens up on a reflection of both girls’ journeys into the final.  Brittani talks about her mom going through panic and anxiety disorder and how challenging it has been growing up on welfare for 8 years.  Molly talks about her past drug addiction, her time in rehab and how things can change in the blink of an eye.

The next day brings the girls to a country club where they meet the VP of IMG models, Ivan Bart.  Ivan reviews both girls’ portfolios and thinks that although Molly doesn’t come across that well in person, he thinks that ‘something happens with hair, make-up and magic’ and she is transformed.  Ivan then meets with Brittani and thinks that she has a wonderful attitude and a beautiful face.

The girls then see Mr. Jay who informs them that they will be shooting their Covergirl ads, both in print and on camera against a white backdrop.  The girls are introduced to famed photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari (what a great Italian name), who will shoot the ads.  Brittani expresses her nervousness around having to speak on camera and Molly talks about how she feels like an idiot during filming.  Both girls get off to a rough start and have a tough time looking and sounding natural.  Brittani eventually finds her groove and comes across as quirky and fun, while Molly tries to get past her natural awkwardness on camera. 

During the photo shoot, Pierpaolo says that Molly has a beautiful mouth and bright eyes, while Brittani comes across very strong and reminds him of models from the past.  I loved Brittani’s styling in the photo shoot; she has a very old Hollywood feel that gives her a classic look. 

The next day at the Italian Vogue shoot, the girls meet Valentina Serra, who is the stylist for Vogue Italia.  Brittani is extremely fierce and really strikes interesting poses.  Molly is cranky, cold and hungry going into her shoot, so she has a hard time from the outset and keeps having to be reminded by Pierpaolo and Valentina to not loose energy and to not look sad.  Pierpaolo says that despite what you are feeling inside, ‘you need to be a volcano’ during a shoot.  Molly says she will ‘be so pissed’ if she doesn’t win and Brittani rejoices in the fact that Molly is psyching herself out of winning.

After the shoot, Molly arrives back at the apartment to see her adoptive parents waiting for her.  She is instantly emotional and relieved to see them.  It is really nice to see Molly with her parents because she shows a much softer side and you start to understand that her harshness comes from her difficult past.  Brittani’s mom can’t travel because of her panic attacks and a recent back surgery, so she gets to talk to her mom via video chat.  Brittani talks about how all her life she is used to looking around and seeing no one there because of her mom couldn’t be there for her.  Molly’s mom is great and lends both girls her support and tells them she is proud of them.

The next day Molly says that the runway show will dictate the rest of her life.  Both girls meet Mr. Jay in a beautiful Moroccan castle and he explains that they will float from room to room showing off clothes from Vivienne Westwood’s ‘Anglomania’ collection, with is themed after current British fashion trends.   Mr. Jay then brings in some former models from Cycle 16 to walk in the runway show, including Kasia, Alexandria and Hannah.  Last season’s winner, Ann Ward also makes an appearance.  The former contestants are asked who they are rooting for and are split down the middle in terms of which girl they would like to see win.

All the girls get BIG hair of epic proportions for the show and it is amazing to see Brittani with so much real estate up top.  Molly talks about how she can see herself doing this for a living and acknowledges that she might get cranky and want a peanut butter and jelly sandwich sometimes, but she feels completely capable of making her model dreams a reality.  Brittani feels good going in and rocks the runway, as does Molly.  Each girl tries to one-up the other in fine form and the clothes are bright, interesting and fun.

During the last runway walk before the finale, Brittani and Molly strut together side by side and  strike poses with one another.  Brittani falls out of character and breaks out into a laugh when she and Molly have an awkward moment together.  Then on their way backstage, Brittani slips on some rose petals and falls hard into the back wall and hurts her ankle. To her credit, Brittani gets up and joins all the models for the final walk despite the pain she was in. 

After the show, the girls are informed the Tyra has a new look in mind for both of them during panel because the race to become America’s Next Top Model is so close.

The next day at elimination, the spotlights come up to reveal Molly and Brittani with super short haircuts that truly highlight their faces.  Molly looks a lot like Chynna Phillips a la Wilson Phillips era with longer bangs in the front and an asymmetrical cut along the back.  Brittani has a really short pixie do that reminds me of Audrey Hepburn. 

Tyra looks stunning in a gorgeous red gown and expresses her excitement at their new looks.  The panel consists of Andre Leon Talley, Nigel Barker, Tyra and Jay Manuel.  They reflect on the performance of both girls and the judges go back and forth about who they feel would be the best candidate to win.  The judges feel that Brittani is romantic with an emotional soul and that Molly is young, fresh and new. 

The judges deliberate some more and Tyra then announces that Brittani is America’s Next Top Model!  Molly expresses her sadness about not winning, says she is happy for Brittani and says her first order of business is to take a nap and eat a pulled pork sandwich!  Brittani talks about how it doesn’t matter where you come from or how you are raised, you can do anything that you set your mind to.

And so ends this enthralling cycle of America’s Next Top Model!  I can’t wait for the All Star edition; I will announce all of the contestants later this week!!!

Stay tuned!!!

Till next time my Glamazons!

Cecilia J

THREE IS ALWAYS A CROWD…

Hello fashionistas!!!

Only one more week till the spectacular finale of Cycle 16!!! Can you stand the wait?  Last night’s episode saw the competition heat up for the three remaining girls as Brittani, Hannah and Molly geared up for the last few challenges before three became two. 

                 

Brittani starts off by celebrating Alexandria being sent home and talks about the excitement of being in the final three and the possibility of winning the competition.  Both Hannah and Molly also talk about how they deserve to be America’s Next Top Model.  Looks like this will be an epic battle to the finish! 

Mr. Jay arrives the next morning and shows the girls a tape of Lara Spencer from ‘The Insider’ issuing a challenge to each of the girls to conduct a 90 second on-camera interview in a Moroccan marketplace about beauty products.  The girls are then given a choice of three beauty products to choose from as the main topic of their piece.  Brittani chooses henna, Molly chooses black kohl and Hannah chooses argan oil.  Mr. Jay explains that he would like the girls to cover the three W’s - where, what and why in their interviews.  Each girl goes off to their respective stores to do their research, find interview subjects and practice before they go on air. 

Brittani has trouble finding anyone who speaks English to be her interview candidate and ends up finding a local merchant to be her subject.  When she starts her interview, we see that she begins well, but then walks away from the camera to go outside and find the merchant on the street.  The camera races to follow her only to record her asking questions that allow one word answers and the interview gets cut off as she runs overtime. 

Molly is very strong, knowledgeable and easy going on camera and to everyone’s surprise, performs extremely well.  She drops her ‘camera face’ a little too soon and ends up saying her performance was horrible while still on air. 

Hannah talks about her previous journalism experience and feels that it will give her an edge in this challenge.  She ends up rambling and not allowing her interviewees to talk and then runs out of time.

Mr. Jay declares Molly the winner and tells her the interview will air on The Insider.com!  I have to say I was really impressed with her poise during the interview; she was confident, charismatic and sleek. 

The next day Tyra joins the girls in their apartment and they all have a good old cry fest.  Each girl opens up about her vulnerability and they share their deepest fears with Tyra.  Tyra gives hugs all around and talks about how she sees a part of herself in all of them. Tyra tells the girls that perfect is boring and encourages them to use their differences as an asset. 

Tyra informs the girls that she will be taking pictures of them, as well as doing their make-up and hair.  She quickly makes designs out of black eyeliner on each model’s face and snaps shots of them.  She advises the girls about the importance of making isolated movements and shows them all how to move their hips, neck and head.  She then takes the girls upstairs to dance with some local entertainers and they all wear shriner’s hats with long strings attached and whip their heads around madly for fun! 

After a dizzying display of dancing, the next day brings them back to the desert for a photo shoot with Nigel Barker. Nigel tells the girls that they will have to come up with a narrative for their shoot and that they will be wearing Moroccan wedding attire and posing with a male model named Younes Tazi.  Younes is exotically handsome and definitely crush worthy, but none of the models seem to be able to find any real chemistry with him. 

Molly is the first be photographed and is wearing a stunning white overlay with gold detailing.  She talks about using Younes as ‘her prop’ and doesn’t want him to move around too much while she works.  Molly has a difficult time, but manages to pull off some great shots.

Hannah struggles with trying to take the aggressiveness out of her face.  Because she is  determined to get a good shot, it doesn’t translate well onto film and she comes off looking angry.

Brittani immediately finds it challenging to show any kind of intimacy towards Younes and ends up bursting into tears while being critiqued by Nigel and Mr. Jay.  She does end up with some great shots in spite of her penchant to be overly emotional at her shoots. 

As a side note, Younes can model with me anytime…does anyone know the price of a plane ticket to Morocco?

Just before elimination Tyra talks about how she had to get sewn into her dress because her zipper broke. I have decided I now need a personal seamstress, oh wait, I have my mom for that! J

Tyra announces that Ivan Bart, Vice President of IMG Models will be joining the judging panel for this elimination.  The judges think that Brittani took some nice shots, but can sometimes be difficult to photograph. Hannah’s shots are determined to be too over the top and Molly is dubbed a great photographer’s model in that she can sense what poses will look interesting.  In the end it is our fair, fresh-faced Hannah who goes home, while Molly claims victory for her beautiful shots. 

Tyra lets Brittani and Molly know that they will be filming a commercial, getting their Beauty In Vogue and Covergirl spreads shot and walking in a Vivienne Westwood show for the finale.  How fabulous is that?  I am soooo excited to find out who will win!

Join me next week for our last episode recap and an announcement of the All Star cast for Cycle 17!!!!

Until next time my Glamazons!

Cecilia J 

“I HAVE VERY GOOD POSTURE AND A VERY BIG HEAD…”

ANNOUNCING AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL LIVE 2012!!  TORONTO’S NEWEST CONSUMER FASHION AND SHOPPING EVENT FOR THE FUN, FIERCE AND FABULOUS!!!!

It’s official!!!  America’s Next Top Model Live is coming to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on May 4 – 6, 2012!!!!  Get ready for the ultimate fashion, beauty, modelling and shopping event of the year!  I am your inside ticket to the creation of what is sure to be a fixture on your social calendar! 

For those of you who are already fans of America’s Next Top Model, the fabulous Miss Tyra Banks and all things fashion, this will be the place for you to rest your heels and contemplate the television fixture that is ANTM.  You will surely know all about looking good H2T (Head to Toe), putting on your best SMIZE (Smiling With Your Eyes) and being as FIERCE as you possibly can!  As for the rest of you, jump right in, the water is warm and you do not have to watch the show to be interested in immersing yourself in a wonderful weekend of retail therapy, beauty advice and the Top Model experience!

Hello faithful watchers of ANTM!!!

Two weeks till the finale of Cycle 16, can you stand it?  Wednesday’s foray into Marrakech, Morocco brings us to the girls’ apartment and Hannah’s assessment of each of the remaining four models.  She describes Alexandria as a California surfer girl with spice and believe me when I tell you that if looks could kill, Hannah would be toast!  Clearly Alexandria didn’t want to be lumped into that category!  Hannah then says that Brittani breaks boundaries because of her trailer park background and that Molly is scary (she seems to agree on this point) and that she herself is the girl next door. 

Miss J breezes in wearing ravishing red and takes the girls to tea with none other than the editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue, Franca Sozzani.  Franca looks at all the model portfolios and advises the girls to use their personalities and whatever attributes they feel insecure about to fuel their negatives into a positive.  She tells them that even if they don’t win, they should not be intimidated to start their journey now.

After meeting with Franca, the girls are introduced to a stunning dancer named Noor Talbi who seductively comes into the room with a tea tray on top of her head.  She talks about how this exercise takes great balance and dexterity and that the girls must roll their hips while teetering the tray up above.  The girls all take their tea trays and try to make it work, but Brittani and Hannah have some trouble getting into the groove.  Alexandria then states that she has very good posture and a very big head, so she feels super confident that she will be able to win the challenge.  After practicing, the girls are informed that they will be demonstrating their skills that night in front of a live audience.  Back at the apartment, Hannah tries to practice balancing a tray while changing her clothes!  Don’t try this at home…it seriously doesn’t work! 

At the restaurant, Miss J informs them that they will not only be balancing tea sets, but also lit candles!!!  I foresee a MAJOR hairspray fire coming on here!  Luckily, nothing came of it, just a few fallen candles and broken egos.  Hannah tries to ‘maybe do the wave’ but it ends up coming across as an awkward movement and doesn’t look good.  Molly naturally swears up a storm as she trips on her skirt and everything falls. Alexandria manages well until the last moment when she drops the tray.  Alexandria labels herself as being very memorable and thinks that even with the drop, she has nailed it.  Brittani is stunning and elegant and comes out on top of the pack.  Brittani wins a catwalk coaching session with Miss J and chooses Hannah to go along with her.

The catwalk coaching session shows Hannah’s weak walk and Brittani’s fierce abilities. 

Miss J really has his whole runway walk down….he has major attitude when he struts and it really works!

ANTM Live Buzz:  Get runway coaching at America’s Next Top Model Live!!  Head backstage and get trained from runway professionals before going out on the open catwalk to show us what you’ve got!

After the session, all the girls head into the market to eat and find themselves at a local restaurant that specializes in goat.  Now, I have had goat before, but not quite in this fashion.  The girls bravely chow down on goat brain, while Brittani immediately spits out hers, describing it as squishy, gooey and yucky.  Unfortunately, even the slight taste of goat seems to make Brittani feel sick and she goes into the following day’s challenge feeling slightly under the weather. 

The next day brings the girls to Medina, the largest outdoor market in Morocco and there they meet Mr. Jay and Daniella Issa Helayel, who dresses Scarlett Johansson and Kate Middleton.  Daniella informs the girls she will be styling them for the shoot.  Mr. Jay then introduces famed photographer, Friedemann Hauss, who will be taking their photos. 

Hannah is first up in a stunning purple gown. She is almost unrecognizable in a twisted braid piled on top of her head and dark eyeliner.  She has a hard time getting her expressions just right and Friedemann comments that he finds her ‘too posy’.  Molly does well and is described by the photographer as being modern and good for editorials.  Alexandria comes across as too controlled and keeps sporting what can only be described as an angry look.  Brittani tries her best despite feeling sick and has to model in the rain.  She is really fierce and able to manipulate her body into some very interesting angles.

At elimination, Molly wins best pic and Brittani comes in a close second.  Hannah and Alexandria are left waiting to hear who gets to move on.  In the end, Alexandria comes up short and the model who brought a lot of drama and fantastic photo shoots gets sent home.  Hannah breathes a sigh of relief and gets to see another day in the modelling jungle.

I’m calling it now, let’s see if I’m right, I think Molly is going to take the whole thing, but I am rooting for Brittani.  I just love her cat-like qualities and being a brunette myself, perhaps I am a little bit bias!

Well there you have it my lovelies…another girl down and two more to go!  Soon we will crown America’s Next Top Model!!!  

Till next time my Glamazons!

Cecilia J

“It’s so not America…”

ANNOUNCING AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL LIVE 2012!!  TORONTO’S NEWEST CONSUMER FASHION AND SHOPPING EVENT FOR THE FUN, FIERCE AND FABULOUS!!!!

It’s official!!!  America’s Next Top Model Live is coming to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on May 4 – 6, 2012!!!!  Get ready for the ultimate fashion, beauty, modelling and shopping event of the year!  I am your inside ticket to the creation of what is sure to be a fixture on your social calendar! 

For those of you who are already fans of America’s Next Top Model, the fabulous Miss Tyra Banks and all things fashion, this will be the place for you to rest your heels and contemplate the television fixture that is ANTM.  You will surely know all about looking good H2T (Head to Toe), putting on your best SMIZE (Smiling With Your Eyes) and being as FIERCE as you possibly can!  As for the rest of you, jump right in, the water is warm and you do not have to watch the show to be interested in immersing yourself in a wonderful weekend of retail therapy, beauty advice and the Top Model experience!

Hello my fashionistas! 

This week we arrive in the land that Alexandria aptly describes as being ‘so NOT America’ and find the girls in a beautiful Moroccan marketplace surrounded by spices, monkeys and cobras.  I think my favourite moment of this episode comes courtesy of Brittani, who reminds us that she lives in a trailer and hasn’t seen much beyond her own walls.  While the girls are wandering around checking out the scene, Brittani is stunned to see snake charmers lulling cobras into a trance.  She quickly notes that back home when they encounter a snake they ‘kill it, skin it, eat it and then hang the skin on the wall.’ 

After a tour of the marketplace, the models are whisked off for a traditional Moroccan lunch and then find themselves at Villa Amir, where they meet Andre Leon Talley and a fabulous couture designer named Nourredine Amir, who makes clothing that has incredible sculptural details.  Each girl tries on different dresses with distinct features, such as cone like structures and thick shaped materials.  Kasia gets teary eyed, as the designer has to go through the bulk of his collection to find a dress that fits her fiercely real body.  She makes the best of the dress she is in, but definitely has a hard time realizing that she may have a challenge in the high fashion industry. 

Much to Andre’s dismay, Alexandria walks in her couture gown sporting white ankle socks!  Andre tells her to go and take them off immediately and later commends Kasia as being the only girl who was smart enough to carry a pair of heels around in her purse…just in case.  Brittani rocks her walk and comes out on top in this challenge.

ANTM Live BUZZ:  Do you want your turn to be in the spotlight?  Come down to ANTM Live and strut your stuff on our Open Catwalk.  Put your best heel forward and maybe you can be the next great talent!   

After the girls get shown to their apartment, which is decked out in Moroccan splendour, they find themselves in the middle of the scorching desert with Mr. Jay.  For those of you who caught the episode, I loved Jay’s spectacular leather jacket, how sleek was that?  Jay has yet to have a fashion mis-step.  I just hate the fact that he is prettier than me! 

Mr. Jay introduces Michael Woolley, who is a top photographer and Michael informs the girls that they will be modelling Berber, traditional costumes and European sophistication…all while riding a camel!  Molly immediately cops an attitude and says that she will have to ‘pretend to not be a b#@$, like [she] really is’. Despite the bad attitude, she manages the most stunning shots of the day.  Brittani also excels and Hannah impresses with her varied and daring poses standing up on the camel and engaging in gravity defying stances.  Both Alexandria and Kasia have a very difficult time and can’t communicate the right feel in their shoots. 

During judging panel, Molly gets the win and we are left with Alexandria and Kasia facing elimination.  Sadly for me, another one of my favourite girls goes home and Kasia packs her bags and loses her chance to be America’s Next Top Model.  For me she represents so much in terms of her overall beauty inside and out and unfortunately fell victim to lack of faith in herself.  So from five we go down to four and the remaining contestants are Brittani, Alexandria, Hannah and Molly.  Next week looks interesting because I am pretty sure I saw the girls eating goat brain.  I think I might not eat before watching next week’s offering from ANTM!

What is your take on the elimination?  Did you see Kasia being a contender?  Drop me a line and let me know! ctement@nationalevent.com

Until next time Glamazons!

Cecilia J