NEW YORK — While fashion often markets a world of fantasy, this year, Ford Models will highlight its five days of activities leading up to its Supermodel of the World Contest in a TV documentary, rather than focusing on the contest itself, as it has in previous programs.
WNBC is creating a one-hour taped special for “Jane’s New York,” slated to air Jan. 22 at 7 p.m., which will follow the 45 finalists, selected from 60,000 entrants, from their arrival in New York through walking lessons, fittings, photo testing, a fashion show, an after party and a photo shoot for a Lycra trade ad the day after the fashion show, which will be held on Jan. 12. Lycra is one of the contest sponsors, a roster that also includes Calvin Klein, Lands’ End and Diesel.
The runway show — in which the 45 finalists ages 14 through 21 will model —will be staged here at The Tunnel.
“Over the past 20 years, events that look more like beauty pageants have lost [ratings] share versus reality-based events,” noted Ford Management’s chief executive officer, Katie Ford. The supermodel contest, which is designed to provide exposure for the new model — and the Ford agency — has been televised for about 10 of the 25 years the event has been held, Ford said.
The Supermodel of the World Contest was created, Ford said, as “an organized way to find talent around the world — places like Ukraine and Lithuania, where people walk into a department store and submit a photo.” Such locales, Ford added, are places the agency is less likely to otherwise discover a supermodel.
Last year’s winner, Nataliya Gotsii, hails from Kiev, Ukraine and has appeared on the runway for such collections as Gucci, Diane von Furstenberg, Valentino, Jill Stuart, John Galliano, Costume National, Christian Lacroix, Luella and Carolina Herrera, as well as in magazines such as Allure, Japanese Vogue and Italian Vogue.
This year’s entries, from 45 countries, entered the contest either by dropping off photos at department stores, posting digital pictures online, or participating in events broadcast on local TV. Marshall Field’s handled submissions in the U.S., accepting photos at its department stores and Web site.
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New York is host for this year’s contest for the second straight year and third time overall, said Ford, who projected approximately 700 people will attend the fashion show, including fashion designers, advertising executives and beauty industry members. Previous shows have been held in China, the South of France and the Dominican Republic.