Seventeen-year-old Swiss model Julia Saner became the newest titleholder of the World Elite Model Look in finals last Sunday in Sanya, Hainan Province.
Saner momentarily froze when she heard her name announced the winner. “I failed to respond when the host called my name till the girl beside me gave me a nudge and firmly said to me, ‘it’s you.’ Then it dawned on me that I was the winner, Saner who stands 1.8 meters tall and whose vital statistics measure 80-61-90.
The prestigious Elite title catapults Saner into the center of the glamorous world of fashion modeling. Her prize includes a $100,000-worth modeling contract, an opportunity to be on the cover of top international fashion magazines and a chance to work with some of the best photographers in the industry.
Saner cannot wait to walk down the catwalks of New York, Paris and Milan, but first she plans to complete her formal education. “To be a supermodel is my dream. I realized the first step was winning the competition, but I think I should finish my studies first before puttig more effort into my modeling dream,” she said.Runners-up at the Elite contest were Caterina Ravaglia, 15, from Italy; Mano Pieto, 16, from France; and Emilie Smith, 15, from Great Britain.
Increasingly younger competitors have become the trend in international modeling contests. At this year’s Elite pageant, the oldest participant was 21 years old and the youngest 14. “The trend of younger competitors doesn’t mean the fashion worls becoming younger. On the contrary, it has become more mature,” said Alain Attia, the executive president for Elite Model Look International, the pageant organizer.Seventy models from more than 60 countries and regions took part in the finals, which were judged by a panel of the world’s top fashion expertsincluding Maurizio Galante and Felipe Oliveira Baptista.
