Elite New Face

This is a look back at the 28th World Final 2011 during which 65 girls from all over the world came together in cosmopolitan Shanghai for a high-fashion model bootcamp. Photographers, stylists, judges and agents from Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, London, Milan and more come together to simultaneously teach and evaluate the models. In this episode we get familiar with the contest and understand what it takes to become a top model. We are also introduced to some of the key players including Head Stylist at Elite Model Look, Jerry Ng, Director of Elite Model Look France, Victoria Da Silva, and President of Elite Model Look and one of the most powerful women in modeling, Michaela Goddard-Quesada. Faced paced and highly stylized, including an exclusive performance from Kylie Minogue, this is the perfect way to set the stage for the 29th Edition of the Elite Model Look Competition.

We start our global search for the Elite Model Look winner for 2012 in the UK. We all know British supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell but a UK contestant has never won the EML World Final, can they do it this time? The pressure is on. Elite UK CEO Michelangelo Chiacchi is determined to find the next winner of Elite Model Look. His team, Martina Kobesova, Head of Scouting, and Elite Scout, Leah Hibbert, will leave no stone unturned on their quest... We follow them all over the country as they track new faces wherever they might appear -- from a muddy outdoor festivals to the London Tube. What makes a good modelling scout? "You never stop working." After an intensive search and rigorous selection process our lucky 12 take to the runway for a chance to represent Great Britain in the World Final. Who will it be?

Now that we have a UK winner, it’s time to fly South and discover our Spanish finalist. Spain has participated in the Elite Model Look contest for over 20 years and the competition is credited with the discovery of legendary Spanish models such as Nieves Alvarez and Ines Sastre.
We follow Director of Elite Spain, Gael Marie, and his team as they cast youthful girls and guys from all over the country. Gael explains, “First and foremost we are looking for a physical presence, height and attitude. Then what makes a model stand out is her personality.” Victoria Da Silva, Director of Elite Model Look France, is also on hand to evaluate the potential and confer with Gael.
This year the Spain final will be held during 080 Barcelona – one of the most dynamic Fashion Weeks in Europe.
At the end of the episode we go to the winner’s home, and catch up with her as she celebrates her win with family and friends. The next day she packs her bags and prepares for the next big step....the Elite World Final in China...

En route for Milan, where the Elite team is putting on its biggest Elite Model Look contest ever. The stakes are high. After all the trouble they have been through, did they find a model that will make the Italian fashion industry proud?
We meet with Marcella Di Marco, the event organizer. It’s her first time at the wheel and the stress is running high. After an exhaustive online search and a huge live casting in Milan, they have narrowed it down to 35 girls with the help of Elite Model Look director Victoria Da Silva. Who will make it to the final?
The lucky 12 go through an intensive 3 day model bootcamp where they are taught and mentored by Leonardo, Director of Elite Italy, Head Booker Cristine, and their team of stylists and hair & make-up artists.
The long-awaited final is held at the very cool Segherie venue in the center of Milan in front of an audience of demanding fashion professionals. Michaela Goddard Quesada has flown in to give her opinion – it is a tough choice but at the end of this wonderful display we have a new winner. We get to know her & her family as she share her hopes as she prepares to represent Italy at the World Final.

Next up, France, the heart of fashion and home of Elite Model Look. France has a long and storied history of fashion and modeling, and the French Elite Model Look team a great track record discovering top models, the latest success stories being Constance Jablonski – the new face of Estee Lauder – or Sigrid Agren, a CHANEL muse. Last year’s winner , Josephine (left), is already the ‘it-girl’ having signed exclusive deals for Celine and Calvin Klein. Who will be the next Josephine?
We’ll have insider access to the contestants, scouts and judges and capture the emotional nature of competition from early castings, all the way through model boot camp.
Accompanying us through the journey is Victoria Da Silva, Director of Elite Model Look France. With 20 year in the industry, Victoria has seen beauties come and go.... What makes a top model? For Victoria, it’s not just about beauty. “It’s the personality and the charisma that counts. The girls need to be motivated and passionate. They need to quickly understand the rules of the game, our role is to evaluate their behaviour and judge if a young woman can make it to the top, or not.”
We follow Victoria and her team of scouts as they embark on an ‘Elite Beach Tour’, trawling the beaches of South France to find the next big thing – and then setting up live castings all round the country. We follow the girls as they arrive in Paris with their families for the model bootcamp and French National Final. For some, it’s their first time in the capital, and the pressure is mounting. Will they be ready in time for the French Final?

We drop in on the most impressive national final of the Elite Model Look calendar: the French Final. Held under the iconic Louvre Pyramid, at the Louvre Carrousel, it's one of the best fashion venues in Paris. It is an intimating venue in front of an intimidating crowd.
Tonight the life of one of these 12 lucky girls will change forever. We will share their doubts, stress and passion as they prepare backstage for the event. Director of Elite Model Look, Victoria Da Silva, helped by Maria, the show's choreographer, make everyone remembers what they have to do: 'Hit that spot and give the audience your best hero shot' As each of the girls walk the runway, we cut to flashbacks of their first casting and witness the transformation they have been through.
It's a tough choice once again. Michaela Goddard Quesada argues it out with Vick Mihaci President of Elite Model Management Worldwide and Guest Judge Star Photographer Patrick Demarchelier. It's the quirky girl versus the classic Givenchy beauty... who will they choose?
As soon as the winner is announced, it's camera flashes and press interviews all the way. Everything goes very fast and our winnerÍs beaming parents can only share their girlÍs joy from afar. But there's no time to breath; tomorrow holds her first fitting and fashion shoot. We catch up with the winner and her family as they adjust to the changes and prepare for China.

Now that we have met some of our key contestants it’s time to fly to China for the Elite Model Look World Final of 2012. Contestants, agents, and a stellar cast of top models converge for the biggest casting event in the global Fashion Calendar.
The search for Elite’s new faces has taken us on a whirlwind tour across Europe, discovering Gillian Matthew from Scotland, Amparo Lazarro from Madrid and Sara Santoro in Milan and the last stop Paris unearthing Marilhea – all of these girls are now on their way to the World Final in Shanghai, China.
We will follow their emotional journey from departing the airport to arriving in Pudong…and then right through the entire intense model bootcamp where the girls will be put through their paces by Elite’s crack team of experts – from photographers, catwalk trainers and stylists – all training the girls in the world of fashion and modeling… the cameras will be with our four girls as they see the venue for the first time where in no time at all they will be taking to the catwalk in front of a live audience of a thousand of fashionistas. For the first time this year Elite will fly in its most successful top models, such as Noemie Lenoir, Michaela Kocianova and Ming Xi to provide the girls with personalized guidance on everything from diet to working the catwalk.
Will our four girls make the coveted prize of the top 15 or will one of them win the entire contest and be given chance at stardom & a professional contract with Elite Worldwide?….
The narrative of this episode will come from both the girls experiences, as they undergo huge transformations but also driven by the Elite Agents perspective, in particular Michelangelo Chiacchio who will provide invaluable insights into what defines beauty and what the key looks rocking the fashion world will be….
The episode will finish as the girls get ready backstage for the biggest night of their lives, the World Final…

It’s the big night and everyone is gathered backstage in Shanghai’s iconic Cultural Theatre . All our favourite contestants are here, including the winners of the national finals in the UK, France and Spain. The big question is: after 10 days of hard work will the girls be ready to share center stage with their idols?
Behind the scenes tensions are high as girls hope against hope to win this competition of a lifetime. It’s madness backstage, it’s such a huge fashion show, everyone is running madly between sets and the girls watch on the feedback screens special guest stars Jessie J as she vows the crowds. Our three Elite top models give them valuable last minute advice and show them why they are superstars in the industry...As the show progresses, the stakes get higher, 70 contestants become 15, then there are three – and finally our winner.
At the end of the night, there is joy… and there are tears! Elite President Michaela Goddard-Quesada is there – to congratulate the winners, to comfort the runner-ups backstage, to re-assure each girl: “You are all winners.”
The top 3 contestants have just won Elite Model Look but they have no time to bask in their glory. Tomorrow is the biggest assignment of their brand new career: a fashion shoot for ELLE Magazine in China.
We follow our winning girls as they adjust to their new status, running between interviews with fashion media outlets, photo shoots with big name photographers and publicity appearances. We’ll get to know them a bit more, we’ll relive their journey so far, how they were discovered and share their highlights from this incredible experience. Thanks to our unique access to the internal judging process we’ll have great coverage of our winners’ story. It’s a bitter sweet victory as they bid farewell to their fellow contestants – and reality starts to kick in; they’ve made it but not all of their friends are along for the ride. It’s their first taste of what their new life may be. They can only begin to imagine what this glamorous new world entails, and they realize the hard work around the World has only just begun.

Two months ago they won Elite Model Look World Final, now the top 15 finalists are already walking the runway at top shows during Fashion Weeks in Paris, London & Milan!
We catch up with our girls, past winners of Elite Model Look 28th & 29th edition as they embark on their first Fashion Week and try landing their first solo assignments. It’s hard work – from the outside it looks glamorous, being ferried from castings to fittings for the likes of Givenchy and Dior. The reality is less glossy: the hours are exhausting, the waiting is long, and at the back of everyone’s mind there’s always a tension: will be cast for the show, and who will be sent back to the hotel?
For some of them, it’s straight to the top, with appearances at shows like Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen. It’s a surreal experience, eight weeks ago they were learning the catwalk in China, today they are strutting down the runway alongside their top model idols. They take snaps of Marc Jacob backstage to share with their friends back at home. We share their amazing experience from hotels to backstage and give our audience an incredible look into the real life of international fashion models.

It’s the big night and everyone is gathered in the architecturally acclaimed stage venue in Guangzhou – the rising star among China’s mega-cities. All our favourite contestants are here, including the winners of the national finals in the UK, France and Spain. The big question is who – if any of them – will be tonight’s big winner.
In the audience is CEO of Elite UK, Michaelangelo, he has high hopes for tonight – but have his scouts picked this year’s winner? Victoria Da Silva is backstage, keeping calm even as the girls lose their nerves and costumes go awry. Head Stylist Jerry Ng is there, ensuring that each and every girl on stage looks her best, they must look like winners even if they aren’t.
For a few magical moments the girls forget their nerves as Jessie J, the British pop performer fresh from wowing the crowds at London’s Olympic games, bursts on to the stage. For the girls, sharing the stage with this inspiring pop star is already a dream come true.
In among it all is Elite President Michaela Goddard-Quesada, a cool beacon of professionalism. Michaela wants each girl to shine, she has a hug for anybody in need of it, but this is business and she wants this year’s winner to make it big time. She’s looking for the next Super Model – the next Gisele, the next Naomi, the next Cindy, and she wants to see that girl tonight, on stage. Who will it be?