Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Models' both come out on top


Special Guest Blogger Monique reviews the Top Model final for The Extra Source.

The Australia’s Next Top Model finale held at Luna Park last night saw Perth born Tahnee Atkinson come out on top. Victorian, Cassi Van Den Dungen was more popular with the judges, however the public’s votes won it for Tahnee and she became the fifth winner of Australia’s Next Top Model.

Three out of the four permanent panel of judges that appeared on the show each week, Sarah Murdoch (host), Jonathan Pease (stylist), and Charlotte Dawson sided with 17 year old Tahnee for the reason she is beautiful both inside and out, she's professional and is highly dedicated to a modeling career.

Both Sarah and Charlotte were both concerned that Cassi may not be in the right head space to begin a career as a model. The other remaining judges, Russell James (photographer), Claudia Navone (fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar), Priscilla Leighton Clark (model agent) and Alex Perry (fashion designer) chose Cassi because of her ‘it’ factor and Cassi’s potential for the world market.

The one disappointment of the show is the public vote (which is not done in America’s Next Top Model) which ultimately decided the winner. Yes it's a reality show, but it's a reality show that the winner gains great privileges from the win like modeling representation and makeup contracts. I don’t agree that it should be left up to the public who represent a popularity vote rather than a professional one and it is obvious the professional modeling world and the judges that represented it Russell James, Claudia Navone, Priscilla Leighton Clark and Alex Perry wanted the winner to be runner-up Cassi. Although Cassi didn’t come out on top in last night's finale, Charlotte Dawson has revealed on The Morning Show that Cassi has already scored a New York modeling contract.

So despite whom you wanted to win, whether it be Tahnee or Cassi, it's good to know you don’t need to win a reality competition to make a career out of it.