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Top Billing meets the team behind Top Model SA
Top Billing hits the runway with Top Model SA
Known as TMSA, Top Model is the biggest platform for new models to be discovered in South Africa. The winners walk away with management contracts at top model agencies, an editorial spread with a leading, international magazine, and a portfolio by top photographers.
The event is the brainchild of Suzette Marais who wanted to give talented local youth a platform to advance in their careers. This year’s event saw models compete in three major categories, namely Fresh face, Runway and Body of the Year.
Adding to the glamour of the evening, five proudly South African designers created a range of collections to offer each model the chance to show their look, walk and standout personal quality to the fashion industry.
Entries are open to anyone and professional scouts travel the country to find that special, undiscovered talent, with those who make it travelling overseas to pursue exciting career prospects or to compete further.
With contestants from every corner of the land, some having been scouted for the first time, there was a genuinely supportive atmosphere along with a healthy competitive spirit among the models backstage.
The competition’s body positive attitude and move towards awarding body beautiful winners was applauded by an industry ever in need of new looks. Mia Louw, the winner of Fresh Face, says that this creates opportunities for models who don’t fall within the stereotypical requirements of weight or height for models.
She wasn’t the only winner of the night though, and in the title competition Michael Benevolent and Bianca Mbabaso were crowd favourites and took the runner up spots.
As for the top prizes John-T Nelson and Clara Lubbe were surprised to hear their names called, while the judges knew they were it based on their personalities and skills.
Where past years saw only two go through, smart, industry-focused thinking has now turned Top Model SA into a launch-pad for six or eight new careers, each year.
