From the catwalk to the tube, some celebrities do it all
For top models, couture bags and designer shoes as accessories are out. But luckily for TV viewers, clip on microphones and teleprompters are in.
The new fashion statement for top models is to walk their long legs away from the runway in front of the high fashion world, and strut their stuff onto television sets in front of millions of viewers.
Ex-Victoria’s Secret model and Cover Girl Tyra Banks has become a television phenomenon.
Banks is the creator, executive producer and host of the CW hit reality show “America’s Next Top Model.” The show features aspiring models that compete to win a modeling contract by participating in photo shoots and challenges. Banks and the other judges then determine the winner.
Banks also has her own talk show, “The Tyra Banks Show,” which premiered in 2005. The show covers many topics, with most of its focus on issues facing women today.
Banks recently tied together her two shows on Wednesday Feb. 20th, as the 10th season of “Americas Next Top Model” premiered. The same day, the guests on her talk show were 11 of the most memorable girls from the past nine seasons who were there to discuss the competition and reveal insider secrets.
After asking 25 women all around the CU campus, 19 of them said they have either watched at least one episode of “America’s Next Top Model,” and some said they had watched an entire season.
Banks has modeled all around the world, and according to her website, she began modeling when she was only 15 years old.
According to TV.com, Banks was the first black woman to be on the covers of GQ, Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Edition and the Victoria’s Secret Catalog. Banks also appeared in campaigns for huge companies such as Nike, Pepsi, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana.
Evan McCune, a sophomore philosophy major, said she believes Banks is using her celebrity in more ways than just being a model, and she is good at selling herself.
“I think that her shows are good,” McCune said. “I respect her, and there are a lot of models that do not get their own TV shows. She knows that she’s marketable. Not only her looks but her personality are marketable and she knows the American public is fascinated by her and she is able to act on that.”
Current Victoria’s Secret model Heidi Klum has also turned to TV, hosting the top-rated show “Project Runway” on Bravo.
“Project Runway” is about 15 fashion designers who compete in challenges making all different kinds of garments for their models. They must work with a limited budget and a set of rules about the amount of time and the type of materials they can use to complete each challenge. They are then judged by Klum and other fashion industry judges such as Michael Kors, who decide which designer should be kicked off the show each week. The final three contestants get to create their own collection to be shown at New York’s fashion week.
Klum is in her fourth season of the show, which is currently showing on Bravo.
According to the “Project Runway” website, Klum has worked with many magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, Jane, Cosmopolitan and Sports Illustrated. She has also done campaigns for American Express, Liz Claiborne, Target, Volkswagen, Nine West and many more.
Erin Markley, a senior psychology major, said she likes “Project Runway” because she learns new things.
“I love Heidi Klum because I learn a lot about models and fashion,” Markley said.
These models have also become famous not only from their fashion careers and their new shows, but from their taglines. “You’re still in the running towards becoming America’s next top model” and “You’re either in, or you’re out” have put Banks and Klum both in, and on the top, of television.
Carrie Krieger, a sophomore pre-communications major, said she enjoys watching their TV shows, but believes their real success is from modeling and not from being a television host.
“I’m obsessed with “Americas Next Top Model” and “Project Runway” with Heidi Klum,” Krieger said. I feel like they’re famous because of their other profession- modeling. Just like singers becoming actors- these wouldn’t normally be good TV hosts. I think this new fad that these untouchables have become real and are on TV is interesting, it’s what America likes to watch.”
Models Niki Taylor and Tyson Beckford also have become a hosting pair on their own Bravo reality show competition called “Make Me a Supermodel.”
Their show has a different concept than other modeling shows because each week, the bottom three contestants are put up for elimination, and then America gets to vote by phone and choose who they want to stay.
The show has both female and male models competing with each other. The models all live in a house together, and do runway and photo challenges working both with one another and alone. Judges Taylor and Beckford help these models along the way by giving criticism and advice.
According to Taylor’s official Web site, she was a Cover Girl, the youngest model to appear on the cover of “Vogue” and has been on over 400 magazine covers.
According to TysonBeckford.org, Beckford worked as the lead face of Ralph Lauren’s Polo line of male sportswear in 1993, and appeared in on the pages of GQ, Esquire, Men’s Health, Vogue and Vibe, among many others.
Beckford also appeared in music videos such as Britney Spears’ “Toxic.”
Another top model that has stepped in front of camera is Petra Nemcova, who was the host of “A Model Life” on TLC.
The show follows six new models in their quest to get signed to the NEXT modeling agency. Nemcova acts as their friend and mentor through the process, talking about her own life experiences and giving advice to the girls.
Nemcova has modeled for Victoria’s Secret, Sports Illustrated and many more campaigns. She was injured in the 2004 tsunami in Thailand. After the life-changing experience, she created the Happy Hearts Foundation for disadvantaged youth.
Models are becoming more than just pretty faces, venturing out to new endeavors and walking on a different runway.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Melanie Cohn at Melanie.Cohn@colorado.edu
