HER WORLD: covers SUPERMODELME.tv

EVELYN LECKIE CROWNED She came to Singapore as a wide-eyed 17 year old. Then, Supermodelme.tv happened. And Evelyn Leckie had to deal with giant squids, frog-catching, reverse bungees, Zorbing, wearing a bikini at a wet market…and as a testament to how young they start ’em in this industry – a photoshoot wearing nothing but a G-string. Her sweet nature earned her the thumbs up from most viewers and the votes from Her World readers (click to see video). But what of her “posing” skills, considering this is a modelling competition? Well, with the judges constantly raving that they couldn’t believe she just barely started modelling (at a hair show, no less), is it any wonder Evelyn finally grabbed the crown away from the seemingly more experienced Christabel and the often overlooked Kathlene?

At the Zouk finale (click here to see photo gallery) on 22nd August, we finally got to see Evelyn and the rest upclose. All 10 girls strutted their stuff in different segments. Christabel did her thing in the runway challenge with a walk that will soon bring her to London Fashion Week. And after hearing her honest confession about her body insecurities on the show, Kathlene’s pose-off in a bikini with some very hot male models made us feel like proud parents. Was this really the body they criticised for having baby fat? Take that, judges! In the end, Evelyn took away the great prizes, including a $10,000 FEVO Mastercard which she assures us, she’ll spend on her education. And that goes to show she really deserved to win.

MODEL BEHAVIOUR With the competition finally behind them, the top-3 – Kathlene McKinney, Christabel Campbell and Evelyn Leckie – visit the Her World office to tell us what really went on behind the scenes. Evelyn Christabel Kathlene

On why they joined the competition Christabel: My agency told me about the show, and I thought it’d be good for my career. And this would be the fastest and easiest way to add to my portfolio. Kathlene: I joined with my agency and I thought that the show would let me know if I wanted to do modelling or not. Evelyn: My agent sent a digital photo of me from a hair show that I did straight to Karen (Seah, founder of Refinery Media). I got in which was a big surprise. On the one thing they would like to change after watching themselves on TV K: I would stop trying to get in front of the camera because I was terrible in front of it. E: Remember that karaoke day? I went a bit over-the-top because Rebecca Tan was there. I was over-confident because I wanted to complete the task but I think it was too much. C: I kind of wish I self-censored a little bit. I mean, I didn’t really say that many things but I wish I didn’t reveal so much of myself, even though it was supposed to be a reality show. On the toughest part of the competition C: Just being comfortable with myself because I tend to be a bit more reserved and introverted and I might appear a bit uptight on camera. My challenge was learning to loosen up and be more real. So because of that, after I watched the show I thought that I shouldn’t have bothered trying! K: I’m not used to following orders. I get really worked up and that caused people to get stressed with me and not like me. E: I felt the hardest part was the beginning when we first arrived. I was so homesick because I haven’t been away from home for that long with nine different strangers! Our phones were taken away and I felt I couldn’t cry or anything because the cameras were in your face. But the friendships we made made things better. On living with other girls 24/7 C: Horrible. Like never again! K: The best part was that if we wanted to talk to somebody, there’d be somebody to talk to. If we wanted to borrow something – like if someone got their period, you could say ‘hey, do you have a tampon?” If it were guys, they’d be like ‘what?’ And it wasn’t bitchy at all, everyone was pretty friendly. E: By the time we got into the house, we all just felt like friends from school. It was hard living in another country but I guess everyone helped us to deal with our homesickness. On whether the challenges helped them C: Some did, some didn’t. E: Maybe the frog one really helped us… K: The bikini at the wet market definitely not. C: We actually kicked up a really big fuss when they told us about it. I really didn’t see the point in that one! E: And we felt pretty bad for the aunties and uncles and children. K: Yeah, everyone was in their pyjamas! Kathlene on bikinis and being skinny in the industry They kept telling me to lose weight. They said ‘you still have baby fat on you’ and I’m like ‘I’m 17, you know, what do you want me to do?’ It was actually a really, really big thing for them. That was pretty difficult for me but I can understand, because in this industry you got to be really skinny. Which I don’t know if I want to be anymore? For the bikini shoot – because they kept telling me to lose weight, of course I was going to feel uncomfortable, especially with cameras around. But for the finale show, I wore pretty much a thong, all over these guys! Christabel on being an Asian face in Fashion You guys are a local magazine and you know what kind of models you hire. Because of that, I primarily did runway because they’re slightly less picky about runway. Runway’s more about skills and not skin colour. It was difficult and it’s still very difficult. I think Karen has just attempted to change the industry, but it’s not going to change just because of one thing. It’s going to be a long process. I would love to stay here and change the industry, but it’s not gonna happen, to be honest. Evelyn on coming out tops I know my friends helped me out with the voting but I was very surprised I won. When I first got accepted into the show, I thought that I’d be back in a week because I was certain I’d be the first person to go. So, it was a real big surprise to stay till the end. As for the $10,000 prize money, normally I spend money once I get it. But I think I’m going to save for something special, like my education. On their future plans E: I’ve been accepted to UWA in Perth, but I’ve deferred for this. Maybe halfway through next year I’ll start, depending on how well this is going. C: I would love to be a journalist. However, I want to travel now and the easiest way for me to do that is to stick to modelling and try something different. I’m going to do that for another year. I’m going back to London after this, for London Fashion Week in September and also just to model in general because I would like to travel and live somewhere else. K: I would like to do interior design in the future. But I don’t know where I’m going to be in a month – Vietnam, Thailand or Singapore because it depends on my dad’s job. I would still like to model but I’m going to study first and have something to fall back on.

CIARA SCHMALFELD: MIS-UNDERSTOOD? Ciara was singled out on the show as an outcast. But as we found out, there was more to her story than what we saw.

On comments made by the other girls on the show I haven’t watched the show but I’ve heard some of the comments made by the other girls, mostly through one of my girl friends. From what I’ve seen and heard, they weren’t uncalled for. I’m pretty okay with them.

On why she under-performed I had a lot of issues going on back home (in the US) that I didn’t tell people about. My friends were like ‘you were very outgoing, and you just stopped.’ And I agree – I was outgoing at first but things just started wearing me out. I did want to do the competition, I wanted to make it far, but I don’t think I gave 110% because my confidence was shot. I was emotionally, mentally and physically drained. So if I could go back and do it all over again now, I think I would do a better job. I feel a lot better and healthier and a lot of things have been settled back home.

About the Asian Models would they date U when they go home

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About the SUPERMODELME.tv  Models

CIARA SCHMALFELD, America (Native American/Japanese/German)
Age: 22
Height: 1.73m
Language Spoken: English
Interests/Hobbies: Modeling, bargain hunting, traveling and snorkeling
Profile Intro Video

HELEN SWALE, Australia (Australian/Filipina)
Age: 20
Height: 1.78m
Language Spoken: English
Interests/Hobbies: Going to the gym, modeling, netball, fitness, socializing and reading
Profile Intro Video

KATHLENE MCKINNEY, Britain (Irish/Thai)
Age: 17
Height: 1.71m
Language Spoken: English
Interests/Hobbies: Traveling, dancing, shopping
Profile Intro Video

YUEN SZE JIA, Malaysia (Chinese)
Age: 22
Height: 1.8m
Language Spoken: English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Malay
Interests/Hobbies: Playing the piano, drawing and basketball
Profile Intro Video

EVELYN LECKIE, Australia (Australian/Chinese)
Age: 17
Height: 1.8m
Language Spoken: English
Interests/Hobbies: Dancing, music, shoes, learning French, music festivals and Thai food
Profile Intro Video

ANNA SYUHADA, Malaysia (Malay)
Age: 22
Height: 1.75m
Language Spoken: English and Malay
Interests/Hobbies: Sports, listening to music, reading magazines
Profile Intro Video

EMILIA SOH, Singapore (Chinese)
Age: 20
Height: 1.78m
Language Spoken: English and Mandarin
Interests/Hobbies: Fashion, tennis and reading
Profile Intro Video

JENNY FUGLSANG, Sweden (Swedish/Korean)
Age: 20
Height: 1.77m
Language Spoken: English, Korean, Swedish, a little bit Spanish
Interests/Hobbies: Modeling, traveling, painting, gossiping with my friends, partying and dancing, working out and reading magazines
Profile Intro Video

CHRISTABEL CAMPBELL, Singapore (Chinese/Indian)
Age: 21
Height: 1.78m
Language Spoken: English and Mandarin
Interests/Hobbies: Reading, traveling, food and culture
Profile Intro Video

FIONA THOMAS, Australia (Sri Lankan/Indian)
Age: 23
Height: 1.73m
Language Spoken: English and basic Japanese and Italian
Interests/Hobbies: Modeling, travel, fashion, swimming, business, shopping and animals (especially cats)
Profile Intro Video