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Modelinia’s morning started off bright and early with a trek downtown to meet the 10 finalists from the Victoria’s Secret Model Search.
But there was no room for complaining, as we learned the girls had only 20 minutes to prep themselves for our arrival—not to mention cameras and a mess of press people. It’s all part of the boot camp they’ll be working through to compete for the chance to walk in the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Since this year the show will take place in New York, it only makes sense that the girls would live in the city as well. They were flown to the city on November 3rd and put up in a fabulous high-rise apartment building, complete with a roof deck, four pools, library, billiard room, screening room, and fitness area. Modelinia met the 10 finalists—Catharina Lee, Raven Ervin, Tika Ivezaj, Krystina Holbrook, Jamie Lee Darley, Kylie Bisutti, Allison Turner, Courtney O’Connor, Katelyn Fortes, and Alicia Hall—at their new pad in the Financial District.
“I think I’ve been ready my whole life for this competition,” said Alicia, an online contestant who is 24 and from Las Vegas. “I’ve watched all the shows. When VHS was popular, I was recording them over everyone’s tapes in my household. My dad would pop in a VHS and the Victoria’s Secret lingerie show was on. I’m sure they didn’t mind it!”
While Alicia entered online, Allison, 23, from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, actually took a seven-hour road trip with her mom in order to make it to the last casting day in Chicago. “It was well worth it in the end.”
Hers wasn’t the only story of insane travels. Courtney, 20, from Raleigh, North Carolina, had to sell a few items in order to make it. “I went to a consignment store and sold half my wardrobe, lots of big-ticket items to buy my $400 ticket to Chicago,” she said. “It was well worth it! I would wear the same outfit for the rest of my life for this opportunity.”
But while the stories all varied, one fact was similar for all: This is the chance of a lifetime. “It’s the one thing in your life that gives you that burning passion and the feeling you’re on top of the world,” said Jamie Lee, 23 from Carmel, California. “That’s when I knew—when I had that feeling.”
Weekly webisodes will air on VSAllAccess.com and CBS.com starting on November 9 at 3 p.m. And make sure to vote for your favorites—because the public will actually decide the winner!
