A local girl will soon be vying for the top spot among 16 fellow models for the 2012 ITM Glamour Model competition happening next Thursday.
Sixteen-year-old Angela Marks was scouted along with 15 other girls and eight boys to land a gig with the modelling agency that could win her a trip to China for a fashion show.
Angela began trying out for modelling agencies last year with limited success.
"That was when I first started modelling, so I wasn't good at anything and I was really self-conscious," she said.
It wasn't until she met Charles Stuart, a talent agent who discovered Coco Rocha, that he suggested she enter Faces West, a three-day modelling convention where the next big talent is sought. That convention helped her gain connections to other events.
Her breakthrough came via a Facebook competition called Vancouver Street Fashion where she placed third. Since then her opportunities have snowballed.
When she applied for the ITM competition there were 500 initial hopefuls. She survived the first round of cuts down to 80 applicants, and then learned she had made the short list of 16 girls who would participate beginning April 2.
"I call it a boot camp, but it wasn't, it was more fun," she said.
Each year, ITM selects a group of models to work with the industry’s top directors, designers, photographers and makeup artists in six weeks of intensive training, taking part in photo-shoots, interviews, workshops, special events and fashion shows.
Everything she's learned since then will be performed June 7 in front of hundreds of spectators and judges from China at the Glamour Finale Show in River Rock Casino, Richmond, with proceeds from the event going to the BC Cancer Foundation.
Angela said it feels good to be (unofficially) representing Mission.
"I like it because people will be like, oh it's Mission, a little farm town, they're not meant for modelling. So when I walk out there I kind of prove everyone wrong," she says giggling.
But Angela says Missionites can make it big, citing the fact that her principal, Larry Jepsen, is the father of smash pop sensation Carly Rae Jepsen.
Despite the reputation of skinny models from years previous, Angela says she won't need to starve herself to win because the industry has changed.
"They like the healthy look. Not anorexic or skinny."
Visit itmmodel.com and vote on contestant hopefuls (Angela is model number three in the girls) though the results have no bearing on the finale. You can also follow Angela Marks on Twitter, @angelmarks1.