Models bring sexy back

This summer, cycle 8 of Britain and Ireland’s Next Top Model aired on Sky Living, featuring many exciting challenges and photo shoots, including a shoot with tarantulas, walking on CN tower, and posing with naked male models. During the series, twenty contestants were whittled down to one winner. Anita Kaushik was the contestant labelled as the dark horse of the competition, starting off weakly but improving rapidly every week, gaining approval from the judges, and finally reaching the final episode, coming third place. I spoke to Anita to find out her views on the competition, modelling and the fashion world.

Maya Kaushik: Hi Anita. How has it been for you, going from being relatively unknown to being viewed by many people from their living rooms every Monday night?

Anita Kaushik: Hi! It’s been absolutely crazy, from just being a girl from Southampton that no one knows to getting recognised in Tesco’s and on nights out and people wanting pictures! I love it though, shows how dedicated the fans of the show are and if it wasn’t for them I’d have no support!

MK: How much contact have you had with the other BINTM contestants since the show?

AK: I still speak to most of the girls from the show and still see the ones that live in and around London. Lisa and I still keep in contact Skyping regularly! I’m in the process of trying to persuade her to move to England!

MK: Who was your favourite and least favourite judge on the show and why?

AK: I think my favourite judge had to be Tyson. He was always really supportive of me and seemed to have my back right from the start even when the other judges might have not believed in me. I really liked Julien as well; he always put a smile on my face. I wouldn’t say I disliked any of the judges because they all brought something different to the panel, but I think out of all of them I had the least support from Whitney. Not that she didn’t like me, I just think she was indifferent as to whether I was in the competition or not.

MK: Would you say you have a particular fashion style, and what made you choose it?

AK: I wouldn’t say I have a particular style but I like to think I keep up with fashion styles. I sometimes wish I was a bit more adventurous with trying out different styles but I will always make an effort because it makes me feel good when I think I look good!

MK: To any aspiring models out there, have you learnt any tips in modelling technique that could come in handy?

AK: The best piece of advice that Elle told one of the other girls was to always believe in yourself. If you went up to them in the elimination room looking defeated then the judges had really no reason to keep you in the competition. And if you say you don’t like your picture, how can you expect anyone else to like it? So the best tip I can give is to always be confident, because in this industry it’s better to be over-confident and for people to believe in you than to be under-confident and for people to not want to give you a chance.

MK: What would you say are the best and worst aspects of the modelling and fashion industries?

AK: The best thing is you never know where you’re going to be and what you’re going to be doing in the future. This industry is so different to anything else and I love the fact that now that I’m full time modelling, I never know whatmy schedule is week to week so it never gets boring! I think the worst aspect is there is a lot of rejection. People who aren’t sure of themselves and take criticism to heart shouldn’t be in the industry because you will always face it. But then you just have to think, even Kate, Giselle and Adriana would have come across some kind of rejection in their life! And even though there is rejection, when you get jobs and people request you for jobs it’s the best feeling!