ANTM Crowns First Full-Figured Model
Last night was the season finale of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ – where the first full-figured model won the competition. 20 year old Whitney from Atlantic Beach, FL was excited and just a little surprised that she was crowned the winner of the 10 season of ANTM.
“There’s definitely times I’ve looked in the mirror or at other girls and thought that I wasn’t like them — always being judged and thinking, ‘Am I different? Is there something wrong with me?’” said Whitney after her victory.
“No. I do feel good about myself and I want other women in America to feel good about themselves. I honestly think that girls will look up to me and say, ‘I can do that. I can be that. I don’t have to starve. I don’t have to have plastic surgery. I can really be like that. I can be on the billboard. I can be on that magazine cover. Why? Because I’m beautiful — on the inside out.’ I have breasts, I have hips, I have a butt — and I am so proud of those things. I am here and I am me. I’m not going to change myself.”
Whitney won a management deal with Elite Model Management as well as a cover story and six page fashion spread in the July issue of Seventeen magazine, and a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl.
“It feels amazing to be America’s Next Top Model,” added Whitney. “This is exactly what I want. This is exactly everything that I ever wanted since I was a little girl.”
The runner up in the competition was Anya who showed potential in her pictures and the honest way that she presented herself – but in the end Whitney delivered the energy that the judges were looking for.
“I’m going to go back home and I’m going to cry,” said Anya. “I’m proud of myself. I may not be America’s Next Top Model, but I have my whole career ahead of me.”
The final project that the two had to do was a photo shoot for seventeen magazine and a Roman runway show where they features some of the top designer dresses with other models including last year’s ANTM winner – Saleisha.
Unfortunately Anya did not bring her energy to the walk that the judges were looking forward to seeing. Instead they believed that Whitney had earned the spot and dubbed her the winner.
“This should not be called plus-size or full-figured,” said Paulina. “This should just be called beautiful.”