Africa’s most beautiful vie for top title

Cape Town - Oluchi Orlandi, one of Africa’s most successful models, touched down in Cape Town this week ahead of the final round of judging a bevy of hopeful beauties vying for the title of Africa’s Next Top Model.

Auditions for the reality show, which have seen Orlandi and a team of scouts and producers travel across the continent, ended at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Thursday.

The requirements: that contestants be at least 1.7m tall and bring along lots of personality.

The final leg of the show will be filmed at locations across the city over the next six to eight weeks.

Orlandi says when it comes to beauty, there are many versions. “There is the obvious physical beauty, which counts for a lot. But there must be an inner beauty, a combination of the physical and personality.”

She describes the show as a “revolution” for young women on the continent.

“If you’re a young African woman, unless you’re in a very powerful position, you don’t really have a voice. Our young women are raised differently, and confidence is not something this continent gives you.

“But as soon as you put something on TV you create a voice. This show will be their voice,” says Orlandi.

The Nigerian model shot to fame at 17 years old when she won the M-Net Face of Africa competition in 1998. She was awarded a three-year modelling contract by Elite Model Management and moved to New York. After finishing her contract, she signed with DNA Model Management.

The Next Top Model franchise was started in the US by supermodel Tyra Banks and the show is known for drama, catfights and floods of tears.

In its 22nd season, it has been reproduced in 38 other countries, but this is the first time it has come to Africa.

In the past two months the team has been to Joburg, Mozambique, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Angola, and women from other parts of the continent were able to send in online applications.

When these closed, the figure stood at 7 000.

Contestants stand to win a contract with DNA Model Management in New York and a cash prize of $50 000 (R492 500).

Model scout and producer Maria Arrington says she lost count of the number of women who showed up for auditions. In each of the countries there were several elimination rounds and the group was eventually narrowed down from 600 to 300, then 100 and finally the top 20.

While she is mum on the location of the Top Model house – except to say that it would be somewhere in the city with a spectacular view – Arrington does hint at the probability that there will be challenges on Table Mountain, in the Bo-Kaap and at the beach.

She says because the city has a circus school, they may work a trapeze act into the challenge.

Arrington says all of their expectations have been exceeded so far and reality put paid to any preconceived ideas they had of what they would find in Africa.

“There are so many beautiful women. But they are going to be in a house full of other women, so a strong personality is a must. You need to bring your fire or the others will run you over,” she says.

Arrington says while there are certain requirements for the contest, all types of women came to audition.

“Some of them were 1.5m and still showed up. I love the enthusiasm,” she says.

Orlandi says the journey across the continent made her realise that for some, opportunities of any kind are few.

“Some women came to the auditions not knowing what it was about. Only that it was a great opportunity,” she says.

Orlandi says she had a difficult time when she first entered the fashion world, as there was no guidance and she had to learn things as she went along.

So she assures contestants that they will be in good hands.

“They will not be exploited. They are in the right hands, and they must take advantage of that.”

While Orlandi says she “would not do this show anywhere else but in South Africa”, she plans to travel between Cape Town and New York during filming to be with her six-year-old son.

“Motherhood balances me out. It keeps things in perspective, knowing that you’re responsible for someone else. Motherhood is a really beautiful thing, and I wouldn’t change anything about it,” she says. Orlandi, who towers over most people at 1.85m, is married to Italian designer Luca Orlandi.

The show will air on DStv in November/December and SA Tourism, which has partnered with Africa’s Next Top Model, is excited about the initiative.

“For us to host this show in South Africa really is a coup for us as a country and a credit to Orlandi,” says SA Tourism director Thebe Ikalafeng. - Cape Argus

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