What beats becoming a contestant on Australia's Next Top
Model? Becoming Australia's next top model in real life.
That's how Brisbane schoolgirl Myf Shepherd dealt with
missing out on a place in this year's season of the reality TV
show. Fresh from a whirlwind debut on the international scene, in
which she modelled for Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Gucci and
Prada, Shepherd said she was glad she was not chosen for the Foxtel
show.
"I stayed in a real model apartment and I could hardly bear it,"
she says. "But staying in one house with all those girls and the TV
cameras running all the time?"
The runways of New York, London, Milan and Paris threw up
unexpected challenges, not least of which were sheer creations. "It
was kind of weird. I was 17 and I had quite a lot of see-through
tops. I was like: my parents are going to be looking at this. It
was kind of embarrassing."
Shepherd, who is represented in Australia by Chic, flew back to
Sydney last week, just in time for year 12 exams. Then it's back to
New York to try her hand at editorial work and big-name campaigns.
"Before I started modelling, I had no idea what I wanted to do.
It's quite lucky it has come along and given me something to do.
I'd really like to be a writer and artist, but that's not really a
steady income. I think I'll need modelling to supplement it."
This year's Australia's Next Top Model winner, Demelza
Reveley, landed an international campaign for Ferrero Rocher
chocolate last month and was "still getting her book together",
said her agent, Priscilla Leighton-Clarke.
Sarah Murdoch has been confirmed as the next host of
Top Model, replacing Jodhi Meares.