Toronto's next top model

Toronto's Next Top Model was broadcast as a segment of "CityTV's" "CityLine" television program, in association with "CHUM Television". Airing in May, 2005 this spin-off of America's Next Top Model aired as two mini-segments on "Cityline's" "Fashion Friday" spot. Ten aspiring models were selected from over 1,000 applicants and judged on live television, competing for the title of "Toronto's Next Top Model." To promote the connection to America's Next Top Model, "Cityline" invited fellow Canadian, and stylist extraordinaire Jay Manuel as a guest to the final episode.

The winner was decided by three high-profile fashion industry professionals, and influenced by an online vote open to the Canadian public. The judges were: Elmer Olsen (Elmer Olsen Models, "the Model Maker"), Ceri Marsh (Editor in Chief, FASHION), and Lisa Rogers (one of Canada's first top international models, now a consultant on CityLine).

The winner, Lisa Caroline Leung, 24, of Toronto, Ontario, walked away with a modeling contract from "Elmer Olsen Models", the chance to model on "CityLine", a fashion shoot with Gabor Jurina, one of Canada's top fashion photographers, and a spread in the 2005 summer issue of "FASHION" magazine.

Lisa was the first multiracial person to ever win any of the "Top Model" competitions or competition spin-offs. This relates to Toronto's diversity. Known as one of the most racially-diverse cities in the world, Lisa therefore is a good representative of a Torontonian, and indeed of Canadian culture.

References

* [http://www.cityline.ca/events/torontosnexttopmodel/ Official CityLine website: winner announcement page]
* [http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l92/happyhapa2006/FASHIONjune2005v4.jpgFASHION magazine, Summer 2005, pg.114]