Student doesn’t let height hold her back, auditions for ‘America’s Next Top Model’

February 14, 2013 | Features, UToday, — Languages, Literature and Social Sciences
By Samantha Watson



At 5 feet 3 inches tall, Lauren LaFerriere is well below even the shortest height of most female models. But that isn’t stopping her from auditioning for “America’s Next Top Model.”

LaFerriere

LaFerriere

LaFerriere, a 21-year-old junior majoring in communication at The University of Toledo, has modeled for countless photo shoots and fashion shows since her freshman year of high school. Now she aims to become a contestant on “America’s Next Top Model,” a reality TV series on the CW where women compete to begin their professional modeling career.

“I want to be on the show so that I can learn from the best and so that I can win,” LaFerriere said in her audition video. “But the main reason why I really want to be on the show is so that I can someday make a difference.”

In America and Canada, the average height for women is 5 feet 3 inches tall, while in South America the average height is even shorter — only 5 feet 1 inch. LaFerriere said she wants to make it onto the show to show that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

“You don’t have to be this certain type, certain figure, certain anything to be a model,” LaFerriere said. “I’m going to try and make that stance no matter what happens, even if I don’t make it on the show.”

LaFerriere’s audition video can be seen at utole.do/utnexttopmodel. The first callback for the show is in the third week of February, and the video already has garnered more than 7,000 views.

“Some people just do it because it’s fun or some people will do it because they like the end product,” LaFerriere said. “I do it because I’m an artist … The ultimate form of art to me is modeling because I’m not just using my hands and I’m not just using my eyes; I’m using my entire body.”

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