While many teenagers dream of becoming the next top model it wasn’t a career that Elaine Harris had ever really considered. But that all changed three years ago when a friend asked her to model as a bride for the front cover of a photography brochure.
Aged 33 and having recently given birth to her daughter Nina, Elaine, from Dundee, couldn’t believe it when the picture went on to win competitions.
“That gave me the confidence to apply for Top Model UK – although I didn’t tell anyone!” Elaine, now 36, smiles.
Up against 4000 other entrants, she was shocked to make it through to the finals.
“Although I didn’t win, the media loved my story and the fact I was not a teen and that I was breaking all the normal rules in the modelling industry to start my career at 33,” she says.
Since then Elaine’s career has gone from strength to strength. She has debuted at London Fashion Week where, she says, she was double the age of some of the girls on the catwalk; had front covers in USA, Norway, Dubai and Canada and her pictures have been used in campaigns in Europe, America and Australia, and she’s been in constant demand for media interviews.
“I have also been signed as the face for a new luxury yachting company www.glideryachts.com and that will take me to places like Cannes, Monaco and Dubai,” she says. With boats starting at £1 million, their tagline is: ‘To get you from Monaco to Cannes in half the time without spilling your champagne.’
But there’s a lot more to Elaine than just a pretty face and she has proved her determination to give something back. Not only did she run the London Marathon for Top Model to raise money for children with cancer but last Christmas she made a present run for children’s charity Castelos Do Sal in West Africa and has since made another trip.
“I used to live in the Cape Verde islands and I return at least once every year,” says Elaine.
“On my first trip after having my daughter Nina, I found out about the charity and for the next couple of trips I took out toothbrushes and toothpastes.
“Castelos Do Sal is a fantastic hard-working donation-run charity that helps 52 vulnerable kids aged between six and 12. It’s a place where they can go for guidance, food, a wash and most of all where they can be safe and take part in the many activities the charity run,” she continues.
“I also found the project helped me teach my daughter that the world did not revolve around her – she helped me pick out all the presents and I felt she learned more about the true meaning of Christmas.”
While Elaine was out there she discovered the charity desperately needed very basic items like flip flops, clothes, pants and toothbrushes. She ran a campaign through Facebook and also through Mattocks Primary School in Angus asking for money donations and clothes.
“The money goes such a long way,” says Elaine. “A £5 donation can buy all the basics for one child and I’m amazed by people’s generosity.”
Not only has she reached her target but she has also managed to get a large amount of crafting equipment, biscuits and games for the children.
Elaine recently experienced life on the other side of the catwalk when she was chosen to be a judge for the finals of Top Model UK, the competition that launched her career.
“It holds a very special place in my heart and I am so grateful for all the opportunities it has given me,” she says.
“The standard of the models this year was very high so it was an intense experience to choose the winners,” she recalls. “And I knew exactly how nervous the contestants were feeling!”
She explains that having model looks is no guarantee for success as it’s how the models walk on the night that counts.
“The contestants have three walks to impress, each scored out of 10,” she says.
“I was looking for a confident, slow, precise walk with the angle of their heads, how relaxed their shoulders were and the position of their arms all scoring points. In the self-styled beach wear walk I was looking for creativity, effort and individuality,” she continues. The event also allowed her to indulge her passion for clothes.
“Abig part of the weekend was being able to see all the beautiful clothes from the different designers,” she beams. “I adore clothes and I loved deciding on my three different looks for the three shows.
“My feet still hurt from dancing the night away on the catwalk!”
www.topmodeluk.com
www.castelosdosal.com
