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They may have learnt to strut, pose and smile but no amount of training could disguise the crestfallen looks of the 11 contestants who didn't win the Cadbury Dream Model Search last night.
After walking the runway in daywear, underwear and evening wear, the 12 finalists waited nervously while the judges deliberated.
14-year-old Elle Gibson of Whangarei - the competition's youngest finalist - walked away the winner, and with it claimed a year's modelling contract with Trump Model Management in New York.
Back stage, a delighted Gibson said she was thrilled to have won as she hugged her fellow competitors, who struggled to hold back their tears of disappointment.
The evening marked the end of a long process for the finalists, who first auditioned two months ago alongside 900 other hopefuls.
Publicist Jo Bell said it was a closely-run competition and she was confident that several of the finalists would go on to have successful modelling careers.
17-year-old Chloe Hame of Lower Hutt was named first runner-up, followed by 15-year-old Kathleen Cooney of Napier who was second runner up.
