‘Next Hot Model UK – 2014’ chooses backdrop for their annual photography shoot

Next Hot Model UK is an increasingly popular talent-scouting venture to discover, nurture, and mentor male and female modeling talent who are over 16 years of age and provide them with an inroad into the extremely demanding fashion industry.

Next Hot Model UK – 2014 chose the beauty of the Seychelles Islands as the backdrop for their annual photography shoot.

Scouting heats are held over a 4-5 month period in over 10 cities and towns along the south coast of England, a process which in 2014, attracted over 1,500 aspiring model entrants in what is a totally free to enter and win competition.

Next Hot Model UK is run in partnership with founders Fatosh Kalan and Simon Darcy Abbott in collaboration with model agency PRM London and a selection of key media and product partners.

The 2014 edition climaxed on June 6 at the Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel in a much-anticipated Grand Final Catwalk Show where the top 15 male and top 15 female models were given the chance to strut their stuff in front of the UK’s media and fashion heads. These included Paulo Ribero, founder of PRM London; John Bruce of C4’s The Model Agency; Alex Proud of C4’s Four Rooms; Electric Hair founder Mark Wooley; Fatosh Kalan; Lizzy Bishop, founder of Brighton Fashion Week; and Sherin Naiken, CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

After the Grand Final 2014 – a night of VIP glamour and spectacle and one of the biggest fashion events on the south coast – the winners, Mr. Robert Loydell, and Miss Daisey Boote, secured coveted exclusive management contracts with top model management company PRM London after which they were whisked away on the trip of a lifetime to a photo shoot in Seychelles with top fashion photographer, Darren Black.

At their disposal for the shoot was a selection of top hotels including the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa on exclusive Silhouette Island, Praslin Island’s Indian Ocean Lodge, and the Berjaya Beau Vallon Beach Hotel on the principal island of Mahé, as well as a fairy tale trip to three hotels and four amazing island venues, including fabulous La Digue – the island where time stands still.

Total pampering and luxury were the order of the day for the two lucky models during their 7-day stay, as they soaked up the ambiance normally reserved for the rich and famous: 5-star hospitality in lavish surrounds offering the best of the best; world-class international and local cuisine accompanied by a selection of mouth-watering cocktails against a backdrop of sublime, world-beating beaches; and divine sunsets and adventures to discover the vibrant local culture, meet the locals, and get a taste of Seychelles’ unique island-style living.

“I entered Next Hot Model because I had been interested in modeling for a while, and I was really trying to get into it properly, so a friend of my mum’s suggested I enter the competition. Winning it was obviously amazing and life changing,” enthused winning model Daisey Boote, “and getting to go to Seychelles was incredible; it was by far one of the best weeks of my life! I learnt so much whilst there. We got treated amazingly by the Tourist Board, and I’m so happy with the pictures we got! It really is paradise!”

On the series of fashion shoots that took place in a variety of stunning locales, clothing was supplied by various companies including two main event sponsors, RTH London and Café Bleu USA, plus items by up-and-coming, Brighton-based fashion designer, Atosa Nikkhah. South-coast-based high fashion store Mottoo Clothing also came on board with pieces from Paul Smith, Rough Justice, and Dead Legacy. Makeup and hair products supplied by Beyond foundation and Electric Hair rounded off an amazing array of high-end products for the team to use while on location.

Male model winner, Robert Loydell, had only praise for the competition that brought him to the islands and for the islands themselves: “I also couldn’t have asked for better people to spend the trip with as everyone was so nice and a real joy to be with throughout. I wish I could have stayed there for another few weeks and can’t wait to be able to visit the Seychelles again at some point in my life – it definitely was the trip of a lifetime!”

Seychelles is a much sought-after destination, not only for the unparalleled beauty of its nature, land, and seascapes, but also as a setting for films, high-end adverts, and even major feature films such as Thunderbirds, Pirates, and the steamy Emmanuelle, shot on La Digue in the mid-70s.

Seasoned photographer, Darren Black, the fashion photographer behind the lens on this shoot, knows only too well how unique the setting is. “The trip was a dream – the Seychelles islands are a perfect location for amazing tropical backdrops. The Creole folk couldn’t have been any more accommodating. This truly was an exceptional job, and I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to shoot there with a fabulous team.”