From the trailer park to the front of the catwalk!
Nineteen-year-old Brittani Kline, a student from Beech Creek, Penn., was named America's Next Top Model on Wednesday's cycle 16 finale, beating out Molly O'Connell for the season's title.
"You can do whatever you want if you just put your mind to it. I was really close to giving up, and it just proves don't ever do that, because right when you're about to give up, something really, really great happens," Kline, who detailed her upbringing as a "trailer park kid" on the show, gushed after her win. "I'm an IMG Model and a CoverGirl, and everything I've done has finally paid off!"
For her efforts, Kline will score a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl Cosmetics, a contract with IMG Models, a spread in Vogue Italia, and a cover and spread in Vogue Italia's beauty mag Beauty in Vogue.
Praised by judge Jay Manuel for having a natural "it factor," runner-up O'Connell quickly let her emotions get the best of her during the finale episode.
"I'm so stressed out because if I do one thing wrong, I'm going to lose," O'Connell said as she and Kline completed one last Cover Girl photo shoot and walked in a Vivienne Westwood salon-style fashion show. "I'll be pissed if I don't win and I'm afraid that might happen. There's a lot of pressure on me."
When the winner was announced, O'Connell — who gained an edge during the fashion show after Kline took a nasty spill — was stunned.
"I wanted this really badly, and I failed at the one thing I wanted to do. I'm happy for Brittani. I wish her the best," O'Connell said, adding that "the first thing I'm going to do when I get home is take a nap and then eat a pulled pork sandwich."
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By Allison Corneau for UsMagazine.com. For more Channel Surfing, click here.
