Model X

Available for over a year

Every year thousands of young girls, inspired by social media promoting the lavish modelling lifestyle, come to Paris Fashion Week dreaming of walking the catwalk for a big designer brand. Only a few will succeed. In Paris, aspiring models have to adjust to rather spartan conditions: from sharing a flat with strangers to moving around an unknown city all alone and surviving on a mere 80 euros a week. Despite their best efforts to get a job, most of the girls will leave Paris with empty pockets. Former model and now BBC journalist, Alina Isachenka, follows 17-year-old schoolgirl Anna Vasileva from the city of Nizhny Novgorod in Russia on her challenging journey through tough competition and over-demanding casting directors to the top of the fashion industry. (Photo: Anna Vasileva)