0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to Russia...
0:00:04 > 0:00:06That's how cold it is, look.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09..the largest country on Earth,
0:00:09 > 0:00:13and home to nearly 150 million people.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Growing up as a kid in the '80s in London,
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Russia was painted as this weird big baddie.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25Now with Vladimir Putin well into his third term as president,
0:00:25 > 0:00:27it's starting to feel like that again.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29NEWSREADER: Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine...
0:00:29 > 0:00:33- Vladimir Putin has ignored the dark warnings from the West. - There's going to have to be
0:00:33 > 0:00:36a very different relationship between Britain and Russia.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39The West has imposed tough sanctions against Russia.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Russia is responsible for the violence...
0:00:42 > 0:00:45And relations are the frostiest since the cold war.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50But this hasn't stopped an army of young Siberian models
0:00:50 > 0:00:52invading the West.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56And while the catwalk and magazine demand for these girls grows,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59I'm here where it all starts - at the castings.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03My name is Liza. I'm 13 years old. I'm from Siberia.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05The dream starts young...
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Some of these girls are as young as 13!
0:01:07 > 0:01:09..very young.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15With thousands of Russian children starting model training
0:01:15 > 0:01:17almost as soon as they can walk.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22But there's a darker side to the dream.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34If I were a parent, I don't know what I would do.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39The right and the wrong is just so blurred.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44So I'm going to find out just what it takes to make it in the West
0:01:44 > 0:01:46and leave Siberia behind.
0:01:58 > 0:02:03At over 9,000km long and crossing eight time zones,
0:02:03 > 0:02:07the Trans-Siberian railway is the longest in the world.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15And the coldest -
0:02:15 > 0:02:19temperatures here can drop as low as minus 60.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21That's how cold it is, look.
0:02:21 > 0:02:22You feel that?
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Siberia is so huge that if it were a country,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29it would be the biggest in the world.
0:02:31 > 0:02:3550 times the size of the UK but with around half of the population,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38most Siberians live along this rail route.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45So this is the train that model scouts from all over the world
0:02:45 > 0:02:48must take in search of fresh new Siberian faces.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Hey, how you doing? I'm Reggie, what's your name?
0:02:52 > 0:02:55- Tako.- Tako?- Tako.- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58- So where exactly are you from? - Tokyo.- Tokyo?- Yeah.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00And how many girls are you expected to find
0:03:00 > 0:03:01in the time that you're here?
0:03:09 > 0:03:12- Yeah.- Yeah.- So what is it you're specifically looking for?
0:03:22 > 0:03:24I haven't introduced myself to you either. Sorry, I'm Reggie.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- Hi, I'm Kate. Nice to meet you. - Hello, Kate. Nice to meet you.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32So why here? I mean, this is so far away from home for you.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36- Girls.- No, what specifically? What type of girls?
0:03:45 > 0:03:49So you're looking for someone who feels and looks younger?
0:03:55 > 0:03:59In Britain, children aren't allowed on the catwalk until they're 16.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03And although girls younger than that do model for magazines,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06the Asian market specifically looks for the youngest faces.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15The first stop on the model tour is the industrial mining city of
0:04:15 > 0:04:21Krasnoyarsk, 3,000 miles from Moscow and a world away from the UK.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24In Soviet times, Siberia was where political prisoners
0:04:24 > 0:04:26were sent to die.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29A few decades later, and it's not how I imagined it.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33As a kid growing up in North London,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36when you think of somewhere like Siberia, you just imagine this huge,
0:04:36 > 0:04:41vast, sort of massive land with mountains and snow and nothingness.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43But the bit that I'm in right now,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45it could very easily be somewhere in the UK.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48You know, there's literally tower blocks everywhere.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51We very easily could be in Peckham.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58And this is where the glamorous life of a Siberian supermodel begins -
0:04:58 > 0:05:01at a casting organised by local agencies
0:05:01 > 0:05:03for the visiting talent scouts.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09And coming to a casting like this really can pay off.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Natalia Vodianova was discovered
0:05:11 > 0:05:14selling fruit by the side of the road in Russia.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18Now she's a millionaire supermodel.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20But this is the first step -
0:05:20 > 0:05:23standing next to naked in front of strangers.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27I don't remember the last time I felt this awkward.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30I think it might have been the time when I stayed at my mum's
0:05:30 > 0:05:33and I found my little sister - who I'm convinced is still
0:05:33 > 0:05:36nine years old, even though she keeps telling me she's 19 -
0:05:36 > 0:05:37when I found her bra.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41It was the weirdest feeling I think I've ever had,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44and that is now being sort of gazumped
0:05:44 > 0:05:48by what I'm feeling right now, because just over my right shoulder,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51there's a whole heap of kids,
0:05:51 > 0:05:55and they're in pants and bras.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59But then I see something that really takes me aback.
0:05:59 > 0:06:00Whoa.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Whoa.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18They're all so young.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29I didn't expect there to be this many people,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32and I didn't expect them to be this young.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36It looks like everyone here is about the age of, I don't know,
0:06:36 > 0:06:3815, 16 tops.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Then the director of Noah Models arrives.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Tigran Khachatrian has been running casting sessions
0:06:44 > 0:06:46like this for 20 years.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51As if these girls weren't standing up straight enough already,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54there's suddenly been a bit of an atmosphere change in here,
0:06:54 > 0:06:59because there's a guy that everybody is shaking hands with.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03- Hello. Hello, Reggie.- I'm Tigran. - Nice to meet you, Tigran.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Could you explain your role today?
0:07:05 > 0:07:10Well, the role is to select girls, primarily for ourselves,
0:07:10 > 0:07:14to send all across the world for them to work.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16There are many young girls here.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18And what sort of numbers are you expecting today?
0:07:18 > 0:07:22Uh, I expect to find about ten to 15 girls here.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Out of how many turning up? How many are you expecting to arrive?
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Probably 100. A lot of them have great potential.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32The critical part is the character.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36Most Russian girls, OK, they're like Ferraris without engines.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39But when we start working with them,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41we put those engines in,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45try to make that an awesome car. HE LAUGHS
0:07:45 > 0:07:47I'm going to start calling you the mechanic
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- for the rest of the day.- We're the mechanics for these girls.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Tigran's right-hand woman, Anna Yuzhakova, is running today's event.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59She personally manages over 100 girls, working all over the world.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Bless them, on their cards they've got their name and their age.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19My name is Liza. I'm 13 years old.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23My height is 1.76. I'm from Siberia.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25I like modelling, travelling, and swimming.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Some of these girls are as young as 13!
0:08:36 > 0:08:40If any of the scouts like a girl, a code letter is added to their card.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Some of them may have worked before, and some will be newbies.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50And in the Asian market they can start as young as 12.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Asia is like the kindergarten, then...
0:08:55 > 0:08:59- That's the first market that you'd send them to?- Usually that's where they start, yeah.- OK.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Then they go to Europe. Europe you can consider as the high school.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06- Yeah.- Then they go to the US, and that's the university.- Right.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09So what are you looking for? What can you tell already?
0:09:09 > 0:09:12The photogenic qualities.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Certain geometry of the face
0:09:15 > 0:09:19and the proportions of the body.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21If you take the distance between the eyes,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25you take the distance between the nose and the eyes.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- You've got this down to a science. - Yeah, it is a science.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Seems like a really strange thing to say,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38but these young women are trying to get a job, you know?
0:09:38 > 0:09:41And in any other environment they'd be holding up their CV,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44whereas here, their CV is their body.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48It's the way they look, it's the way they walk, it's how they smile,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50how confident they are.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54And when you see the people who are the right way, quote unquote,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56you can really tell the difference.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Are you Mum? Hello, pleasure to meet you. How you doing? I'm Reggie.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- What's your name?- Inna. - Hello, Inna, Lovely to meet you.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10She's got every single agency on there.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16So did you ever come to something like this? Did you ever try?
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Do you think that you would have coped as well,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34being that young and wearing so little in public?
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Hello. My name is Anna. I'm from Siberia.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Quite a lot of the girls were getting letters,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55and this marks them out for the next step.
0:10:56 > 0:10:57Hello.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00All right, so what have we got on this piece of paper?
0:11:00 > 0:11:02There's two letters on here, what does that mean?
0:11:15 > 0:11:18I see that you've put your jumper back on now.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23Is it a bit weird being in a bra and underwear for so long?
0:11:30 > 0:11:33If I was in my underwear, stood up there, I'd be crying.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39So have you officially made it,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42or is this sort of a step towards finding out?
0:11:50 > 0:11:54The journey from Siberia to supermodel is a long one,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56and Tigran likes to start them young.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11I feel great when I help these young girls,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15because over here, they don't have big opportunities.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20- Is that why you got into this, then? To help young women?- Yes.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21Yes, I do.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25I want to really help these young women,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and it gives me great joy spiritually
0:12:28 > 0:12:31when somebody becomes very successful.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33I take great pride in it, so...
0:12:35 > 0:12:37- We'll see.- OK. All right.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40- I'm sure I'll catch up with you again in a little bit.- Yeah.
0:12:40 > 0:12:41- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45Something tells me, though, it's not just about spiritual reward -
0:12:45 > 0:12:47this is business.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Each teenage model that Tigran signs
0:12:49 > 0:12:52could make him thousands in commission.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55But was he right about the lack of opportunity?
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Anya's been trying to be a model for three years.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04I'm going back to her village to see what life is like for her there.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Now this is what I imagined Siberia would be like.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23It's only an hour outside of Krasnoyarsk,
0:13:23 > 0:13:25but it feels a million miles away.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Anya's lived all of her life in a village
0:13:28 > 0:13:31in the middle of a forest called Ovsyanka.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Anya, this couldn't be any more different to where I grew up.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38I mean, what's it like living here?
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Being a guy who grew up in a big city like London,
0:13:49 > 0:13:51there are opportunities literally everywhere I look.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54I mean, what sort of opportunities do you have growing up here?
0:14:15 > 0:14:18The Russian education system is good -
0:14:18 > 0:14:21more than half of Russian girls go to university.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25But in a country where even doctors make just over £400 a month,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28I can see the temptation to work abroad.
0:14:30 > 0:14:31Hello, how you doing?
0:14:34 > 0:14:35Nice to meet you.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38Anya lives in a one-bedroom flat with her mum, Tatyana.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Her father died when she was four, so Anya's mum
0:14:41 > 0:14:44brought her and her brother up on her own.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- And is that one of your paintings? - Yeah.- That's beautiful.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Oh, wow, so this is your art as well. Look at this!
0:14:52 > 0:14:54- That's me.- Very nice.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Anya dreams of being an artist,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58but finding a way of making money out of that
0:14:58 > 0:15:01feels like a pipe dream.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04How realistic is it to have a career as an artist here?
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Do you know what, being totally honest with you,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23it seems as though this is where your heart is,
0:15:23 > 0:15:28and modelling is definitely where the money is and where a career is.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52But how soon will it be before you get that big break, do you think?
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Anya has to rush off to rehearsals for Siberia's Next Top Model,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07a reality show shooting in Krasnoyarsk.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11- See you soon, Anya. Good luck, OK?- Thank you.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14Which leaves time for a chat with her mum.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Yes, please!
0:16:19 > 0:16:22And my first taste of Siberian hospitality.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27I was just looking at this while you were in the kitchen
0:16:27 > 0:16:30making the tea, and I can't believe that it's the same girl,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34cos she looks like just a normal teenager here with you and your son,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37and then here, she just looks like
0:16:37 > 0:16:39a completely different person in these model shots.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Wow, I want to have one of these. Do you think, then,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08that your daughter will actually make it?
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Can Anya become a professional model?
0:17:27 > 0:17:29OK. So if Anya actually makes it as a model
0:17:29 > 0:17:32and is successful, will she have to send money home?
0:17:32 > 0:17:34Will she have to look after her family?
0:17:39 > 0:17:42So is the modelling career currently bringing any money into the house?
0:17:44 > 0:17:46SHE LAUGHS
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Wow, that must be tough.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Now, when I got here, Anya was really, really welcoming
0:17:56 > 0:17:59and showed me her room and showed me all of her pictures on her wall,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02but one thing she didn't show me was where you sleep.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05So where's your room and where do you lay your head in the flat?
0:18:12 > 0:18:14So you sleep here?
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Oh, wow.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32When you see just how humble home is,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35you can understand why Anya is so focused.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41It sort of stirred up a lot of stuff in me,
0:18:41 > 0:18:46cos I remember growing up in not the nicest council estate in the world
0:18:46 > 0:18:50with not very much, and I also grew up with a mum
0:18:50 > 0:18:52who made the best of what she had,
0:18:52 > 0:18:57and when you've got someone like that looking after you,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59all you want to do is look after them.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08I'm back on the Trans-Siberian express,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10on the next leg of the model tour.
0:19:12 > 0:19:18And it's another 800km to Siberia's capital, Novosibirsk.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21There's not a lot of room!
0:19:21 > 0:19:26So I guess this is home for the next 12 hours.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Anna, the scout from Noah Models, is in the next carriage.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34She's been running these Siberian model tours for six years.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38- Hello, Anna.- Hello.- Hey!
0:19:38 > 0:19:43So what is it about Siberian girls that draws people from everywhere?
0:19:43 > 0:19:47What is really special about Siberians is their roots.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50So a lot of people were imprisoned during Soviet times,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53so from Ukraine, from Baltic republics,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57also a lot of people are coming from Asian parts to Siberia.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00It's a mixture of ethnic roots,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02so the faces are really interesting.
0:20:02 > 0:20:09And also, Siberian girls have better skin and hair conditions,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12because I think you noticed that there were a lot of girls
0:20:12 > 0:20:18- with hair up to their waists.- Yeah. - So it's really unique.
0:20:18 > 0:20:23I had absolutely no idea until today that girls under the age of 16
0:20:23 > 0:20:26were going around the world on their own for modelling trips.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30How do you look after them when they leave here?
0:20:30 > 0:20:32It's not only me who looks after them.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34We are making the big team all together.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37So it's the local agency in Krasnoyarsk
0:20:37 > 0:20:39or in Novosibirsk, where we're going,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41and also the agencies we are working with.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45How does it get split, whatever's earned?
0:20:45 > 0:20:49Tickets, then transportation, accommodation,
0:20:49 > 0:20:53allowances, all advanced by the agency.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58If the girl doesn't cover this expense by her jobs,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01she doesn't have to return the money.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03So a successful girl, a girl who does well
0:21:03 > 0:21:06in maybe the Asian market or European market,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09how much is she likely to earn in a year, just round about?
0:21:09 > 0:21:14So if we don't talk about, like, top, top, top models like Kate Moss
0:21:14 > 0:21:18or Claudia Schiffer, if we are talking about just normal models...
0:21:18 > 0:21:21- Yeah, successful working models. - ..successful models,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25it can be, like, 20,000 per month.
0:21:25 > 0:21:30- US dollars? Pounds?- 30, yeah, like that.- US dollars?- Yeah, USD.
0:21:30 > 0:21:3420 grand net a month, for a 15-year-old girl from Siberia? That's a hell of a...
0:21:34 > 0:21:37For a 15-year-old girl from London that's a hell of a lot of money!
0:21:37 > 0:21:40- But we say about highest rate, I mean...- Yeah.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43So it can be sometimes the girl comes back home with zero,
0:21:43 > 0:21:47because their expenses were more than their earnings,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50- so next trip could be more successful.- Yeah.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53All right, well, I'll let you get on. Good talking to you.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- And I'll see you in the morning.- Sure.- OK.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59- And I hope you will enjoy my home city!- Your home city, yes.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01I'm looking forward to it.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07It's still ten long hours till Novosibirsk,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09but at least I'm in business class.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14It's been a very long first day in Siberia,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16and a bit of a culture shock.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21To begin with I just felt really, erm...
0:22:21 > 0:22:24for want of a better word, and not to sound like a complete sap,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27I felt quite sad at the beginning of the day,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30cos I just saw so many kids
0:22:30 > 0:22:32stood there in their underwear,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35desperately clutching at a chance for a better life.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39Desperately clutching at a chance to do something, to make it.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42But you know, the more the day went on, the more I understood
0:22:42 > 0:22:45that these teenagers aren't being forced to do anything.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48They've put themselves there because that's where they want to be,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52and they see it as an opportunity to do something else.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55A really strange day.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Novosibirsk is thousands of miles
0:23:06 > 0:23:09from the catwalks of London, Paris and New York.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11But in this city alone,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14there are 24 different model agencies and schools.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18So I want to see what they're actually teaching them.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22- Hello.- Hello. Hey, how you doing? I'm Reggie, nice to meet you.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24- My name is Olga.- Hello, Olga.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Girls start these classes as young as four...
0:23:40 > 0:23:44..learning to walk, pose, apply make-up and diet.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Today there's a fashion shoot for their portfolios.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53It's like behind the scenes at the Paris catwalks,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55but with young kids instead.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19She's a little pro. Look, she's hitting the poses straight away.
0:24:22 > 0:24:26- Excuse me. Hello.- Hello.- Hi. Is this your daughter?- Yes.- Yes.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Ah, nice to meet you.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Hello, Mum. Mum and dad, right? Hello, lovely to meet you.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Lovely to meet you. How old is she?
0:24:33 > 0:24:36- Six.- Six years old?
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Wow, so she's really young.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Just a generation ago, during Soviet times,
0:24:44 > 0:24:48there was virtually no modelling industry in Russia.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50How do you look at models here in Russia?
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Cos there are so many girls that want to do it.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55- Mm... - HE MURMURS INAUDIBLY
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Why do you think that there are so many negative connotations when it comes to modelling?
0:25:44 > 0:25:47- Hello, what's your name?- Zlata.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50- Zlata. How old are you, Zlata? - 12.- You're 12?!- Yes.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Wow, she's amazing at modelling,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00and this is what models are supposed to do.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03They're supposed to "Make love to the camera."
0:26:06 > 0:26:09But she's a child, and she's delivering quite mature
0:26:09 > 0:26:13and slightly sexual poses.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17And that's the right thing to do in this context,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20but for it to be a child delivering that...
0:26:22 > 0:26:25..that's where I struggle.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29The final girl of the day, Sophia, comes in,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32and she's got her eyes firmly on the prize.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34So how old is your daughter?
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Right. She seems very practised.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42Like, she knows all of her poses and her angles already.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45I mean, did you used to model? You could have done, if not.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48- SHE LAUGHS - You did?
0:26:52 > 0:26:56So how successful were you? Were you able to get to the top tier?
0:27:16 > 0:27:18SHE LAUGHS
0:27:20 > 0:27:23It's amazing how quickly these kids have bought into
0:27:23 > 0:27:26the dream of riches and stardom.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31After all, only one generation ago, Russia was a communist country.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- How's it going, man?- Not bad, you?
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Tigran, the model agency boss,
0:27:37 > 0:27:41has seen huge change over the last 20 years.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44During the Soviet Union, you know, once you got your...
0:27:44 > 0:27:49everything was planned. You get your degree, then you do this job,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52you get this standard salary, so hardly anybody challenged that.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56- It was a very stable, boring lifestyle.- Right.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58But these younger girls, they don't want that.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00What sort of young women are being produced
0:28:00 > 0:28:02by having these opportunities
0:28:02 > 0:28:05and by being alive and being young in this time?
0:28:05 > 0:28:07They're far more creative.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10They want to be someone in life, unlike their mothers.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13You know what it takes. And what happens
0:28:13 > 0:28:17when you send a 14-year-old girl from a poor or average family
0:28:17 > 0:28:21to Japan, let's say, and she comes home with 20,000
0:28:21 > 0:28:25that she earned in two months. Now, that's amazing.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Their mothers didn't have that chance. They do.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32With so much money on offer and the girls being so young,
0:28:32 > 0:28:35I can't help but wonder if people ever take advantage of them.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38You know, there are agencies all over,
0:28:38 > 0:28:43but most are not really doing jobs to send girls to the West
0:28:43 > 0:28:46where they work professionally as models.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48So these other agencies, then,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51are they essentially setting these girls up to be escorts?
0:28:51 > 0:28:57No, no, no. What they do is they find wealthy boyfriends for these girls,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01and that's a far more profitable business, unfortunately.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05And many of the parents knowingly give their girls to them.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09- Why would any parent do that? - Because it's in the Russian culture.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11It's in the Russian dream to have...
0:29:11 > 0:29:14To get married, to have a wealthy boyfriend,
0:29:14 > 0:29:17to have a beautiful apartment, to have a beautiful car.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20And so that's what happens.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23That's mind-blowing to me, that a parent would want their daughter
0:29:23 > 0:29:26to live that sort of half life. That doesn't make any sense.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29That's the reality of it. That's the reality of it.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Tigran's holding the second model casting tomorrow,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38and I'm starting to see how this could be a life-changing event
0:29:38 > 0:29:39for the girls who show up.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45Elite Stars is one of the top agencies in town,
0:29:45 > 0:29:48and there's just time for one last practice
0:29:48 > 0:29:51before they meet the international scouts.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59Former model Irina has to teach her students everything she's learned.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Scouted at 15, she's lived in London and New York
0:30:10 > 0:30:15and worked for Vogue magazine and brands like Chanel and Dior.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17She knows what these girls need to learn.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20if they're going to stand a chance.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22THEY LAUGH
0:30:28 > 0:30:29- Yes.- Reggie.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32- I want you to help me with English class.- Oh, wow.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36Yeah, because the girls are going to go to work
0:30:36 > 0:30:40in a modelling agency in Paris, London, Tokyo, everywhere,
0:30:40 > 0:30:42so they need practice.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45So let's play a little game, like a casting.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Like, you're a client and the girls, they're coming to you,
0:30:48 > 0:30:52- they're looking for a job.- OK.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54I need a beret and a cigarette, don't I?
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- Hello.- Hello.- Hey.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Hey. My name is Epania. I'm from Russia.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02I'm 15 years old.
0:31:02 > 0:31:03OK.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06That's a good walk. Hello. Hey, what's your name?
0:31:06 > 0:31:09- My name is Zana and I'm 14 years old.- 14?!- Yeah.- Wow.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12- And how old are you? - I am 14 years old.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16- 14? You're very tall. How tall are you now?- 1.73.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20They have to learn English, because it's very important.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23- Hello.- Hello, my name is Vika. I'm 16 years old.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25I am from Siberia.
0:31:25 > 0:31:30- My height, 73.- Yeah.
0:31:30 > 0:31:31Um, what else? SHE LAUGHS
0:31:31 > 0:31:35- OK, what's your favourite flavour of ice cream?- Um...
0:31:35 > 0:31:39- I love all.- All of them? - Yeah.- That's a good answer.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43- Thank you very much. Nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you too.
0:31:43 > 0:31:45What makes a good model in your opinion, then?
0:31:45 > 0:31:48First you have to be a businesswoman.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52You have to be energetic,
0:31:52 > 0:31:54with good attitude, because without this
0:31:54 > 0:31:57you cannot make a great career.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Because you can have a beautiful face and great body,
0:32:01 > 0:32:05but if you have nothing in your head, forget it.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09They want to take a picture with you.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11- HE LAUGHS - Oh, right!
0:32:11 > 0:32:13My modelling days are over,
0:32:13 > 0:32:17but it's amazing how quickly it all comes rushing back.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Everyone look at this camera.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23I've worked it, girl, I've worked it!
0:32:23 > 0:32:26I've worked it, girl. Thank you very much.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28I've admittedly regressed a little,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31and I suddenly feel like I'm one of the girls.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33HE LAUGHS
0:32:33 > 0:32:34And pose.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40These girls are really investing in the dream -
0:32:40 > 0:32:43six months of classes with all the expenses
0:32:43 > 0:32:46can cost more than two months' local wages.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Not to be really sort of out of order about it,
0:32:50 > 0:32:54but you can see that there are some girls that probably won't make it
0:32:54 > 0:32:57just based on their height and their weight and their look.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01And the people that really have potential really do stand out.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05And of the 5,000 models on Elite Stars' books,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07only 70 are working abroad.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12So realistically, out of all these girls here,
0:33:12 > 0:33:15who all really want this, really want a career,
0:33:15 > 0:33:17how many of them will be as fortunate as you
0:33:17 > 0:33:19to go abroad and have a career?
0:33:19 > 0:33:23To be honest, they have all good chance.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34The casting is being held later this afternoon.
0:33:34 > 0:33:35- Hey, Vika, hello!- Hey!
0:33:35 > 0:33:39I met Vika yesterday, but all I really know about her
0:33:39 > 0:33:41is that she likes ice cream. Hello, I'm Reggie.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43- Natalya.- Nice to meet you.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46She lives with her single mum Natalya.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48God, you need so many layers. It's so cold! OK.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51- Cold, really?!- Yes! This is cold!
0:33:51 > 0:33:56- Are you telling me this isn't cold? - For me, it's not cold. It's OK. THEY LAUGH
0:33:56 > 0:33:58- So this is your place.- Yes. - This is really cute.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00- Where are we headed? In here?- Yeah.- OK.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03- So you love a flower, don't you?- Yeah.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06It's a one-bedroom flat, so Vika sleeps in the living room.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09This is my favourite flower.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11There's loads here. Look at all of these pictures.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15- What's this? Elite Stars? - Yeah, it's my diploma.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18And I have a title, Miss Elite Stars.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21- Miss Elite Stars?- Yeah. - Oh, so you won the crown?
0:34:27 > 0:34:29Whoa, look at you! Nice.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36That's my first photoshoot.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- Were you nervous?- Of course.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41When I see a camera, I'm scared.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43THEY LAUGH
0:34:50 > 0:34:53This isn't her first international casting,
0:34:53 > 0:34:58but she's never been picked, so everything is riding on this one.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09How do you go about that, then?
0:35:15 > 0:35:17Buckwheat was a staple of Soviet cuisine,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20so I'm a little bit nervous.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22HE LAUGHS
0:35:22 > 0:35:25So this is where I can't say no, isn't it?
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Smells like hot Weetabix.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33And you wouldn't have this with anything?
0:35:40 > 0:35:41THEY LAUGH
0:35:41 > 0:35:43It is not tasty!
0:35:45 > 0:35:49Were you happy for her to try and make modelling her thing?
0:35:49 > 0:35:51THEY LAUGH
0:36:05 > 0:36:08I mean, hearing all of that come from your daughter,
0:36:08 > 0:36:10does that not scare you or worry you at all?
0:36:26 > 0:36:29How likely to succeed are you? What are your chances?
0:36:36 > 0:36:39I like that attitude. That's the only attitude to have. That's good.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Is failure even an option for you, then?
0:36:53 > 0:36:56The casting that could make or break Vika's dream
0:36:56 > 0:37:00is being held on the 22nd floor of a shopping mall.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07I ought to be getting used to this by now,
0:37:07 > 0:37:09but it's still surprising how young they are.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19Anna's running the casting again, and there's a new foreign scout
0:37:19 > 0:37:21I haven't spoken to before.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27- I'm Reggie.- Yes, nice to meet you. - What was your name, sorry?
0:37:27 > 0:37:30- Lionel.- And where are you from, Lionel?- Paris.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33- You're from Paris?- Yep.- Right, so are you casting specifically for Paris today?- Yes.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46So you're saying that one of the girls or some of the girls
0:37:46 > 0:37:48in this room could walk at Fashion Week?
0:37:49 > 0:37:52So what is the ideal for you today?
0:37:52 > 0:37:54I mean, the Asian market was specifically looking for
0:37:54 > 0:37:58someone with a smaller frame, and height didn't matter as much.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00What's your criteria?
0:38:15 > 0:38:19In fact, Lionel's already found a girl he's interested in.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27Those pictures are incredible. They're really impressive, right?
0:38:31 > 0:38:33She started to work at 14.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36Now she's 15.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38- You'd never know that from these images.- Yes.- It's unbelievable.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41And it's the model face, when you can transform her
0:38:41 > 0:38:42to any age, any style.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49- Excuse me, what's your name? - Apollinariya.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52Hello, nice to meet you. Do you speak English?
0:38:52 > 0:38:53A little bit. A little bit.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56So on your first trip abroad, did you work much,
0:38:56 > 0:38:58or did you not get much work when you were there?
0:39:06 > 0:39:08So you made good money then?
0:39:08 > 0:39:10Yeah?
0:39:10 > 0:39:12But with things going so well for you in the East,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15are you trying to set your sights on the West now?
0:39:15 > 0:39:17Is that why you've come today, to try and get picked up
0:39:17 > 0:39:20- by our man from Paris?- Yeah.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33So do you look at days like today as a competition,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36or you're not even bothered about other people being here?
0:39:50 > 0:39:53The competition's tough, and I'm worried for Vika.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59It's her big moment, and she looks so nervous.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04She's brand-new. yes.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07The other girls seem to be getting a positive reaction.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09But what about Vika?
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Vika's casting seems to be over in a matter of minutes
0:40:26 > 0:40:29and it's time for a new batch of girls to step up.
0:40:34 > 0:40:35And how did it go?
0:40:46 > 0:40:48- One centimetre, they said?- Yes.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51That's a pretty harsh criticism about just the one centimetre.
0:41:04 > 0:41:05And why were you in hospital?
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Surely having a spinal problem isn't made easier
0:41:14 > 0:41:15by being in heels all day?
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Well, I'm not casting you. Take them off.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31- Get them off, come on. Get them off. - SHE LAUGHS
0:41:34 > 0:41:37You know, it's really funny, the minute you take your heels off,
0:41:37 > 0:41:40suddenly you look like a 16-year-old girl again.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Suddenly your hair falls in front of your face and you look younger.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47SHE LAUGHS OK.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00Vika seems really upset and in a hurry to get home.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04I feel bad for her - I know how hard she's tried.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11The truth is, around 90% of these girls won't get picked.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13But that doesn't stop them trying.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Reality show Siberia's Next Top Model is just one
0:42:27 > 0:42:30of hundreds of competitions held across Russia.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33It has a prize of 1,000 US dollars,
0:42:33 > 0:42:37and Anya, the wannabe model I met a few days ago, is in the final.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48The final's being held in a restaurant
0:42:48 > 0:42:51at the back of yet another shopping centre,
0:42:51 > 0:42:55and Tigran, the boss of Noah Models, has invited me to be a judge.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57How's it going, guys?
0:42:57 > 0:42:59How we doing? You all right? Looking good.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08Like the other 28 finalists,
0:43:08 > 0:43:12Anya's made it through 12 knockout rounds to get here.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28But this evening's about more than just winning this local contest.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31The international scouts are here as well.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:43:58 > 0:44:00Number 18 seems to be cleaning up.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04I picked her. I'm getting good at this model scouting.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:44:12 > 0:44:15Contracts are being handed out for work in Europe and Asia,
0:44:15 > 0:44:17but there's nothing yet for Anya.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22It's really interesting seeing it from this perspective
0:44:22 > 0:44:23and hearing what they think.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26They really know what they're looking for, and it's tough.
0:44:26 > 0:44:28And they have to be, because, you know,
0:44:28 > 0:44:32it's massive competition with a worldwide market.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34They've saved the best for last.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37Tigran is looking for girls to go to America.
0:44:48 > 0:44:53This could be Anya's big break - a better life for her and her mum.
0:45:00 > 0:45:02CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:45:09 > 0:45:11Just seeing the golden girl.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15Hey! Well done. Congratulations!
0:45:15 > 0:45:20- Oh, thank you.- So you're going to Los Angeles. You're going to California.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22Oh, yeeeaaah! THEY LAUGH
0:45:24 > 0:45:27Anya hasn't just won a contract in America -
0:45:27 > 0:45:29first she's going to Asia.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31So it's not just California, it's India as well.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35You're going to be going to two corners of the world off the back of an evening's competition.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38I mean, how are you feeling about all of this, Mum?
0:45:46 > 0:45:50Anya, you've taken your shoes off. Is it that point in the night?
0:45:50 > 0:45:51Is it time to finally let your hair down?
0:45:57 > 0:45:59- Well done. Congratulations. - Thank you.
0:45:59 > 0:46:01Well done, and congratulations to you too, Mum.
0:46:01 > 0:46:03- And thank you.- Thank you.
0:46:03 > 0:46:06Anya's not the only winner.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09Excuse me. Sorry, excuse me. Sorry to interrupt.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11I see you've got flowers. Did you win this evening?
0:46:11 > 0:46:14- Yes.- You have?- I have. - Congratulations.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16What's the contract for? Where are you going?
0:46:16 > 0:46:19- China. Shanghai.- China?
0:46:19 > 0:46:23- Wow. Have you ever been to China before?- No.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25- And how old are you?- 15.- 15?
0:46:27 > 0:46:31But there's a catch - Katya needs to persuade her mum and dad.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34Does the decision have to be made now?
0:46:34 > 0:46:37Do you have to decide literally this evening
0:46:37 > 0:46:39if she's going to China or not?
0:46:44 > 0:46:46How would you feel about her being out there
0:46:46 > 0:46:48without you there to look after her?
0:46:53 > 0:46:56Are you worried? I mean, what is it that's making you so emotional?
0:47:05 > 0:47:08Being faced with this crossroad, I mean,
0:47:08 > 0:47:09how big a decision is it for you?
0:47:24 > 0:47:26Do you think Mum and Dad are going to say yes?
0:47:26 > 0:47:29Maybe. HE LAUGHS
0:47:29 > 0:47:31Ah, one word in English. That's a good English word to use.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34That's the perfect word for this moment.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40The right and the wrong is just so blurred,
0:47:40 > 0:47:45because both avenues are the right one.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48Letting your daughter start this career is the right thing to do,
0:47:48 > 0:47:51but also not letting your child - your 15-year-old child -
0:47:51 > 0:47:55go to China on their own is also the right thing to do.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58I don't envy their decision.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01And if it was my kid, I might say no as well.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11I want to talk to someone who's been there, done it
0:48:11 > 0:48:13and modelled the T-shirt.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16Valeria was scouted when she was just 14,
0:48:16 > 0:48:20and travelled the world modelling for 12 years.
0:48:20 > 0:48:24I was young, you know. I just wanted to be like every girl.
0:48:24 > 0:48:29Try new clothes, wear all... Like, you know, the Cinderella story.
0:48:29 > 0:48:32Maybe you have this opportunity to be a princess.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34Do you have pictures of you at that age? Can I see?
0:48:34 > 0:48:36- This...- Is this you?- Yeah.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39- This is Vivienne Westwood. - Oh, yeah, so it is.
0:48:39 > 0:48:42- How old are you here?- 14.
0:48:42 > 0:48:44Wow.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46God, you are so young.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49- Wow.- And this was in Japan as well.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51And you were like 14 or 15 here.
0:48:52 > 0:48:54Did you have anyone looking after you?
0:48:54 > 0:48:56No, that's the thing. You're alone
0:48:56 > 0:49:00in another mentality, in another world,
0:49:00 > 0:49:04- with no friends, no parents, and... - And you're a child.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07And you're a child. If you go one centimetre more
0:49:07 > 0:49:11then your contract is finished, right?
0:49:11 > 0:49:15So I was paranoid that I am fat, but I was not fat.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18How much money were you making at that age?
0:49:18 > 0:49:22From 20 to 50,000 US per month.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25That's a lot of money. You say it so flippantly, but that's a lot.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27Yeah, but you have tickets then flights per month,
0:49:27 > 0:49:31you don't understand what is the contract, you don't have a lawyer.
0:49:31 > 0:49:36All you have is 10%. So you're making a lot of money, but you never get it.
0:49:38 > 0:49:40Some girls, they don't know what to do,
0:49:40 > 0:49:44and they put themselves in troubles.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46What sort of troubles?
0:49:46 > 0:49:49They're actually selling the girls for guys. You know,
0:49:49 > 0:49:53just to hang out with these guys, and they pay to the bookers.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57So random men would pay money to have young models
0:49:57 > 0:49:59- just to hang out with them? - Yeah, of course.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02A lot of girls, they are coming and they think that they are models,
0:50:02 > 0:50:04but then they become prostitutes, you know?
0:50:04 > 0:50:06How often does that sort of thing happen?
0:50:06 > 0:50:10Well, some girls, because they are scared, because people say,
0:50:10 > 0:50:14"I will not give you a passport, you will not go to your motherland,
0:50:14 > 0:50:18"you have to make money and you have to find a way to make money."
0:50:18 > 0:50:22And it's the reality, real reality, of this fashion industry.
0:50:26 > 0:50:27St Petersburg -
0:50:27 > 0:50:31Russia's second biggest city, and the home of Noah Models.
0:50:33 > 0:50:37It's 6am and I'm at the airport to meet Anya.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40She's flying in to shoot the portfolio she'll need
0:50:40 > 0:50:41for her first contract abroad.
0:50:44 > 0:50:45Hey!
0:50:45 > 0:50:49And surprise, surprise - Katya's made it too.
0:50:49 > 0:50:52Good to see you. How you doing?
0:50:52 > 0:50:55Hello, hello, hello. Where are your bags? Is that all you've come with?
0:50:55 > 0:50:58- THEY LAUGH - Come on.
0:51:02 > 0:51:04They've got a busy day in front of them,
0:51:04 > 0:51:07so we're heading straight to the studio.
0:51:07 > 0:51:11Well, for both of you, this really could be the beginning of a career.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13What do you expect to come from this?
0:51:34 > 0:51:37- Hey!- Hey! - THEY LAUGH
0:51:38 > 0:51:42Up to ten teenage models at a time can sleep here
0:51:42 > 0:51:44when they're starting their careers.
0:51:48 > 0:51:51This is the biggest photoshoot of their lives
0:51:51 > 0:51:54and the work they get when they start abroad
0:51:54 > 0:51:57will depend on how good these shots are.
0:51:57 > 0:51:59And so it begins!
0:52:15 > 0:52:18Anya doesn't look the most excited I've seen her, that's for sure.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21Next up is Katya...
0:52:25 > 0:52:28..and she looks incredibly nervous.
0:52:29 > 0:52:32I think reality is suddenly starting to set in.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42HE LAUGHS
0:52:42 > 0:52:44It's hard work for the girls.
0:52:44 > 0:52:48This is their first proper taste of the modelling business.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52But I want to know if Tigran honestly thinks
0:52:52 > 0:52:55either of these girls can make it big overseas.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58Based on how much you know about these girls at this stage,
0:52:58 > 0:53:01how realistic is it for them to make it?
0:53:01 > 0:53:05They can make it to certain markets. Not to every market.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11Just how fair do you think it is that, you know, so many girls
0:53:11 > 0:53:15get taken on that don't necessarily have everything that it takes?
0:53:15 > 0:53:19We're giving them an opportunity in life
0:53:19 > 0:53:23to become someone. To do something more important.
0:53:23 > 0:53:27- So would you do this...- I mean, what would the girls do in Krasnoyarsk?
0:53:27 > 0:53:29At best, I mean, think of it.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32Or in Novosibirsk. You know,
0:53:32 > 0:53:36finish high school, go to college, have a diploma, and then do what?
0:53:36 > 0:53:40Go get a job for 500 a month?
0:53:40 > 0:53:43Marry someone at a very young age, have a baby,
0:53:43 > 0:53:48most likely get divorced? This is what they're facing.
0:53:48 > 0:53:50That's the reality of what they're facing.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53What do you think the parents think about the role
0:53:53 > 0:53:55that the agency plays in their daughter's career?
0:53:55 > 0:53:58The parents, of course they want their children
0:53:58 > 0:54:01to be more successful in life than they have been.
0:54:01 > 0:54:06So they allow the girls to go to the West and, you know, become models.
0:54:06 > 0:54:09But you have to understand one thing -
0:54:09 > 0:54:14that for a Russian to go abroad in general, even as a tourist,
0:54:14 > 0:54:18is a huge advantage, because they need visas literally to go anywhere.
0:54:18 > 0:54:22So it's a great opportunity for their daughters.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28And a great basis for a business like Tigran's.
0:54:28 > 0:54:32But one thing's for sure - the girls seem absolutely determined
0:54:32 > 0:54:36to grab this opportunity with both hands.
0:54:36 > 0:54:38- Model room! - THEY LAUGH
0:54:38 > 0:54:41- How we doing girls? You OK?- OK.- You all right?
0:54:41 > 0:54:43How did you find today, then?
0:54:55 > 0:54:58Has a day like today made you more excited
0:54:58 > 0:55:01or made you realise just how much work you're about to get into?
0:55:09 > 0:55:10Good luck, girls.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15Best of luck, all right? Be good! Good luck.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18All the girls need now are their visas,
0:55:18 > 0:55:21so they can start their contracts and new lives abroad.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33I can't say for certain whether they'll be one of the lucky ones
0:55:33 > 0:55:36who'll actually make decent money.
0:55:36 > 0:55:40But at least they will experience a life outside of Siberia
0:55:40 > 0:55:42that they might not have otherwise.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45I come from a place where there are so many opportunities.
0:55:45 > 0:55:48I come from a place where I can be anything I want to be.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51And I'm told that every day. Whereas here,
0:55:51 > 0:55:53if you're a young girl,
0:55:53 > 0:55:56this is one opportunity that takes you all over the world, potentially,
0:55:56 > 0:56:00and could make you very, very wealthy and very successful.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03And yes, it doesn't happen for everyone.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06Anya and Katya might not end up getting careers.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09But from what I've seen in my time in Siberia,
0:56:09 > 0:56:15I can see why so many girls queue up to chase that modelling dream.