A plus-size candidate is the winner of “Germany’s Next Top Model”: 23-year-old Vivien from Koblenz prevailed in the live final against Somajia (21) from Bielefeld and won the 18th season of the show.
It is the first time that Klum has chosen a curvy model as the winner of her talent show. “I’m proud that people write to me every day who can identify with me,” said Vivien after the decision. She is happy when she can inspire others to feel comfortable in their own bodies and, for example, to wear short clothes.
Five finalists had faced the tasks of “model mom” Heidi Klum (50) for the last time on the ProSieben show. In addition to several catwalks, the participants also had to prove their dancing skills and acting talent. Candidate Olivia (22) from Hamburg finally came third. 19-year-old Selma from Berlin came fourth, fifth place went to Nicole (49) from Offenbach.
Many prominent guests at the final
Vivien’s wins now include a campaign for cosmetics brand Mac and the July cover of Germany’s Harper’s Bazaar. “I think it’s fantastic that Vivien was the first curvy model to become Germany’s next top model,” said editor-in-chief Kerstin Schneider. “She has a beautiful face, perfect proportions and convinces with her Brazilian joie de vivre”. The 23-year-old is half Brazilian.
The French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier (71) had already praised how “natural” and “gracile” Vivien mastered the first task of the evening: It was necessary to walk backwards down the catwalk and wear a trench coat, sunglasses and while walking put on gloves. That was recorded and then played forward again.
The further course of the evening also held – as usual in the GNTM finale – some unusual tasks. Hollywood actress Jennifer Lawrence (32) presented the finalists with a special challenge. Together with male model Marcus Schenkenberg (54), they should reenact a scene from Lawrence’s new film “No Hard Feelings”. The Oscar winner had already visited the set in the morning and recorded the scenes with the finalists, since she was presenting this film in Berlin that evening.
Other prominent guests were the British designer Christian Cowan (27), the choreographer and dancer Mecnun Giasar (Majnoon), Klum’s daughter Leni (19) and the former GNTM juror Thomas Hayo (54). The rock band Scorpions, ESC winner Loreen (39) and the German singer-songwriter Kim Petras (30) performed as music acts.
Klum relies on more diversity
In her own words, Petras believes that the fact that Klum is now focusing on more diversity in the casting show is the right way: “I think it’s really great that Heidi is now inclusive. And yes, it works,” she said before the finale German press agency. In 2021, Alex Mariah Peter was the first transgender model to win. In 2022 and 2023, the top 20 were also more diverse overall: Small, curvy or older models were also included.
The finale of the show is “definitely not the end of something,” said candidate Selma in advance in the dpa interview. “The show has given us all a mega platform that hopefully customers have seen me and I want to use that,” said the 19-year-old, who has had pink hair since the obligatory “big makeover.”
And there is still no end in sight for Klum’s casting. Applications for season 19 are now possible, she said at the end of the show. However, the first ticket for participation was secured by a top 29 candidate of this season: 25-year-old Tracy, who left voluntarily at the end of the fifth episode, asked for a second chance in the finale.
During a brief audience interview sequence, Tracy said she now regrets her decision to quit. She could have made it further on the show, she said. “My performance spoke for itself,” she continued. After a moment’s thought, Klum finally secured her a place in the next season.
