Revelstoke model Mandy Malinski finalist in ELLE Canada Model Search

Local model Mandy Malinski has beat over 5,700 entries to be one of 15 finalists in the ELLE Canada Model Search, and votes are needed to get this mountain girl into the top five.

Malinski’s model journey that led to this exciting news, started randomly about a year ago with a message on Facebook. The note complimented her profile picture and asked to work with her.

Mandy Malinski worked as a model occasionally while she did a working holiday in Australia. Photo: From Malinski’s Facebook.

In the world of online, it’s the kind of message that sends red flags, but in reality, the message was from John Morrison, a Revelstoke professional photographer and as they had mutual friends, Malinski decided to reply.

From there, her modeling career began. Morrison’s initial headshots of Malinski piqued the interest of a number of photographers and, while she did a working holiday in Australia last year, it got her work in Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

Originally from Sicamous, Malinski, 21, is living and working in Revelstoke this winter. She works two jobs serving in town while she pursues her model career on the side.

Most recently Malinski took part in Style Trend’s fall collection shoot and owner Diane Bull said she was happy for the chance to work with her. The boutique often helps local girls get exposure and contacts within the fashion industry.

“She [Mandy] has such a fun and outgoing personality and I think that shows through in her photos,” Bull said.

“We’re so excited to see Mandy get this recognition and opportunity. It really shows that you don’t have to be in a big city to get these chances, you just need to put yourself out there.”

Making it this far in a high-profile model search was a shock to Malinski. For the competition she hash-tagged one of her photos on Instagram and quickly forgot about it.

“I was very surprised, I entered [the competition] randomly,” she said.

Malinski, who stands 5.9 feet tall, has found posing in front of the camera has given her a much needed confidence boost.

“Originally I was a really awkward person,” she said. ” I didn’t know how to chat with people and I didn’t know how to look them in the eye. Being in front of the camera has kind of helped me with that. The way I carry myself is a bit different now, it’s given me more confidence.”

Malinski enjoys Revelstoke’s ski culture. Photo: From Malinski’s Instagram.

Fitness is a huge aspect in modeling and while she’s not getting up to the mountain as much as she would like, this ski season has seen Malinski rediscover of the love of snowboarding she had when she started at age six.

“My parents started me on a snowboard because I looked up to my cousin a lot and he snowboarded, I was like, ‘oh, he’s so cool’,” she said.

Malinski’s addiction to the sport peaked when she was going to school in Cranbrook, her local mountain there was Kimberley Alpine Resort.

“I loved it, living in the mountains, skipping school for it,” she said.

“I kind of fell out of it when I graduated. It was so expensive, and my parents weren’t buying a pass anymore. This is really my first year back doing it every week, being in that environment with the other snowboarders. I love it.”

Now that modeling is turning into a real career prospect, Malinski is shifting her focus up a gear.

“I want to do international,” she said when asked about her tentative goal hopes.

“For a while I was aiming low, just wanting to do lifestyle and basically stuff around that. But I realised I want to aim higher.”

To vote: go to the ELLE Canada website here.

One vote is allowed per day. Voting ends Jan. 15 and the finalists are announced Jan. 18.

If she wins, Malinski will be flown to Toronto for a live photo shoot at Queen Street Saks Fifth Avenue and the photos will published in May 2016 ELLE edition. The ultimate winner will be profiled in an editorial feature on SaksPOV.com and may be managed by Chantale Nadeau Model Placement.