It might be hard to believe that a few years ago one of Australia’s rising supermodels was bullied so badly she was too scared to go to school.
Six years ago Melbourne-born Shanina Shaik took a chance on herself and entered reality TV show, Make Me A Supermodel making it to the finals, only to come runner up.
But the model seems to have a knack for taking everything in her leggy stride. Since her reality TV show defeat the 23-year-old has transformed from a shy and bullied teen to a top model with a lucrative career as a Victoria’s Secret angel.
Even with all her successes a down-to-earth Shanina hasn’t forgotten the schoolyard taunts she had to overcome.
“I was about 14 years old and I was dealing with these girls who I thought were my friends,” the New York based model revealed in a recent interview. “It was emotionally bullying, which was hard for me to understand at that age because I thought bullying was a physical act, like being taunted and beaten up.”
Shaik, who has been dubbed the next Adriana Lima, has spent four seasons in New York working for some of the world biggest brands including Chanel, Stella McCartney, Tom Ford and L’Wren Scott.
The top model is back in Australia this week strutting her stuff for Fashion Week in Sydney. But before she hit the catwalks she attended the Polo in the Valley event in Perth which raised funds for youth suicide prevention charity Youth Focus, an organisation which is close to the model’s heart.
“I know for me not having a lot of knowledge and not knowing what bullying was, how to deal with it and overcome it, I felt really embarrassed and alone at the time,” she says. “No one should ever feel like that.”
Shanina has become a catwalk queen over her short career.
The model first started working with Victoria’s Secret in 2011 and here she struts her stuff on the catwalk for them in 2012.
A toned and fit Shanina flashes a big smile at the end of the runway.
Shanina backstage the VS show wearing the her pink angel robe.
Shanina with her long-time boyfriend, Tyson Beckford, whom she met while filming 2008’s Make Me A Supermodel.
The model featured in Vogue Australia in the May 2012 issue.
Shanina at New York Fashion Week in 2013 walking for Jason Wu.
The model posed for GQ Australia in the February 2013 issue.
Shanina on the cover of arty Lurve magazine in June 2013.
Another shot from the models stunning feature in Vogue Australia.
Smouldering in Marie Claire in February this year.
Shanina booked a Vogue Italia beauty feature in January 2013.
