Vancouver Fashion eZine - Online Fashion Magazine

Her long, naturally wavy, dark hair hangs loosely over her casual green canvas jacket, matched perfectly with her striking eyes, slouchy brown leather boots and her Rock and Republic jeans. Yet something held by 18-year-old Monica that isn't common amongst many young women her age is that she's got it figured out, life that is.

Monica was born in Romania, and her family moved to Canada in 1995, when she was just five years old, shortly after her father came to Vancouver to visit his cousin on vacation. "He loved it here, and he knew it would bring us a better life than the one we had in Romania, which wasn't the best place to grow up."

While it may not have been the ideal place to raise her family to their full potential, Monica assures that, "It's still fun to visit and the nightlife is great, I go back every year or two."

Her bright, youthful smile could warm up any room and every head turned when they walked into the Robson Street Starbucks where she enjoyed her coffee as she talked about how she entered into the industry.

Her career began when she was 16, and two months later she signed on with an agency.

"When I was young everyone said I should become a model, but I was never interested, and my mom never really wanted me to get into it. One day we were in the car and we heard on the radio something about Model and Talent Search Canada," explains the dark-haired beauty. "So I went and I ended up winning one of the titles."

Not only did she just win one of the titles, she won the, 'Vancouver Model,' title as well as the, 'Runway Queen,' title.

After that, things began to take off. Monica began to meet with a bunch of agencies that had been scouting her and she soon chose to sign on with Richards Models.

Throughout the years, prior to getting into modeling, she wanted nothing to do with the industry. Now, both Monica and her mother love it. "My mom plays a really huge part in everything I do, she's the most devoted person and she'll do anything for me like drive me out to castings, even if they're really far out she'll wait five hours in her car for me to take me home," remarked the gorgeous young lady who genuinely refers to her mother as her hero.

When asked what was the most difficult part of the industry, she was quick to respond, "Definitely having a tough shell, and a tough skin. I'm a very sensitive girl and when I first started and I received tough criticism it would be really hard for me to handle and I'd wonder why they'd say those things about me."

Now, after just two years experience, she's developed that shell she only once desired to have. "Over the years I've developed that tough skin that's essential in this industry and gained a lot of confidence."

Monica has walked in all of the BC fashion week shows, and has recently been in BMW and Hugo Boss shows, along with various shoots in Toronto. She's also going to be in Holt Renfrew's upcoming show on May 6th. Her favourite part of the business is doing runway, "I love the adrenaline I build up right before going on stage."

"It's really hard balancing school and work because I try really hard in school and do really well, but I also miss quite a few classes each week so it's really hard to catch up."

In spite of it all, Monica is not only going to graduate on time, but with honors from Sea Cove Secondary School in North Vancouver, the place that she now calls home. "I put in a lot of effort to school. Modeling is really fun but still, it's hard to keep a balance with friends, family and work."

A lot is a bit of an understatement. How a girl of her age manages to handle such a demanding schedule and give back to the community is beyond imagination.

Monica also spends numerous hours volunteering her time, on top of her schoolwork, preparing for graduation and modeling. She tutors and is apart of BC action of schools, and student ambassadors. She's also on student council, "So I do a lot of volunteering, I had to cut down on some of the stuff because of modeling."

Her upcoming grad ceremony will be held at the beginning of June. She recently bought her dress at Holt Renfrew, "It's yellow with a silver flowery ying yang pattern on it and a sweetheart top. It's long and flowing, not puffy at all."

With her average being in the high nineties, and taking part in countless extracurricular activities, this talented young woman been offered scholarships to SFU and UBC, but for the time being is going to set them to the side to further pursue her career in modeling. She will eventually attend university when the time is right. "I want to go into sciences and become a pediatrician, I love kids."

In regards to her modeling career, she would love to do Milan Fashion week and she's always seen herself doing Victoria's secret. "That would be the biggest thing, but I'd also love to do Prada and the big Italian names."

With plans to further her career modeling in Milan this coming September, with Future modeling agency, Monica has evidently set herself apart from not only other your girls her age, but from most others in the industry. Aspirations of enjoying the beauty of the Italian lifestyle and becoming a Victoria's Secret model aren't too far fetched for this young woman. She's got the looks, the height, and most of all the dedication to get her there. "I could end up staying there anywhere from three months to the rest of my life."

She's also heading off to model in Toronto with Next modeling or Montreal with another agency if she ends up there. "I just like the whole industry, I love fashion I love magazines and I love runway."

You'll see her in Pacific Center advertisements, on the pages of Bobby and Flare's recent Issues as well as inside the Vancouver Sun and Province fashion sections.

She's nothing short of amazing.