Nobleton women competing in Torrid’s Next Model 2026
By Mark Pavilons
Editor
A Nobleton woman is pursing her dream, and has made it to the top 30 in Torrid's Next Model 2026 competition.
Natalie Lukovic has been putting tremendous effort into pursuing her dream, and remains as the only Canadian contestant in the competition.
With enough votes, she has a chance to advance to the Top 15 and possibly win.
Recently, Natalie stood along King Road in Nobleton, near the John Deere dealership, holding a large pink sign above her head and asking passing drivers to scan her QR code and vote for her.
Her mother noted that seeing her determination and willingness to put herself out there “made me incredibly proud.”
Torrid is a fashion brand that specializes in stylish, inclusive clothing for women sizes 10–30. Their model casting call gives everyday women the opportunity to become the next face of Torrid!
The competition is open to eligible adults ages 18 and older, with no upper age limit. It welcomes eligible participants from across the United States and Canada!
This year's casting events took place in several U.S. cities, including New York City and Los Angeles, both of which Natalie personally travelled to and attended!
“I was recently selected as one of the Top 30 semifinalists, which is honestly still so surreal to me,” she said.
Public voting is currently taking place until October 20, and supporters can vote daily. The next stage of the competition includes the selection of the Top 15 finalists.
“I've dreamed of becoming a model for as long as I can remember, but growing up, I never thought it was something that could actually happen for someone like me,” she added.
“This year, I decided to stop letting fear hold me back and go after that dream!
“I traveled from Ontario to New York City in July to attend Torrid's open casting call. I had such an incredible experience that when another casting opportunity came up in Los Angeles in September, I decided to take another chance and fly across the country.
“One of the most special moments was arriving at the Los Angeles casting and having people from Torrid remember me from New York! It was such a nice surprise and made the experience even more memorable.”
After attending the castings, she received the incredible news that she had been selected as one of the top 30 semi-finalists.
This is the first modelling competition she's ever entered and for her, it's about so much more than modeling.
“Growing up, I was always the bigger girl. I spent so much of my life feeling like I didn't fit society's definition of beauty. I didn't always see women who looked like me represented in fashion or the media.
“Brands like Torrid helped change that for me. Seeing beautiful, confident women of different shapes and sizes made me feel like I belonged, too.
“Over the last year and a half, I've lost over 100 pounds, but one of the biggest transformations has been learning to love and embrace myself.
“What I love most about this competition is that it celebrates real women, their individuality, their stories, and their confidence.
“I've also met some of the most incredible women throughout this journey. Instead of feeling like we're competing against one another, there's been so much encouragement and support.
“It's been such a beautiful experience!”
Her dream is to become a Torrid model, but a bigger goal is to inspire other women.
“I want women to know that no matter their age, size, loose skin, imperfections, or what they've been through in life, they are worthy of feeling beautiful, confident, and chasing their dreams,” she said.
“For so many years, I convinced myself that certain opportunities weren't meant for someone like me. Now, at 33 years old, I'm finally giving myself permission to chase the dreams I've had since I was a little girl.
“If sharing my story inspires even one woman to believe in herself or take a chance on something she's always wanted to do, that would mean the world to me.
“I'm just a small-town Canadian girl with a really big dream, and the fact that I've made it this far is already something I'll never forget.”
Natalie is hoping to rally as much support as possible from the local community. Voting is open until October 20, and every single vote makes a difference. Supporters can visit the Torrid website, find the casting call voting page, and vote for Natalie, daily.
Visit https://m.cmpgn.page/XngrvM 1
“I'm so incredibly grateful for this opportunity, and it would mean the world to have my community behind me as I chase this dream.”
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