Chapter 182 - Victoria's Secret Models

Laila was a super visual creature. Just by looking at how she managed to keep her father's cheap lover-secretary around and brought Roy from the streets to Hollywood, it was evident that a beautiful face held immense power to her.

As she gazed at the group of stunning Victoria's Secret models, her smile was even more radiant than usual. Thankfully, she hadn't brought too many familiar faces with her this time; otherwise, people might mistake her for a lace model. If that were the case, it would be a beautiful misunderstanding indeed.

"You can call me Laila. Before we officially start working, shall we get to know each other a bit?"

"Then let's start with me." A tall and slender model with a bright smile stepped forward. "I'm Heidi Klum."

"Hello, Heidi." Laila smiled at her while secretly observing this supermodel who would become a legend in the future.

Speaking of Heidi, what stood out most in the minds of Easterners wasn't just that she was the first Victoria's Secret Angel, or that she possessed a devilishly attractive 35-24-34 figure, or that she had been voted the world's sexiest mother. It was her reality show, "Project Runway."

It was a fashion reality show that Laila was continuing to watch in her previous life. Titles like "supermodel" didn't have much influence on many Easterners, but "Project Runway" was beloved by many girls.

In the show, young designers from all over the world would create beautiful outfits in a short amount of time, and fashion experts would judge their work in rounds of elimination, ultimately recommending the most talented designer.

Thinking about Heidi led Laila to "Project Runway," which in turn reminded her of the task her grandfather had left her. The show wasn't bad; maybe she could recommend it to him.

The models introduced themselves one by one, and among them were individuals who would undoubtedly become top-tier supermodels in the future. This demonstrated Victoria's Secret's unique advantage and vision in discovering and promoting models.

After everyone had introduced themselves, Laila said, "In the upcoming period, I'll be taking a few promotional photos of you all. These images will appear in the most attention-grabbing places and become the focus of countless people. So, please stay in your best condition and let me capture your radiant beauty."

"Wow!" The models exclaimed excitedly.

For them, this was incredibly good news—opportunities that others couldn't even beg for were falling into their laps! Who knew how many models were willing to pay a hefty sum just to have Laila take their photos? Unfortunately, the big director wasn't the type to accept jobs based solely on money.

Laila took out the first image she had shown during the meeting and said, "The promotional photos will have a single theme: showcasing the allure of Victoria's Secret. I need you all to exude a natural charm, with rosy and healthy cheeks, eyes as if shrouded in mist, and lips that appear as if they've just been kissed. I want to see a woman who looks like she's just awakened from a dream—sexy, fashionable, romantic, with a touch of laziness and indulgence. Do you understand what I mean?"

"We understand!" The girls called out in unison before bursting into laughter.

As models, they naturally knew how to present their best side and how to express expressions and poses according to the photographer's requirements. What Laila said wasn't difficult, and for these beautiful young women, it was even simpler than breathing; they just had to embody the look of someone who had just woken up from slumber.

"Very well. I'll give you three days to adjust. Three days from now, I'll capture your most beautiful moments forever!" Laila looked around, her words filled with ambition and confidence.

These words, though, carried an unparalleled level of credibility in the ears of the models. Because she was Laila Moran, the magical witch who repeatedly created miracles!

Why did she give the models three days to adjust? There was a reason for that. Before their official runway shows, models would carefully control their physiques to display their best state on the catwalk. Although their usual diet and exercise routines were already stringent enough to be measured with precision instruments, their control before important events were even more meticulous.

For example, drinking too much water could lead to facial bloating, so they would limit their water intake before events. Though these differences might seem minor, they would become magnified in enlarged photos, making precise control essential.

Modeling was tough work indeed. If one believed that all a model needed to do was look beautiful and strut a few steps on the runway to earn a hefty paycheck, they would be gravely mistaken.

The Victoria's Secret models were lucky in that they received recognition from the company and could secure a signing bonus to support their livelihoods. Many other models struggled to make ends meet, having to compromise and compete for opportunities just to participate in a runway show.

As the models diligently prepared to present their most beautiful selves, the screening of "Final Destination" faced its first formidable competitor, "Deep Impact." In the past two weeks, "Final Destination" had lived up to expectations, claiming the top spot at the box office. It also pushed Laila's films to occupy the top three positions on the box office charts, achieving a brilliant record of winning the weekly champion title for each movie.

This was an incredible and miraculous record. Even the most accomplished directors had never achieved such outstanding results. Keep in mind that every one of her films, starting from her very first work, had achieved this feat, averaging two weeks as the box office champion each time!

This was the fiercely competitive North American box office we were talking about, where numerous films each year struggled to make an impact and were often overshadowed by other releases. Yet, here she was, claiming the top spot with every new film, making each one a weekly champion without fail!

What did winning the box office champion title mean? It meant enormous box office revenue! Combining the totals from the first two films, "Final Destination" had already grossed over 600 million globally. Now, in just two weeks, it had crossed the one billion mark at the box office, with the likelihood of generating more revenue in the weeks to come due to the gradual decline in ticket sales.

Incredible, wasn't it?

In the eyes of Hollywood studios and film investors, Laila was practically a golden hen that laid golden eggs! If they thought before that she wouldn't make movies for other companies due to having her own production company, "Rush Hour" had shown them that she was willing to work for others, as long as the price was right!

Exactly, that's the way to do it! It's not about being afraid of her asking for a high price; it's about being afraid that she won't ask for money! If a film could earn hundreds of millions, what did it matter to pay her a few million in fees?

While Laila was working on her script in the hotel, she received a call from Demi, informing her that "Final Destination" had secured the second-week box office champion title and had crossed the one billion mark in ticket sales. Given the rate of ticket sales decline, it was highly likely to earn several tens of millions more in the following week.