Catwalk: Cyberia''s Sexiest

Watch out, Naomi Campbell.

US-based modelling agency Elite has just signed on Webbie Tookay as a resident supermodel.

The stunning Webbie is always on call. What’s more, she can adapt in seconds from

a Twiggy-slim 28A for a Pierre Cardin top to an eye-popping 38-24-36 for Baywatch

swimwear…on demand. And she can be blonde, brunette or black. She doesn’t throw

tantrums or show up late, though she may occasionally cause a fatal exception error…

Created by Swedish digital artist Stephen Stahlberg at Optidigit, Webbie is a computer

generated amalgam of real-life models and "perfect" women from the catwalks.

Stahlberg’s part of a committee at Elite to draw up designs for Webbie’s next

generation.

Elite is spending $1 million on the project, and is planning a virtual model talent

show in September to encourage more designers to "build the ideal woman".

For their investment, Elite will save a small fortune in modeling fees. "We are

launching a new concept of beauty for the next millennium," says Elite chairman John

Casablancas.

Elite’s Illusion 2K program will operate from 25 Elite offices around the world to

"represent" virtual top models from various digital designers. These models will

participate in virtual fashion shows, photo sessions for fashion and variety magazines,

publicity films, TV programs, short and long feature films, electronic games, and Internet

projects (www.elite-illusion2k.com). Webbie

is Elite Illusion 2K’s first top model.

The

$100 million Paris-born, US-based Elite (www.elitemodels.com)

is the world’s largest network of modeling agencies. Optidigit ( href="http://www.optidigit.com">www.optidigit.com) is a "post-production"

studio in Malaysia, with high-end 3D video creation and editing resources. Ståhlberg is

art director and 3D consultant at Optidigit.

But with their disks full of cyber-babes, will Elite simply help the fashion industry

fall even more out of touch with reality? And present feminist groups with even more

fodder? The latter say supermodels already present an irrational idealistic picture of

women…the additional "perfection" of computer graphics (from largely male

programmers) cannot make them happier.

Now if this one’s Webbie 2K, what will version 2.0 be called?