One word -
GENETICS!. It is that simple. Some places have it and some don't. The USA DOES NOT HAVE IT. Israel doesn't have it. Western Europe doesn't have it. Turkey, Italy, Spain, etc. do not have it. Genetics is the key. Imagine an American high school where three or four girls took off for Milan for shows? It happens in some parts of the Former Soviet Union.
Most people would say that the best looking (if you like the 34-24-34/ 86-61-86 cm at about 5'8"/172 cm look) would come from the Black Sea area of Ukraine. Having been there I would agree. Genetic freaks. Perfect facial bone structure as well. The number of teens who have been part of fashion week in NY, Paris, and now Milan from that area is staggering. Just ask any casting director or photographer. They will tell you. Russia produces some top notch girls as well. Depends on the area though. Kazan is very good. Kaliningrad does well. The Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia) are producing some great talent. Many top girls are coming from there. Slovakia is pretty good. Montenegro (Balkans) is very solid. Poland and Czech Republic produce some nice girls as well. The Wild Card is Belarus. I haven't been there, but people tell me that if it ever opens up it will become the new Ukraine in terms of modeling.
South America? Only one area that is worth mentioning. Rio Grand Do Sul in Southern Brazil. Immigration from Central and Eastern Europe has made that area of Brazil good.
Travel to some of the places I mentioned. You will become a believer.
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/fashion/article1364996.ece
"At last season’s New York fashion week Calvin Klein, the American designer, did not send a single US model down the catwalk: 12 of his 22 models were from Russia and the former Soviet bloc.
This week a “good half” of the 300 girls on parade in London will be from eastern Europe, according to the Association of Model Agents (AMA).
With their tall, thin bodies, the Slavic-look models are often closer to the “size zero” figures demanded by some designers than their western counterparts."
"Fashion industry insiders warn that the rapid expansion of the “Russian doll” is pushing down modelling fees. In New York last week some girls were not paid at all but were allowed to keep the clothes they modelled."
I know of a number of girls who have done the shows. It sucks. 98% end up making zero dollars! The girl pays for everything. Only a fraction of a percent make money. The ones who do are usually older (around 20) and have been doing shows for more than 5 years. One of the biggest misconceptions is that they have attitudes. Nope. With the arrival of Eastern European girls the attitudes have left the industry. There will always be another Natasha to replace the Natasha already in Italian Vogue. These girls are easily found.
BTW, No hyping your "ethnic" homegirls. That is silly. My "ethnic" homegirls look like something from a horror movie. I wouldn't touch one if she came with a $500 million trust fund.