High-fashion home girl

The Victoria's Secret model from Bessemer, Pa., loves her fast-paced career, but she hasn't forgotten her roots.
By JoANN JONES
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
BESSEMER, Pa. -- What do Dorothy Gale of "The Wizard of Oz" and 19-year-old Victoria's Secret model Deanna Miller have in common?
They both believe "there's no place like home."
Even though Miller appeared on this year's CBS special "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show," and she follows the hectic schedule of a professional model working in New York City, she still calls Bessemer her home.
"Pennsylvania is my home," said the daughter of Sharon and David Reynolds. "I go to New York to work."
And work, she does.
"I travel and work a lot, and, of course, I get tired," said Miller, who began her career at 16. "It's not always an eight-hour day. Sometimes it's 12 or more."
Yet, she said working for the CBS show was "comfortable, like working with family" as the models went through many sittings and filmed the footage. She called the people in charge "sweet" as they got everyone ready. But being on television is only part of her job as she is preparing to be featured in Macy's department store's online catalog as well as her "regular" castings.
Busy schedule
A typical day for her begins about 7:30 a.m., when she gets up, showers, does her own hair and makeup, and eats a bowl of cereal with sugar. Then she leaves for the studio, wearing her sneakers and carrying her ever-present portfolio and the heels that she'll put on later for her casting.
"I carry my portfolio everywhere I go," Miller said. "I go into the studio, they tell me where to go, and I'm gone. Castings can take place at any time. Sometimes I'm needed at 6 or 8 p.m. or even 11 at night. If it takes that long for a set to be ready, then I work that late."
"I never know what's going to happen next, or where I'm going to be," she added.
That's one reason why Miller says modeling isn't for everyone who dreams about the glamorous part of the career. She added that it is definitely not for the person who has to have everything planned ahead in her life
"You have to be able to travel -- a lot," she said. "I'll get a call and have to be ready in five minutes, or I'll be told to get my stuff packed because I'm leaving for Europe."
She's visited many large American cities such as Chicago and Miami as well as Western states such as California and Oregon. Her travels have also taken her to Hawaii, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France and England.
How she started
Miller -- whose family encouraged her to try modeling by going to a convention in Toronto in 2001 -- said that she spent the summer between her junior and senior years at Mohawk High School in New York, came back in the fall to finish her senior year, and then returned to the Big Apple.
"I graduated, had my party, and then left the next day," she said. "At that time I had to make a choice, and I chose my career."
Miller, who is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 115 pounds, participated in cheerleading and track while in high school and never thought about modeling until her mother suggested it. The Toronto convention, where more than 500 potential male and female models came to "try out" was a worthwhile experience because she got to meet people and sign with an agency. She said she has been fortunate that everything has worked out so well for her.
Miller said anyone thinking about becoming a model should be at least 5 feet 8 inches tall, must be able to meet people easily, and be able to determine quickly what people she feels comfortable around. She said she knew immediately that she liked the people who ran the Next modeling agency with whom she signed a contract. That helped her transition, but wasn't everything.
"I had to grow up fast," she said. "My mom was with me for the first few weeks I was in New York, but then I had to learn how to get around, make my own dinner, and do my own laundry."
Keeping in shape
She said she also has to be self-disciplined when it comes to taking care of her appearance. "I have to eat healthy, drink a lot of water, and stay away from alcohol and cigarettes. I also must take care of my face by washing it a couple of times a day and get plenty of sleep."
She added, of course, that she uses the whole line of Victoria's Secret skin care products.
Miller also keeps in shape, she said, by running all over the city to make her appointments, catching one train after another. "I joined a gym, but I don't get enough time to go there often," she lamented.
Although she loves what she is doing, Miller warns anyone thinking about a modeling career to be careful of people and organizations that draw girls in and then ask for money and photos right away.
"Girls need to beware of people who ask for, say, $500 up front and a lot of pictures," she said. "It's best to find an agency that you feel comfortable with."
Looking ahead
Knowing that a modeling career doesn't last forever, the down-to-earth and realistic Miller said she plans to model as long as she can, perhaps into her late 20s.
"If I come out happy, lively and energetic, I should be able to continue," she said.
She also promised her father that, no matter what, she would go to college someday, although she's not sure what she would like to study.
Although leading the frenzied life of a professional model, Miller claims there is some normalcy in her life, including her boyfriend of five years, Seth Bissell, a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as three good friends from high school and her family.
"My family is always there for me," she said. "Whenever I need a break, I come home."