Modern-day Cinderella leaves gutter for catwalk

A teenage girl who picked through rubbish bins to feed herself and her family is set to become a supermodel after being discovered while doing her grinding work.

Daniela Cott has been dubbed the Argentine Cinderella for her fairytale rise from the gutter to the stars and admits that she never imagined she would become a model.

"We went through people's rubbish looking for cardboard, newspapers or glass bottles to sell to the recycling plant for a few pennies," she was quoted by the UK's Telegraph as saying.

"It was a dirty job and I didn't like it but I did it to help my family."

Daniela's family was reduced to poverty after her parents lost their jobs in Argentina's financial crisis and they were forced to join the "cartoneros" of Buenos Aires — the 10,000 people who survive by finding and selling scraps of recyclable material to processing plants.

But her miserable life was transformed two years ago when she was spotted rummaging through a garbage bin by jeweller Marina Gonzalez.

The renowned necklace designer noticed Daniela's emerald green eyes and willowy 175cm frame through her matted hair and tangled clothes and told her she should try modelling.

The 16-year-old agreed to pose for some photos and they were sent to a fashion agent, who also recognised her potential and entered her in the Elite Model Look competition — after months of grooming and modelling instruction, including learning how to walk in heels.

But Daniela went on to win the competition from 1000 other hopefuls and has since worked in Milan, Paris and Madrid.

She says working as a cartonera gave her the strength of character to handle such a change of fortune but admits that modelling has been more difficult than she expected.

"I used to say that modelling on a catwalk or posing for photographs couldn't be very difficult," she said.

"Now I realise it is difficult, but not as hard as collecting rubbish."

Elite Models Argentina president Salvadore Jaef says Daniela is a natural.

"She loves the glamour and the modelling world, she's going to have an extraordinary future," he was quoted by the Telegraph as saying.

"She's unbelievably photogenic — she transforms in front of the camera."

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