No pain, no glamour

Veterans of the modeling industry say that long hours, skipped meals and chronic pain from wearing high heels are just a few of the things they must endure to make it big.

In a small, 10-square-meter room, a dozen women wearing heavy makeup and short dresses rest on chairs. Cosmetics, food and clothes are scattered on tables around them.

One of the models, Zhao Ruiliang, finishes half of her coldboxed lunch and puts her face down on a table to rest. Before she lies down, Zhao puts a Kleenex over her face to keep her makeup from being ruined.