Curvaceous supermodel Tyra Banks urges all aspiring models not to reveal their real age to modeling agencies in order to secure their future catwalk career.

The 31-year-old catwalk beauty, who entered the world of fashion as a teenager and became a world-known model, admits she would certainly pretend she was younger if she were drawn to modelling at an older age.

She said, according to Contactmusic.com: "I think the fashion industry is obsessed with youth and it's not even so much about how old you are, to me it's about what you look like. So I encourage girls to go into the agency and lie. You're 25, you look 17, you tell 'em you're 16!

"There's so much prejudice with age. Play the game. Then you'll start working a lot and then you'll have to go to Europe and then you'll finally have to show your passport and by then they're in love with you!"

The model also disclosed that bosses of lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret once rejected her because of her hair.

"The very first time I worked for Victoria's Secret it was like eight, nine years ago - I got thrown off set... because my hair looked so bad.

"But what it was is that the hairdresser wasn't trained to work with my type of hair. But who gets blamed? I look bad, they send me home.

"But Victoria's Secret gave me a second chance. Actually I called them. I said to my agent, 'Call them right now 'cause I know I got a booty... and I know it'll work for that catalogue!' So they gave me a second chance."