Virtual Model Worth US$15 Million Captures the World Market Illusion2K, the Company Responsible for the Launch of the First Virtual Model In the World, Receives Investments from a Financial Group, and now has The Total Involvement of John Casablancas NEW YORK and RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, May 10 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Webbie Tookay, the first virtual model, successfully launched last July, is conquering the world. Even John Casablancas, in charge of such models as Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Gisele Bundchen, has been unable to resist her charms. (Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SPW001-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SPW001-b ) Founder of the largest modeling agency in the world, John Casablancas has just left his position as the chairman of Elite Group, and has sold all of his shares to a Swiss financial group, in order to devote himself exclusively to the new projects of Illusion2K, a company specifically created for the development and management of models, actresses and virtual celebrities, special projects for the Internet and licensing. Casablancas, now the Chairman of Illusion2K, participated directly in the development of the model Webbie Tookay. "She is the perfect model; she never gains weight, and she can be in a number of places at the same time, such as virtual parades, publicity campaigns and electronic games. And most important, she does not abandon her modeling agency for anything," affirms Casablancas. At the same time, the Opportunity and the Victori groups have allied themselves with Casablancas, providing 50% of his capital and making a significant investment in the creation of the Illusion2K Network holding company, which is involved on a worldwide basis in representing and managing the career of Webbie Tookay, as well as of other virtual models under development, and Internet and licensing projects. Illusion2K Network will have four operating bases: the Americas (U.S.A. and Canada), Latin America, Europe and Asia, in addition to the worldwide support of Elite Models' 27 agencies which promote and represent their virtual models and actresses. On that basis, Webbie Tookay has just become the most valuable model in the world, with a market value estimated at US$15 million, which is notably higher than that of traditional, flesh-and-blood models. The number one model in the real world, Gisele Bundchen, should earn US$5 million this year, according to Veja magazine. "Our expectation is that Webbie Tookay will become a symbol of the virtual entertainment industry, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars," says Ricardo Bellino, CEO and President of Illusion2K. Supporting his conviction, Bellino points to the partnership between Illusion2K and Nokia, "the worldwide leader in cellular telephony," for which Webbie Tookay represents the image of the integration between the Internet and cellular telephony, in the launch of Nokia's first interactive telephone in Brazil, following publicity campaigns involving such stars as Pele, Rubens Barrichello and Jo Soares. Other news regarding Illusion2K is its participation in the Webby Awards (http://www.webbyawards.com), the Oscar for the American Internet, which will be held Thursday, May 11, beginning at 6:15 p.m. (local time) in San Francisco. In addition to sponsoring the broadcast of the awards on the Internet via Yahoo!Broadcast (http://p2.yahoo.com/webby), Illusion2K is also sponsoring the party for the winners of the Webby awards on May 12. Webbie Tookay will be present for the ceremony and the live transmission, congratulating the winners. New Projects Other virtual projects Illusion 2K is developing include: -- Webbie Planet: a gateway to entertainment that will present a virtual talk-show with Webbie Tookay and real and virtual invitees. -- Webbietainment: a wireless Internet service with entertainment news presented by Webbie Tookay directly to cellular telephones and pagers worldwide. -- Webbie Mascot: Webbie Tookay will be a new one-on-one marketing agent for the Internet. She will broadcast information, control shares daily and hourly, and confirm the desktop E-mails of the Internauts. -- XXO: The launch of a musical group of virtual models, including the next two models launched by Illusion2K (http://www.videonewswire.com/ILLUSION2K/051000/), led by Webbie Tookay. -- WWW (What We Wear): The brand name of the new Internet generation, a virtual store that will offer exclusive products such as clothing and various accessories. Illusion2K's plans also include the sponsorship this year of a worldwide competition of virtual models (Virtual Model Look), in partnership with Elite Models, in which virtual models created by young graphic artists will participate. The finalists will be presented in Miami in July, during the finals of the Elite Model Look; winners will be announced at the international final of Elite Model Look 2000, to be held in September in Geneva, Switzerland. NOTE: The audio conference with all of the press, video, releases and links is available on the website: www.prnewswire.com, in the multimedia section, and also at http://www.videonewswire.com/ILLUSION2K/051000 Contacts: John Casablancas, [email protected], or Ricardo Bellino, [email protected] , both of Illusion2k; or press, Raul Fagundes or Eliane Castro, ++55-11-536-9086, or [email protected], both of the CASADANOTICIA.COM PR Agency. SOURCE: Illusion2k CONTACT: John Casablancas, [email protected], or Ricardo Bellino, [email protected] , both of Illusion2k; or press, Raul Fagundes or Eliane Castro, ++55-11-536-9086, or [email protected], both of the CASADANOTICIA.COM PR Agency Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SPW001-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SPW001-b PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 201-369-3467 Web site: http://www.illusion2k.com Audio: http://www.videonewswire.com/ILLUSION2K/051000