ANTM pits contestants against each other in a variety of competitions to determine who will win a $100,000 modeling contract with makeup manufacturer CoverGirl. Most cycles' prizes have also included a photo spread in Elle, and representation by Ford Models; the seventh cycle prize includes coverage in Seventeen and representation by Elite Models.
The premiere season featured judges Kimora Lee Simmons, Beau Quillian, and Janice Dickinson, who bills herself as the world's first supermodel. By the second season, only Tyra and Janice remained judges. Subsequent seasons' judges have included ex-male fashion model and fashion photographer Nigel Barker and fashion editor and stylist Nolé Marin. After season four, Janice (amid rumors of personality conflicts with some other judges) and Marin were replaced by Twiggy, who had attained modeling fame in the 1960s, and Miss J. Alexander, who had been the show's runway coach since the first cycle. The fashion model-aspirants are also coached through photo-shoots by Jay Manuel, a stylist and personal friend of Tyra Banks. Jay is known as the Mr. J to J. Alexander's Ms. J. Janice Dickinson has continued to make intermittent guest appearances on the show after leaving the judging panel, giving advice to the contestants.