Model Mania

CEBU, Philippines – Getting queries at any time of the day (I got a call from an obviously woozy teenager who asked for the qualifications to be a model at 2 in the morning!), model mania has swept the whole world. The fascination from actors to flight attendants has now shifted to models. Sadly, that woozy teenager was just 5 feet tall. And obviously not “model” material when behavior is concerned.

Models seem to lead charmed lives — not only are they blessed with good looks and gorgeous bodies, but they got the money. Travel and glamour are also part of the package, the perks of the job. So it’s no wonder where this model mania is coming from. You see these models in gala shows. You see their images in billboards smiling back at you (taunting lesser mortals), not to mention the glossy magazines and newspapers endorsing clothes and an array of various products.

In these pages are four of today’s rising stars in the modeling firmament. They got plum assignments and needless to say, the prerequisites of being a model’s model. That’s de rigueur in today’s fashion demimonde. The right physique coupled with the right attitude. Know more about them….

Adam Jennie is Swiss German Vietnamese. At 5 ft. 10 inches and a brooding face, he’s a young (he just turned 20) Vin Diesel with better tattoos. Days after his “discovery,” he got an editorial photo shoot for the glossy mag Zee Lifestyle Cebu and 3 fashion shows lined up. He also dabbles in photography.

Suzanne Espejon is Chinese Filipino with feline features that reminds one of 90s runway diva Joyce Oreña. She immediately became the young designers’ fave for her long limbs, that enviable 23-inch waistline and those pouty lips au naturelle. “She’s a living mannequin,” quipped enfant terrible Edwin Ao.

Rose Ann Marquez is the new Brit girl. Born of a British father and a Leyteña mother, she has already graced several publications, most especially bridal magazines. She also endorses a car manufacturer with her aquiline nose and deep set eyes. She is just 16 years old.

Blui Arriola is a 6 ft. 1 inch heartthrob of Spanish Chinese Filipino descent. He caught the eye of several fashion designers and corporate clients after devoting his time in the charity fundraising Santacruzan 2009. With his lean physique and a little lost boy look, he has several shows lined up already. He is 19 years old.

Bravissimo!