Searching for the next supermodel in the Philippines
November 29, 2006 | 12:00am
Anyone who has worked in the local fashion industry knows how hard it is to find a good model around here. So it always comes as a surprise whenever a local model makes it abroad.
Last year the local Supermodel search organized by franchise holders Joey and Audie Espino of CalCarries came up with Charo Ronquillo, who went on to win second place in the Supermodel of the World Search 2006.
She is the first Asian ever to land in the top three.
This year the local winner is Michelle Panemanglor, a 19-year-old Filipino-Indian beauty selected by the Espino brothers and Bill Ford, son of Eileen Ford and president of the famed Ford Models agency.
Besides winning a one-year modeling contract with CalCarries, she will compete in the Supermodel of the World finals in New York in January 2007.
A day before Michelles victory, I spoke to Bill Ford about finding the right model.
The interview was easy and informal, with much laughter. Its been a while since Ive heard New York humor and Mr. Ford doesnt stop cracking jokes with the Espino brothers.
The first thing I really want to know is, is it worth looking here? Dont you think its slim pickings over here?
BILL FORD: Its slim pickings everywhere. Everywhere in the world, the United States, Australia youre probably saying why dont we just spend our time there or in Europe?
Yes, because the impression is its really about white models.
It used to be. Ten years ago, it was.
Finding a good model is really finding something unique and Charo has finally become that unique look from the Philippines.
When a model becomes that good, its not about color of the skin or anything like that, its a matter of how does she sell? How does she draw people in? How is she as a model? And if you can say great to all of those, she becomes a supermodel. And they book her. They book the individual, more than they book her to be politically correct.
If you look at the breakdown of the US population, were first Caucasian, second, Hispanic, by 25 percent. Asian is coming up next and coming up fast. You dont ignore those numbers and say no, were one thing. Diversity is not just a buzzword anymore. You watch where the agency is going, what the future will hold. Youd better keep up with it or go bye-bye.
Theres been a trend towards Brazilian, Russian or Eastern-bloc models. Who decides what is the next trend for these girls?
Nobody decides. It just happens. Brazilians actually came into New York with the best, most enviable bodies, starting with Adriana Lima. There were girls before her but she was just this stunning thing.
Everybody heard, wow, shes Brazilian. Everybody started going down there. If youve ever been to the beaches in Rio, shes pretty normal there. Shes gorgeous. It was a unique look. Nobody said shes Hispanic, shes Brazilian, they just said, "I want that girl." And they wound up there.
Russians came across the border as fast and furiously as they could get out of Russia at the time. Somebody found a couple and somebody else found a couple, so they said it was a trend. We find models everywhere.
No, we dont use as many Asians but, you know what? Its coming. Like it or not, its going to be a very diverse world.
I was amazed at the European population in Shanghai when I was there last week. You know, everybody seems to be living everywhere. I dont know with the Philippines. I havent been here long enough.
I think the Koreans are taking over.
So you know advertisers, if they become 25 percent of the population, youd better pay attention to them and their buying power, if they get to be that large a segment of your society.
Where else in Asia have you been to for this search?
In Asia, weve done Supermodel in Singapore, we have done it in China before and Japan. This year we will bring a girl, I think, from Singapore; Im not sure. Definitely here and China.
On your website it said you were looking for girls at least 58" tall, between 14 and 21 years old.
We look at girls at 14, but if I had an ideal it would be 17, 18 to start. I would like girls that have finished high school, just because if it doesnt work, they could go back.
But at the same time, the competition for the business has become very fierce, so we like to start following them earlier and take girls during the summer. We bring them to New York for a couple of weeks. So we do look at girls that young. And surprisingly, we find quite a few at that age that we dont work with till later.
How does a 14-year-old model get her education?
We try and do it during the summer around her school schedule just try and look at it from this perspective. Im a 50-year-old photographer and Im trying to talk to you, a 14-year-old girl. There isnt a whole lot in common there. It doesnt make for a good business relationship till they can communicate.
So theres a huge, huge difference between 14 and 18 just in maturity level, and education is part of that maturity.
So what else are you looking at besides the height requirement?
Its this wonder body size that is dictated by the designers and we have to fit into their sample size, which is generally a 6, 8, somewhere there.
Not a 2 or 4?
Thats only in Prada. (Laughs) And Im not sure if thats the new 6 or the new 8. But it is slender and it is not emaciated.
So you dont believe in that. I heard that the Spanish were
Banning some models? You know, the funny part about that is that if you look at half of the girls that they call emaciated, follow them around to dinner that night theyre in McDonalds.
Theyre just kids that have this incredible metabolism. By the way, that doesnt mean that it doesnt exist that some kids do develop eating disorders and yes, weve got to be there for them and make sure that they stay healthy. An emaciated, bulimic model does us no good. It is a problem because they dont fit the clothes.
Theyre too skinny?
They become too skinny. And the bottom line is, healthy and in-shape works. For a girl who feels like she is too heavy, exercise, as opposed to non-eating, would serve two purposes: one is endorphins make you feel better about yourself. Period. They give you more energy and bring you back to the shape that people are looking for. Which is a far better way than dropping weight by just not eating.
Here in the Philippines, the word "supermodel" is really abused. Its like everyones a supermodel. Who invented this word?
Eileen. And by the time we went to trademark it everybody loved it so much that we couldnt trademark it.
You call your mom Eileen, or mom?
To you, Eileen. To her face, mom.
What is the true definition of a supermodel?
That special person Okay, youre at a cocktail party. All of a sudden you feel the door open. You dont know why youre turning but the door is opening, the room goes silent and in walks this creature. Thats the supermodel. The one that can stop everybody in their tracks. You know what, I would not put her on the hood of the car because I want to keep moving. (Laughter)
How come you never search for male models here?
(Laughs) Because people like him might show up. (Points to Audie Espino, laughs) Im sorry. That was too easy. That was far too easy.
My last question: Do you date models?
I did and I dont. We have this family rule that I can date models, as long as theyre not ours.
Last year the local Supermodel search organized by franchise holders Joey and Audie Espino of CalCarries came up with Charo Ronquillo, who went on to win second place in the Supermodel of the World Search 2006.
She is the first Asian ever to land in the top three.
This year the local winner is Michelle Panemanglor, a 19-year-old Filipino-Indian beauty selected by the Espino brothers and Bill Ford, son of Eileen Ford and president of the famed Ford Models agency.
Besides winning a one-year modeling contract with CalCarries, she will compete in the Supermodel of the World finals in New York in January 2007.
A day before Michelles victory, I spoke to Bill Ford about finding the right model.
The interview was easy and informal, with much laughter. Its been a while since Ive heard New York humor and Mr. Ford doesnt stop cracking jokes with the Espino brothers.
The first thing I really want to know is, is it worth looking here? Dont you think its slim pickings over here?
BILL FORD: Its slim pickings everywhere. Everywhere in the world, the United States, Australia youre probably saying why dont we just spend our time there or in Europe?
Yes, because the impression is its really about white models.
It used to be. Ten years ago, it was.
Finding a good model is really finding something unique and Charo has finally become that unique look from the Philippines.
When a model becomes that good, its not about color of the skin or anything like that, its a matter of how does she sell? How does she draw people in? How is she as a model? And if you can say great to all of those, she becomes a supermodel. And they book her. They book the individual, more than they book her to be politically correct.
If you look at the breakdown of the US population, were first Caucasian, second, Hispanic, by 25 percent. Asian is coming up next and coming up fast. You dont ignore those numbers and say no, were one thing. Diversity is not just a buzzword anymore. You watch where the agency is going, what the future will hold. Youd better keep up with it or go bye-bye.
Theres been a trend towards Brazilian, Russian or Eastern-bloc models. Who decides what is the next trend for these girls?
Nobody decides. It just happens. Brazilians actually came into New York with the best, most enviable bodies, starting with Adriana Lima. There were girls before her but she was just this stunning thing.
Everybody heard, wow, shes Brazilian. Everybody started going down there. If youve ever been to the beaches in Rio, shes pretty normal there. Shes gorgeous. It was a unique look. Nobody said shes Hispanic, shes Brazilian, they just said, "I want that girl." And they wound up there.
Russians came across the border as fast and furiously as they could get out of Russia at the time. Somebody found a couple and somebody else found a couple, so they said it was a trend. We find models everywhere.
No, we dont use as many Asians but, you know what? Its coming. Like it or not, its going to be a very diverse world.
I was amazed at the European population in Shanghai when I was there last week. You know, everybody seems to be living everywhere. I dont know with the Philippines. I havent been here long enough.
I think the Koreans are taking over.
So you know advertisers, if they become 25 percent of the population, youd better pay attention to them and their buying power, if they get to be that large a segment of your society.
Where else in Asia have you been to for this search?
In Asia, weve done Supermodel in Singapore, we have done it in China before and Japan. This year we will bring a girl, I think, from Singapore; Im not sure. Definitely here and China.
On your website it said you were looking for girls at least 58" tall, between 14 and 21 years old.
We look at girls at 14, but if I had an ideal it would be 17, 18 to start. I would like girls that have finished high school, just because if it doesnt work, they could go back.
But at the same time, the competition for the business has become very fierce, so we like to start following them earlier and take girls during the summer. We bring them to New York for a couple of weeks. So we do look at girls that young. And surprisingly, we find quite a few at that age that we dont work with till later.
How does a 14-year-old model get her education?
We try and do it during the summer around her school schedule just try and look at it from this perspective. Im a 50-year-old photographer and Im trying to talk to you, a 14-year-old girl. There isnt a whole lot in common there. It doesnt make for a good business relationship till they can communicate.
So theres a huge, huge difference between 14 and 18 just in maturity level, and education is part of that maturity.
So what else are you looking at besides the height requirement?
Its this wonder body size that is dictated by the designers and we have to fit into their sample size, which is generally a 6, 8, somewhere there.
Not a 2 or 4?
Thats only in Prada. (Laughs) And Im not sure if thats the new 6 or the new 8. But it is slender and it is not emaciated.
So you dont believe in that. I heard that the Spanish were
Banning some models? You know, the funny part about that is that if you look at half of the girls that they call emaciated, follow them around to dinner that night theyre in McDonalds.
Theyre just kids that have this incredible metabolism. By the way, that doesnt mean that it doesnt exist that some kids do develop eating disorders and yes, weve got to be there for them and make sure that they stay healthy. An emaciated, bulimic model does us no good. It is a problem because they dont fit the clothes.
Theyre too skinny?
They become too skinny. And the bottom line is, healthy and in-shape works. For a girl who feels like she is too heavy, exercise, as opposed to non-eating, would serve two purposes: one is endorphins make you feel better about yourself. Period. They give you more energy and bring you back to the shape that people are looking for. Which is a far better way than dropping weight by just not eating.
Here in the Philippines, the word "supermodel" is really abused. Its like everyones a supermodel. Who invented this word?
Eileen. And by the time we went to trademark it everybody loved it so much that we couldnt trademark it.
You call your mom Eileen, or mom?
To you, Eileen. To her face, mom.
What is the true definition of a supermodel?
That special person Okay, youre at a cocktail party. All of a sudden you feel the door open. You dont know why youre turning but the door is opening, the room goes silent and in walks this creature. Thats the supermodel. The one that can stop everybody in their tracks. You know what, I would not put her on the hood of the car because I want to keep moving. (Laughter)
How come you never search for male models here?
(Laughs) Because people like him might show up. (Points to Audie Espino, laughs) Im sorry. That was too easy. That was far too easy.
My last question: Do you date models?
I did and I dont. We have this family rule that I can date models, as long as theyre not ours.
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