Supermodel with the attitude and style

Tall, tan, and lovely–Cebuana girl Marjay Ramirez is all that. That made her fit in. But over those qualities, she wore an attitude. And that made her stand out.

Only 14, this girl is all of five feet, nine inches, possesses sun-kissed complexion and, best of all, draws everyone’s attention like powerful gravitational pull (X-factor, if you will), the quality that clinched her this year’s much -coveted plum in the Ford Models Supermodel of the World of the Philippines. She’s also a good example of Lee USA’s attitude.

Marjay grabbed everyone’s attention with a sea-parting on the ramp, often marked by a swagger vaguely reminiscent of Naomi Campbell. She was gung-ho right from the beginning, radically shifting from one attitude to another depending on what the occasion might call for. She was brassy in a Lee vintage tee and frayed denim pair, aloof in a sleek evening piece and coquettish in a cat suit.

But while Marjay pulled off a dramatic performance, the other girls certainly showed their own brand of attitude. They were all hip and smug in Lee USA’s vintage school shirts, conceptualized logos on graphic tees, cut and sew printed tees on denim deconstructed tops in subdued colors, plaid denims. But the girls were in top form in zipped-up overalls, a hip off-white long-sleeved, patches-strewn tops that flows down to a sheer black in the pant area.

In the competition’s other portions, some of the girls stood out as well. Manila-based model Charise Arayi was a sizzling combination of sensuality and energy in her Lee cat suit. Gayle Ong, in her evening gown strode the stage with a lot of grace as a swan gliding on water. Natalie Sy was a striking face on film.