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Serendipity Model behaviorLast weekend, I had quite a scare when I almost bumped into a gangly, fully-made up ati wearing a bahag costume with half her boobs hanging out. I thought I was in the set of a low budget Negrito period porno flick gone awry and not in a supposedly wholesome shopping mall surrounded by kids below 18 years old. Then, as I was about to leave, I saw a girl wearing a fully-beaded terno pushing a grocery cart with her whole family in tow; and beside her were two other girls in some sort of costumey-looking gowns munching on waffles while sizing each other up and probably mentally arguing who's the “Mary” and who's the “Rhoda” (that is, if they even know what that means). I soon found out that the “ ati on the loose” was actually part of that afternoon's mall fashion show and that she, along with “Mary” and “Rhoda” as well as the cart-pushing girl were some of the models. When did it ever become de rigueur for models to wear the same clothes (in this case terno , bahag etc.) they wore on the ramp even after the fashion show is done? I scratched my head and thought: either I need a good scalp and hair hot oil treatment or these girls need a crash course in “Model Behavior”. Apparently, it's the latter. I am not saying I'm an expert on the subject. But I've had my share of being called a “ramp model” albeit locally, at one point during my undernourished past life and although, I may not have had the ideal height; I still think I had the attitude and the brains (yes, brains are actually required to walk the runway and “brainy model” is not an oxymoron – well, um, I know that's debatable. But I'll get to the explanation of that later). And because of those same qualities, nobody needed to tell me that after the show, it's always in good taste to change in my own clothes before getting out of the backstage dressing room – even if the designer gave me his or her most coveted bahag creation. I think it's time someone told these newbie models to relax; to go down of their self-imposed pedestals; and take off their beauty queen crowns. I hope that before they fall off the ramp butt first, they will get to realize the following: they are not God's gift to men and the local fashion industry; no, not everyone is looking at them when they walk on the ramp (did it ever occur to them that people are actually looking at the clothes?) or when they go around the malls; they are not Ford Supermodel material that's why they are in this city and not in New York with the other Ford models; and most important of all, when they are modeling, they are not supposed to sell themselves but they're supposed to “sell” the clothes of either the shop or the couturier's. No offense but, it's not about the models, it's about the clothes. It's always about the clothes. I have joined a lot of fashion shows in the past of both local and Manila designers, and I know how it is to walk on that ramp wearing 4-inch strapless stilettos while worrying about your next pedicure visit and the fact that you have razor nicks on your leg. Believe me, it's not a walk in the park to have your hair and make up done for four hours and to wait for another four before the show starts; to pull out 100 hairpins from your rock-hard, hair-sprayed hair after the show; and to have migraine attacks because of hunger and stress. And what about if you're doing group shows and you have six outings with only one model in between outings? I suggest you either pray or grow a brain. Because when that happens, you need to know how to think on top of your head. You also have to have an IQ slightly higher than that of a chicken especially when you only had one rehearsal before a gala show and the director wants you to memorize four segments of F16s and B8s (question is, do you even know what an F16 is?). And of course, how could you intelligently emote without looking stupid; strike a pose without half your relatives disowning you; and “sell” the clothes of the designer if you're intellectually-challenged? Besides, what will happen to you when you're too old to do ramp shows? Can you be the next Joyce Orena-Stadler, Tweety de Leon, or Myrza Sison? These models own businesses, write for a living, and have reinvented themselves. The conclusion: brains will always come in handy on and off the ramp. My advice to the new models doing the local shows nowadays: don't let the “spotlight” get to your head or you might fall flat on your face. Don't be a diva, don't act famous (because you're not), and keep that bad attitude in check. Be respectful (especially to the designers, producers, directors), memorize your choreography, and always come on time. And unless you're a supermodel, please don't jack up your talent fees. Because only Linda Evangelista has the right to say, “I don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day.” So, good luck on your next catwalk and savor the moment. Because you never know, it might just be your last. |
