In the spirit of Fashion Month this September, #PreenFashionSeries stitches together stories on trends, bygone names, storied brands, and the next big things here and abroad.
If Tyra Banks and America’s Next Top Model taught us anything, it’s that pretty faces don’t make models. But runway walks, genes, and good poses do. And designers from the Fashion and Design Council of the Philippines (FDCP) think so, too.
But what else does? The council—who, at that time we met them, consisted of designers JC Buendia, Vic Barba, Tonichi Nocom, Gerry Sunga, and Tony Evan—seems to agree on three more standards: proportion, good shoulders, and professionalism.
“Not all models are proportioned. I’d rather work with someone who’s [either] tall or short, [as long as they are] proportioned,” says Vic. “As for the shoulders, they need to be walking hangers. It’s the same thing with [male models], they have to have the [shoulders], too. If you don’t have good shoulders, forget about modeling.”
Then again, a model isn’t a mannequin—what gets someone on top are how they work with their bodies, show up to their fittings, and make the clothes shine. So who, among all these beautiful people, are the best ones?
In no particular order, here are the FDCP-approved names. Click on the slideshow to see who made it!
Art by Dorothy Guya