Monumental: 50 Models of the Moment

Models are now more than just their perfect frames and faces. These days, it’s about uniqueness, diversity, and identity. MEGA gathers 50 of the top Filipino models for its biggest and most ambitious cover yet

This is an excerpt from MEGA September 2024 Cover story.

What is the fashion industry without models? They are the medium on which the designer’s vision comes to life. Beyond their physical attributes, models are the ambassadors of style and glamor, and the embodiment of the physical ideals of the times. In fact, one can trace the evolution of society’s beauty ideals by the models that artists and media choose to immortalize in their work.

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“Models pay an integral role in the fashion industry because they are—at the heart of it all—the storytellers of a designer’s creative expression,” MEGA Editor-in-Chief Peewee Isidro says. “With every move, step, and facial expression, the best models evoke a message or stir an emotion from their audience, whether it be from the catwalk, the pages of a magazine, or on the screen.”

Throughout generations, models have seldom been required to speak, in fact, their job is mostly to just move, pose, stand, and walk to best show the designer’s work. However, with the advent of digital media, models have begun to grow out of their silent mannequin-like roles for fashion. They have started to use their voices and social media platforms to share their lives, their personal style, their thoughts and opinions, and even lend their influence for the causes that they believe in.

“Models have been featured many times in every issue of the magazine,” MEGA Creative Chief Patrick Ty adds, “but they have only been ‘hangers.’ We have never really given them the platform to have voices. And now, with models having their own following on social media and on other platforms, it’s about time we recognize them and hear their voices.

The 50 models featured in this month’s cover and cover story are made up of the talents MEGA has worked with in the recent years. A number of them have broken into the international modeling scene. There are models here who have used their platforms to make a difference within their sphere of influence. And some represent the transformation happening in the fashion and modeling industry here in the Philippines and around the world.

MAKING IT BIG WITH MEGA

Shooting with 50 models is quite a feat. It requires careful planning, impeccable scheduling, a battalion of makeup artists and hairstylists, racks of outfits and shoes, a studio large enough to shoot all of them, and a photographer who could command their attention to ensure everyone looked good in the same shot. But since they are all professionals, there soon arose a method in the chaos.

At first glance, the majority of the models are still cast from the conventional mold—tall, remarkably lean, with symmetrical features. However, take a closer look, there are a few standouts who represent the steady change that is happening in the modeling landscape and a promise of a more inclusive and diverse future for modeling ahead.

Read more about what these future fashion icons have to say about their love for the role in MEGA’s September 2024 issue, now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.

Photographed by DOC MARLON. creative direction by PATRICK TY. Styled by RYUJI SHIOMITSU and ROKO ARCEO. Hair and makeup by NIX INSTITUTE OF BEAUTY. Art direction BRIE VENTURA. Fashion Direction KAT CRUZ-VILLANUEVA and RYUJI SHIOMITSU. Beauty Direction AGOO AZCUNA-BENGZON. Production JONES PALTENG. Sittings Editor PEEWEE REYES-ISIDRO. Fashion Assistant ERICA TERROL and GISELLE BARNACHEA. Styling Assistants AARON DE CHAVEZ, PATRICIA NAOMI CRUZ, JUSTINE SABALVARO, KIRK LUCAS, SHELLA LIWANAG, RICH FORTU, and NICHOLE ANNE PURA. Photography Assistants JOEL RAMOS Head Makeup Artist NIX SORIANO. Makeup Artists KAI BALBIN, JAN DAYAON, CATHY DEE, RAM DIAZ, STELLA FABUNAN, RICCI LAUREL- LAXA, CRISH MARFIL, MEG ROSALES, ANDREA SANCHEZ. Hair Stylists AYA BERNARDO, IVETT CHAVEZ, APRILYN ESCOTO, MA. JESSECA MIRANDA, MICKOY ROBLES. Hairstylists MA. JESSECA MIRNDA, MICKOY ROBLES, APRILYN ESCOTO, AYA BERNARDO, IVETT CHAVEZ, KAI BALBIN. Nails LUZ FORTUNO, NHICA RAGASA AND JENNIFER PASCUAL OF TRIPLE LUCK BROW & NAIL SALON. Production Design MIGS ALCID OF STUDIO TATIN. Shot at RED APPLE STUDIOS. Special thanks to PMAP, IM AGENCY, NEW MONARQ, FARAH MODELS, MERCATOR MODELS, ELITE MANILA, THE AUDACITY MANAGEMENT, LUMINARY MODELS and MAIN MODELS.