Kiko Rustia in Benetton campaign

MANILA, Philippines - Serendipity has led GMA 7’s Born to be Wild co-host Kiko Rustia (photo) to model for global fashion brand Benetton’s forthcoming fall/winter collection.

According to the GMA Artist Center (GMAAC) talent and Survivor Philippines finalist, Kiko chanced upon the ad announcing the search for new Benetton models while he was flipping through a newspaper to kill time after dinner one Sunday evening.

“The ad was so small, you’d hardly notice it,” he says.

But Kiko did and two days later, he found himself joining the on-line search but with little hope that he’d make it even into the Top 100 list. He, after all, has had little modeling experience — and it was a worldwide search which eventually atrracted 65,000 applicants.

“And until then, only my mom has told me I’m a handsome man,” jokes he who landed in the search’s Top 40 list partly on strength of votes by people from as far away as Antigua, Belarus and Kazakhstan.    

Two months later and a still disbelieving Kiko is now in New York City with other models selected for the campaign titled It’s my time. They will be captured on film by renowned photographer Josh Olin for use in the retail brand’s international advertisements and point-of-purchase paraphernalia. They are billeted at the super chic The Standard Hotel.