Paolo Roldan: The road to fame

His billboards — big, bold and smoldering — drew a lot of attention when they first went up on EDSA. Because he is not a “local” celebrity he was not an immediately recognizable face; the fabulous photos had people asking: “Sino siya?”

His name is Paolo Roldan, and he is a fashion model. Some call him a “supermodel” and while the term may be open to debate, there is no doubting that the Filipino-Canadian model has made his mark on the world fashion ramp. He was an exclusive model for Givenchy for four seasons, and has walked the ramp for Vivienne  Westwood and a number of the fashion world’s most prominent names. He has also appeared in fashion editorials for top magazines, one of which was a nude shoot for the Paris edition of Vogue.

His story begins three years ago, when he flew to New York on a fashion buying trip. He was spotted by David Bosman founder of Boss Models, who invited him to join the company and try his luck as a model. But while he was involved in the fashion industry as a buyer for a small boutique back in Canada, Paolo had no idea that he would eventually be walking the ramp himself. He had received similar offers before, but never said yes until that day he met David. “It did not cross my mind,” he says. “I guess the timing was right because when I met David, he just basically asked me, ‘Would you like to try modeling out?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, I mean, I’ve been asked several times, but maybe this is the time that I should try it.’”

The part of the job that Paolo enjoys most is traveling and meeting new people. Last May, he was in the Philippines to model for Fashion Week and to shoot a campaign for Bench Body. It was his first campaign to be shot in the Philippines, and it is something Paolo is very proud of. The Bench people contacted his agency in New York. After just a few questions and e-mail exchanges, everything just snowballed and before he knew it, he was on a plane on his way to Manila.

According to Paolo, modeling is not just about showing off. It’s actually pretty much like acting in that a model is a person playing a role. “You’re building a character (so whenever I shoot a campaign), I pay close attention to everything, from the storyboard to the clothes.”

Of course, rising to the top of the modeling world also involves making some risky decisions and hoping they will work. When he got that offer to pose nude for Vogue, Paolo had to consult with his agent, who told him that the decision was really up to him. At the same time, they said that it would be good, and the people who were behind the campaign would be doing it in a very tasteful way, which put him at ease. “I was comfortable with it and comfortable with my body. It was just that I wanted to make sure that was the right thing. I have no regrets. I’m very proud of that photo.”

In an industry and a country where most of the male models are Caucasian, Paolo — with his exotic coloring and Asian looks — stands out. It’s easy to guess that one of the major reasons for his success as a model is that he knows who he is, and is not ashamed to stand up and proclaim that truth. And yet there is also a side of him that comes across as very genuine and very shy. In fact, he still prays before every pictorial that he shoots.

For the rest, he just digs deep into himself. “I built up my own confidence, and it helped because everyone was so positive, and they encouraged me to be myself,” says Paolo. “But if you asked me, I’ll just say that you should never question yourself. Do what you like. If you wanna wear that, wear it. Don’t question it. If you do, you’re just putting yourself down. Just keep positive vibes always.”