24 Asian trans women compete in Slay model hunt
MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-four transgender women from all around Asia are set to compete tomorrow (April 27) in the finale night of Slay Model Search Asia. The chosen winner will secure a contract from the “first and only trans exclusive” modeling agency in the world.
During the preliminary competition of the model hunt held at Revel at the Palace, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City last Saturday, the hopefuls donned two-piece sets and gowns by Nat Manilag.
The representatives from the Philippines are Drian Bautista, Elle Carbonilla, Louell Celis, KC Cusi, Tracey de la Cruz, Abby Ecalnir, Mykee Garcia, Vivi Hedendahl, AJ Jaluage, Nella Johnson, Vi Macario, Mitch Ochosa and Lauren Sanz.
Flying all the way from Thailand are Sauce Chulalakkul, Nana Jantarat, B Kanapat, Tangelina Likitwatnannon and Risa Purisa.
Meera Singhania-Rehani, Neerja Punia and Sandra Nandeibam from India, Lily Othman from Malaysia and Fellini Rose from Vietnam are also part of the show.
The lone contender from Indonesia, Vheny Aggreny, shared with The STAR her experience of being a transgender woman living in the mainly Muslim country.
“That’s why I’m here because I want to show the people in my country that trans (like me) can also be in an international (modeling competition),” said Vheny, who is “very proud” for being the only contestant from the neighboring Southeast Asian country.
“It’s unbelievable that I am here. It’s my big dream… I just wanna say to my country, please accept trans people because we trans people are also human.”
The Slay Model Search finale will air live on Thursday at 8 p.m. on ABS-CBN platforms iWantTFC and ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel. Bigo Live will live-stream the backstage scene.
According to the organizers, they would receive 15 applications every day for the competition and sorted out the ones that stood out. The trans model aspirants have gone through a lot of interviews and photo shoots for the event.
Slay Model Management is based in Los Angeles and California. The team just announced its Asian operations located here in Manila.
Slay Model Management founder and director Cece Asuncion established the company in 2016. He appointed Niccolo Cosme and Ben Bernabe as co-directors of Slay Models Asia.
“In the beginning of opening Slay, there were no opportunities for trans models,” he recalled. “A lot of education had to happen, many awkward conversations, inter-community discourse, and the daily urge to school people on social media that trans is beautiful. However, our story is not one of strife or victimhood, it is one of resilience, success and the importance of vigilance.”
Since then, Slay models have worked with many global fashion, beauty, and media brands such as Vogue Paris, Vogue Scandinavia, Elle France, Macy’s, Uber, and Tinder.
Asuncion also mentioned the “increased visibility for Asian talents, including models” in the international scene and it is an “opportunity” he doesn’t want to miss.
It has also been Asuncion’s dream to hold an event such as the model hunt in his home country.
“There’s so much beauty in Asia and people have to see that. And all of us as Filipinos, people from Asia, we have to understand, we have to (rethink the concept of) what’s beautiful,” he remarked.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to have a homecoming and I didn’t think it would be like this. I got back here after 22 years in August (2022) and you talked about my shorts (laughs).”
To refresh one’s memory, Asuncion went viral for wearing a barong and what looked like a pair of boxer shorts when he sat as one of the judges at the Binibining Pilipinas pageant last year.
When asked about what they’re looking for in the next Slay model, Asuncion said, “What I’m looking for in the next Slay Model is someone who is passionate about this world. Not only should you be passionate about being a model, you should also be passionate about the people you work with and the art that you create. And you should also be passionate about prosperity. There’s nothing wrong with being financially better.”
Cosme, on the other hand, cited self-awareness and professionalism as the traits that matter in the next Slay model, while Bernabe is looking for models who understand that they are more than “just models.”
“I have worked with many fashion models, from young startups to supermodels, and what I always appreciate and admire in a model is when they know and understand their own body and their beauty, when they can move and find the best angles that will produce the best quality of work,” said Cosme.
“There is something so powerful about this level of self-awareness. It shows that you are professional, that you have done your homework by studying yourself and your own body of work, and you constantly find ways to make yourself better.”
Bernabe, on the other hand, asserted, “It’s important that the next Slay model understands that they are more than the work that they do. They are a beacon of representation and visibility for the trans community and everything that they do will matter. Their body of work will be their statements.
“It might feel like a huge imposition but their life experience will guide them along the way. As long as they live their authentic lives and believe in their own beauty, they will find their way towards success.”
Guam’s trans supermodel Crimsona Kaiser, now in her 60s, cited the inclusion of Geena Rocero and Leyna Bloom, who have Filipino roots, in the world of modeling as “signs of progress.”
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