Samantha Gomez: You can't be called a model if you haven't experienced tripping once

MANILA, Philippines -  At 5’10”, Samantha Gomez has her sights set high as she tries to earn her rightful place at top of the modeling world. As the reigning Ford Model’s Supermodel of the World Philippines winner, this fresh-faced, oriental beauty from Angeles, Pampanga, is busy getting ready and prepping to conquer the ramps of New York.

Slim, svelte, with legs that seem to go on forever, it seems natural for a stunner like Sam to pursue a modeling career. On the contrary, she initially had aspirations of becoming a doctor — that is, until she got hooked on a reality-based television model search. The first cycle was enough to lead her to her calling.

Taking cues from favorites Tyra Banks, Charlene “Chat” Almarvez, and a few other top local models whom she looks up to — Sam worked hard until she finally got one stiletto into the fashion world’s door via her first-ever show back in San Fernando, Pampanga. She recalls, “I was really uneasy. It was my first time and I was so young compared to the other models. I told myself to walk normally, relax, and be confident. And when I went out to walk the runway, everyone applauded me,” she adds with a smile. “So my energy and confidence shot up.”

She was only 12 then. After that first stint, Sam got booked for a steady stream of shows and editorials. Asked about her most memorable fashion gig to date, she shares, “At my first show in Manila, we were asked to strike a pose at the end of the runway. But after I posed and turned back to walk, I tripped!” Backstage, she felt like crying, but the director comforted her and said, “You can’t be called a model if you haven’t experienced tripping once.”

At 5’10”, Samantha Gomez has her sights set high as she tries to earn her rightful place at the top of the modeling world. Photo by Nelson Villarica

So Sam took that incident in stride, and though similar situations have cropped up every now and then, she’s more philosophical and just keeps on walking. “I don’t lose my confidence. I just move on, and pretend like nothing happened,” she says proudly. And look at where getting up, going on, and moving forward has gotten her. At the young age of 14, she’s been chosen to represent the Philippines in the prestigious international modeling competition Ford Model’s Supermodel of the World. 

“Perseverance is what got me through the competition here,” she shares. To prepare for the upcoming international finals in New York, she’s going through rigorous training through the Masters School for Models and is keeping close tabs on her diet. Danica Magpantay, the first Filipina to win the Ford Supermodel of the World competition, along with runner-ups Charlene Almarvez and Charo Ronquillo, have generously been giving her advice, too. “They told me that I might be overwhelmed by how stunning the other contenders would be,” Sam shares. “But they keep reminding me that while it’s good to admire them, I have to praise myself as well.”

She attributes her success so far to the unending passion she has for modeling, and her prayerful attitude, which she’s learned from her mentor, Runway Productions director and executive producer Joey Espino Jr. Sam also has her mother and her friends from the industry, like director Cata Figueroa, who discovered her, to thank for their support and guidance in her career.

And what happens when all the work and pressure seem to be too much? “I just try to enjoy everything,” Sam says with a grin. “In fact, aside from the Ford competition itself, I’m looking forward to my first time out of the country and the experiences I’ll have in the fashion capital, New York,” she says enthusiastically.

In the meantime, while waiting for her turn, Sam does as many editorials and shows as she can to prepare. She loves every minute of it, and is taking her job very seriously. “Showcasing the designers’ exquisite and incomparable creations is what I love best about my job,” she reveals. “Modeling is not just about making pretty pictures or strutting down a catwalk, my work is about doing justice to the clothes. If I’m able to do that, then I think I’m on the way to becoming the kind of model that I want to be.”