Danica Magpantay
“IN MODELING, LOOKS CAN GET YOU FAR, BUT YOU MUST ALSO HAVE A GREAT ATTITUDE
TO GO WITH IT!”—DANICA
BEAUTY IS HEREDITARY. And in Danica’s case, it seems success is passed on through the genes, too. Twenty-one years ago in 1990, three years before Danica was even born, her mother, famous makeup artist Lala Flores, won Supermodel of the World Philippines and then took home the Crest Smile Award in the international competition. Fast-forward to January 2011 where Danica finds herself reliving her mom’s Supermodel experience—only this time, Danica wins the coveted title of Supermodel of the World which eluded her mother during her time.
Like fellow Pinay supermodel Chat, Danica’s journey to modeling success was a quick one. Danica shares that she had always wanted to try modeling, but only decided in July of last year that she was going to enter professionally. “I thought that if it didn’t happen last year, then it would be too late,” she says. But her mom didn’t approve right away and needed some convincing. Danica, along with sister Danielle who also wanted to become a model, then did an impromptu shoot modeling a twopiece swimsuit to prove to her mom, who acted as photographer, that she had the fortitude to enter into such a profession. After the shoot and looking at the pictures, Lala consented, but not without giving her daughter a few stern words of advice: lose the weight and exercise. Danica did as her mom advised.
With the help of her mother’s old friend, Joey Espino of Cal Carries International Models Philippines, Danica got the chance to prove her modeling mettle by auditioning in October 2010 for the Supermodel of the Philippines competition. Before the audition, she went through two weeks of painful rejection from Philippine Fashion Week as none of the designers asked her for a go-see. But by the end of October when the list of finalists was announced, the neophyte Danica, with her zero experience in modeling and auditioning, was awarded her biggest break. She won the local stage of the competition in November and then two months later in January, she was proclaimed Supermodel of the World. “I expected myself to do my best and I prayed for God’s will,” she recalls the experience. “When I won, I just felt blank. It didn’t sink in immediately that I actually won! But I thanked God for blessing me with such a great title. After thanking Him, I also wanted to inform my parents right away that I won. Haha!”
Danica is the first Filipino and second Asian, after South Korean Seunghyun Kang in 2008, to win the competition along with a US$250,000 contract with Ford Models. Her win solidifies the international fashion industry’s direction toward having a more global representation. Teen Vogue beauty editor Eva Chen tells NY Daily News, “Every season, there’s this one great Asian model, but these days there’s a whole group of them... It’s less of that token Asian in a show and more of a really nice consistency of great girls.”
And it’s definitely an advantage now to be Asian, adds Danica. “Especially to be Filipino because of our one-of-a-kind Asian look,” she stresses. “People look at me and ask, ‘Are you Asian or…?’ It’s really an advantage because there are a lot of Asian models right now and we Filipinos offer a ‘spice’ to the modeling industry.”
Since winning the competition, Danica has participated in her first New York Fashion Week, where she walked for brands such as Porter Grey, Tim Hamilton, Norman Ambrose, Bensoni, Bibhu Mohapatra and Nanette Lepore. “I did eight shows!” she beams. “Before I started modeling, I thought to myself that it would be great to be able to walk in New York even just for once. You can say I’m living my dream now!”
Life has certainly been more exciting for Danica. These days, she attends castings almost daily, but she’s neither letting the hectic schedule tire her out nor the success get to her head. “I can’t say it didn’t change my life—from being an ordinary college student to being awarded Ford Models Supermodel of the World. It has given me so much opportunity to learn from different people and to be able to know and experience firsthand how it is to be a model,” she says. “Everything just fell into place and I am really grateful. Despite all this, though, I make sure that I’m still me, that I’m always grounded because it’s easy to lose yourself when you get tangled with all the things that happen around you. What’s more, I never thought that at such a young age I would be able to do something that would make my fellow Filipinos proud of me!”
Despite the thrill of modeling, though, Danica still wishes to be back in school (“In five years, I hope!” she says) to study advertising or fashion merchandising. But looking at the Asian direction that the industry is heading to, she just might stay longer than she had intended!