Objects of affection
Modeling is one of the most lucrative professions in the fashion world. This profession always thrives on the new, now and next because there is always a search for the fresh face.
Models are exposed to a lot of creative artists in the industry where they meet professionals from different fields and build a network of acquaintances, workmates and lifetime friends. The modeling world is a competitive landscape wherein the survival of the fittest and the best is the name of the game.
Most models, upon reaching the top of their successful careers, celebrate with a final swan song before going back to their private lives. Others evolve into another career within the industry. To reach a 10-year life span in local fashion is no easy feat. But to surpass more than that means you belong to a handful of crème de la crème.
Spanning more than a decade and a half in the modeling world, vice president of the Professional Models Association of the Philippines ( PMAP) Girlie Benitez is truly one of the finest models in the country. After modeling both in the international and local scenes, landing on the pages of global glossies, walking the runways for top brands and endorsing regional campaigns, Benitez has continuously nurtured her love for fashion. For several years now, the seasoned model has ventured into a scintillating business and pursued her other passion — jewelry making.
Through years of modeling, she was endlessly exposed to the beauty of the finer things in life. She began her process of creation and the Benitez Jewelry was born.
This season, Benitez presents her latest limited edition collection that takes inspiration from exotic Morocco and Art Deco. Brilliant pieces sparkle in alluring semiprecious stones such as lapis lazuli, turquoise and white topaz, which are set in gold-plated silver.
Benitez’s unique designs are captivating as they ref lect an understanding of beauty in the uncommon. Intricately handmade by artisans, these pieces are not just mere eye candy for the wearer but they also evoke a more personal understanding of wearing jewelry.
“I try to think of ways that people would most enjoy the pieces that I make. When they wear my jewelry, I imagine them feeling beautiful wearing it,” says Benitez.
Early in her jewelry-making career, she was told by a Buddhist monk, “You will find success in the creation of beauty.” She studied stones and crystals through years of constant travels. She began to understand the power, energy and healing properties of different stones.
What started in 2007 as a vision has grown into a lifelong passion for creating special pieces for people. Incorporating current global trends and fusing with the designer’s trademark aesthetics, Benitez Jewelry is more than just a luxe find. It is, indeed, an extraordinary masterpiece of beauty inside and out.