World models to gather on the paradise island

By Rita A. Widiadana

NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Traveling to glittering cities, wearing glamorous designer clothes or earning fame and wealth is not just a dream if you're a top model.

The road to fame will be wide open for Indonesian girls if they are selected in the upcoming world final of the International Metropolitan Modeling Contest to be held in Nusa Dua, Bali, in December.

Michel Levaton, president of the Paris-based Metropolitan Model Agency, said during his visit to Bali that this will be the first time Indonesia will have hosted such a huge modeling event.

"Bali is appropriate for hosting this event, which will be participated in by finalists from 50 countries," he said.

He said the contest organizers had chosen Bali because of its beauty and unique culture.

"I have been to Bali several times and I'm sure it will receive more of the international spotlight in December," he said.

Metropolitan Models is one of the world's largest modeling agencies and has affiliations in more than 60 countries around the world, including Germany, Canada, China, Korea, Spain, the Netherlands and Austria.

Metropolitan Models founded the Metropolitan Top Model competition in November l998 to select new models for its agency from the overwhelming number of applicants applying for work through to the company.

"The modeling contest usually starts with a national contest in each of the respective countries, involving the most beautiful girls of the country," Levaton said.

The winner of the national contest in each country will be invited to participate in the final worldwide contest, which will be held at the Bali International Convention Center, Nusa Dua, Bali, from Dec. 6 through Dec. 19, 2001.

Magdalena Wenas, a senior public relations consultant from Buana Asri Prima Pratama (BAPP), explained that, in Indonesia, the local component of the modeling contest is being organized by Martha Tilaar and scheduled to start in October.

"This is our great opportunity to show the world that Indonesia has many talented models," Wenas noted.

So far, only Bali-based model Tracy Trinita has strutted her stuff on the international catwalks. Tracy won the Elite Model Contest in Indonesia in l996.

"I think Indonesia has an abundance of beautiful girls who can rival their counterparts from overseas countries," Levaton said.

The problem is, the concept of modeling should first be understood by would-be models.

"Being a model is a combination of brains, beauty and personality," he said.

Modeling is a profession and, therefore, a model should be very professional, especially when working with world-class designers and international fashion houses, he added.

By holding modeling contests in several countries, it is expected that aspiring models will make their first steps onto the world fashion stages.

"The fashion industry has been changing rapidly. Each season it needs fresh new looks to represent brands. That is why the demand for new models has been very high," he said.

Most fashion centers, like London, New York, Milan and Paris, are eagerly looking for faces that will bring new spirit to the fashion industry.

"They mostly look for models from Asian, Eastern European and African countries," Levaton said.

Last year's world final of the Metropolitan Modeling Contest was held in Beijing and was very successful.

"It is expected that in Bali we will invite no less than 200 international journalists and fashion critics, and dozens of jurors to the contest," Levaton explained.

Bali Tourism Office head I Gede Pitana added that Bali will benefit from worldwide promotion of the event.

"I hope that in the next few months Indonesia is more stable in terms of social and political conditions," he said.

Despite the turbulent situation in Indonesia, Bali still has many attractions that continue to lure foreign visitors to the island.

"But, if Indonesia is quiet and calm, Bali and other tourist hubs in Indonesia will benefit from the tourism industry," Pitana said.

Levaton, however, is convinced that Bali is the most suitable place to host the event.

"So far, we do not have plans to travel to other cities in Indonesia, but everybody would love to go to Bali," he said.

The event, he said, is expected to be able to boost Indonesia's fashion and modeling industries.

"Only a few people in Europe and the United States recognize Indonesian designers and models. You have to promote yourself internationally," Levaton said.

He said that there is always a misconception among designers from countries outside Europe and the United States that their designers should follow the trend of Western designers or models.

"Indonesia has abundant fashion materials which are very unique, so your designers should focus on that uniqueness," he said.

Similarly, many modeling contests in Asia and Africa have selected winners who have Caucasian looks in an attempt to meet Western standards.

"This is very wrong. If I choose a model from Indonesia, she must have real Indonesian beauty and personality. If people look at her, they will immediately be sure that she represents her country," he said.

"I will not hire a Chinese girl from San Francisco or New York who can speak English very fluently. Instead, I will find a girl from Nanjing or Shanghai," he said.

The concept of Western beauty, he said, is appropriate for the West only. "Don't try to look like Hollywood stars, be yourself. I really believe in mixed beauty," he said.

For Indonesian girls who want to be top models like Linda Evangelista, Cyndy Crawford or Kate Moss, the road begins here.