Riding on Anna Bayle’s Coat Tails

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I was reading through Filipina supermodel Anna Bayle’s weblog the other night and there was a comment on a response to her article, The Model and Her Ego: It Is Not About Me.

I was compelled to make a reply to that comment, as I felt it is a question asked by fellow Filipinos about certain cultural traits unique to us, and finally I had the opportunity to air my views on it. Let me “copy and paste” here the original poster’s remarks as well as mine.

Anonymous said…

ok, i don’t mean to be argumentative but i have to say i do not understand comments like the one by “anonymous” as far as the mestizo bit, the “LOOK,” and showing the world “the Filipino.”

i can’t help but feel you, mr. anonymous, are fishing when you mentioned you are mestizo simply because it was not necessary to bring it up. i think you want people to think you’re good-looking. ok, perhaps you are because you are a model afterall (good for you!) but come on, you know! i think it’s very sad that a lot of filipinos have this warped sense of filipino beauty - that unless one has fair skin, deep-set eyes or a tall narrow nose, one is not as attractive (i mean, all one needs to do really is to look at the philippine entertainment industry; good lord, there are talent scouts who search the globe for filipino/white mutts!).i gotta say that this mestiza/mestizo idea of beauty is especially ironic in this site because anna bayle is not mestiza! anna is a flabbergastingly beautiful BROWN woman! and she does not have a european nose! she has dark brown eyes (they might even be black!), not hazel or any other light color. BUT this is EXACTLY why designers loved her - she’s ethnic! what’s even more remarkable is that she celebrates it! and add to her ethnic exterior her fabulous walk and what do you get, right?! anna was one of calvin klein’s chosen in his very, very small stable of favorite models (others were the dalma and iman). so there you go, mr. anonymous! i hope you understand what i’m trying to say.and what is this about showing the world “the filipino?” what does that mean? anna’s success as a model had nothing to do with being filipino. she made it because she is beautiful, graceful, and talented! the girl can move for chrissakes!!! right now there are japanese and chinese models out there who happen to be beautiful and graceful too. so what is this “filipino” thing you are talking about? i don’t get it. it’s like those weird comments i heard when lea salonga was in miss saigon. there were filipinos saying “wow, ang galing ng pilipino talaga!” like, ok, can ALL filipinos sing well? of course not, right? so what is this “ang galing ng pilipino” claim to fame about?! and, like, as a filipino, what the hell do i have to do with anna’s success? nothing! filipinos have a strange habit of riding the coat tails of other filipinos’ success and it just does not make any sense. sorry. so you’ve got to understand that it is not a model’s nationality (as opposed to ethnicity) that makes them successful but rather it is their physical attributes and talent that do. the former has nothing to do with the latter….

I said…

i so agree on your comment about most Filipinos’ warped sense of beauty, and this is seen not only in the movie and tv industries but in beauty/fashion as well. just when i was about to get convinced that we are finally beginning to appreciate Asian/Malay/colored looking models in the 90’s (with Wilma Doesnt, Patty Betita, etc.), the models they have now at the supposedly chic and most significant shows are largely mestizo. a lot of them look too foreign, you may even begin to wonder if they have visas and work permits.

regarding the habit of “riding the coat tails” of fellow Pinoys, i suppose one should understand the Filipinos’ deep sense of community. the FAMILY, and not the individual, is the basic unit of society. and this “family” extends to no distinct boundaries in most cases. anyone’s success(or failure) can be everybody’s triumph(or doom). any Filipino, or anyone who was raised in an environment with Philippine values for that matter, can understand that. i am sure any successful Pinoy will only be too happy to share his/her laurels, too, knowing he won’t be celebrating alone. Sharing in Lea Salonga’s achievements was also about celebrating the Filipinos’ love for music and singing(not everyone can, but we all love to just the same)…in Manny Pacquiao and the Filipino Mt. Everest team’s glories we celebrate our unwavering spirit to succeed if not excel… perhaps Anna Bayle’s status is one other affirmation and reminder that the Filipino, armed with character and values inculcated at home, can survive and make it anywhere. it is not undermining the fact that her success was due to her unique beauty, hard work & discipline and talent.

by the way, from these thoughts also come the realization that often, the Filipino needs validation from foreigners to finally revel in what he does and is. and that the Filipino’s most tenacious critic usually happens to be another of his own.

On second thought, and I should have added this to the post, it may be that this penchant for criticizing his own may spring from this sense of extended family/community. After all, in this society, one has to keep his own kin in check because whatever may happen to the others would reflect him/her.

About Anna Bayle… she is acknowledged as the first Asian supermodel, having worked with the world’s most celebrated designers and fashion authorities in the 80’s, often featured alongside Iman, Jerry Hall, Linda Evangelista to name a few, and is best known for her trademark catwalk, exotic appeal, and professionalism. It is amazing how this extraordinary Filipina’s beauty transcends beyond skin deep. I have only recently found her website and I can’t get enough of what she has to say. The woman makes sense, and even inspires, educates. And she writes beautifully.

all photos taken from Ms. Bayle’s website 

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