Whenever Joaqui and I would go out, strangers usually come up to me and tell me how “cute”, “adorable” or “pogi” (handsome) my son is. Then it will be followed with a question “May lahi po?” (it’s like asking if my child is of mixed nationalities) as if my son is a dog with a different kind of breed!
Well, I never really get offended with the question since my son’s skin is so white while I am dark-skinned. So normally, I would politely answer any stranger back with a “yes” and say thank you for the compliment they give my son. Others would have a follow-up question asking which nationality and again, I would politely reply.
Because of these compliments that my son gets every time we are out, I have received so many suggestions from friends and strangers alike that I should have him auditioned for modeling. Honestly, I have no idea how I’d do that until I came across Mossimo Kids page one time in Facebook. They were having a weekly online contest and all you would need to do is just submit a photo of your child and the winner will be drawn electronically. Initially, I joined and submitted Joaqui’s photos but because of lack of time and the fact that the winner would be picked out of luck, I have eventually stopped. But then, I came across another Facebook page called Philippine Fashion Racks (PFR) and PFR Model Kid and they work hand in hand with Mossimo. I liked its FB page and came across another FB account named MyFameandFortune.com.
At that time, MyFameandFortune.com was inviting FB users to submit photos of their child, get a required minimum number of likes for the photo once included in the official album and get a sort-of pin or access code to their website.
I managed to get 100 likes on the photo of Joaqui which I submitted which entitled me to get a 12-month access to the site for free. On that website, I was able to create a setcard for my son. What is a setcard, you ask? Well that was my question too at that time. I had to Google that out. According to modelsetcard.com, “SetCard is a business card for visual presentation.Most of artists like models,photographers,actors,i.e. use SetCard to present themselves by visual and physical ways.”
Initially, I only used Joaqui’s photos which were taken using my digicam for his setcard and then I submitted that setcard to every modeling agencies MyFameandFortune.com works with. Upon submission, three modeling agencies contacted me through email and asked me to submit Joaqui’s professional studio pictures (which I didn’t have at that time!). So I brought Joaqui to Pic-a-boo in SM Megamall to have those pictures. After a few weeks, I got the photos and submitted a new setcard to these agencies.
Anyway, forward to September 2013, PFR Model Kid announced on their FB page about an audition for the Cutest Kid in Town. Like any proud mom, I eagerly submitted Joaqui’s photo, used PFR Model Kid’s template, and indicated the venue that I prefer. They have already held auditions on the three venues: Festival Mall in Alabang, Glorietta in Makati and the latest was at SM Megamall in Ortigas. This week, they will hold the last auditions at SM City North EDSA.
Before mid-October, two babies per location will be announced and asked to attend a whole day Mossimo Kids Fall/Holiday Look Book Photo Shoot together with PFR Models.
Last Wednesday was our schedule, between 10am up to 12noon. We came early so we could also go home early since I still had work at that time. Joaqui was #12 on the line.
When we arrived at the mall, Joaqui was already in no mood mainly because his sleep was cut short. I asked my dad to let him play first before we actually line up outside the boutique of Mossimo. After warming up, he was already smiling and playing. But when it was almost our turn, Joaqui started yawning. Uh-oh.
Once it was our turn, I let him sit on the chair first but he kept moving to the point of almost falling so I had to stay beside him and hold him. He preferred to stand and kept saying “Oh” to the sales attendant, whom he met just 2 days ago when we went there to buy his shirt. He hardly smiled the entire time. I think the photographer even had a hard time capturing his best moment. Hehe.
Here are some of the behind the scene phone photos as well as the livefeed phone photos from PFR Model Kid:
After a few more minutes, we were done. It was already 11am and we were already hungry. My family and I just had lunch and went to the supermarket afterwards before finally heading home.
By the time we reached home, my son was already asleep. It was a fun and interesting day for us, even if Joaqui rarely smiled at the camera.
Little Miss Drama 