What Does it Take to Be a Model Today? This Agency Has Some Ideas

Farah Models knows a thing or two about discovering fresh faces and training them to become models in today's hyper-connected world. Having been around for eight years, the modeling agency is keen on scouring the country for prospects bearing unique personalities and stories for a truly diverse melting pot of models.

“Modeling is really superficial," Farah Ramos, who comes from a storied family of celebrity scouts and managers, told Esquire Philippines on the sidelines of her agency’s 8th anniversary at Uma Nota in Taguig. So aside from that, we have so many beautiful faces here in the Philippines. Now, the industry is open for the personality of the models. Aside from the beauty, they also have wisdom and they have really a good heart. So, they are able to complete the job."

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The Ramos family is a powerhouse in the entertainment and modeling industries, with Farah’s aunt, Ethel Ramos, managing local show business superstars Aga Muhlach, Angel Locsin, Claudine Barretto, and Ina Raymundo. Farah’s mother, Chit Ramos on the other hand, handled Maja Salvador Niño Muhlach, Matt Ranillo III, among many other stars.

The younger Ramos founded Farah Models in 2017 with the goal of building on a brand that bridges fashion, entertainment, with a focus on developing an eye for diversity in talent development.

“Farah Models’ 8th Anniversary is more than a milestone. It is a tribute to legacy, a
celebration of diversity, and a showcase of The Different Faces of Asia—a powerful reminder that Asian beauty is not defined by one standard, but by a rich spectrum of stories, looks, and dreams ready to conquer the world,” the agency said in a press release.

In our brief chat with the founder, Farah says it’s high time to rid the misconception of the modeling industry being just a tall and fair-skinned person’s game.

“I had insecurities with my skin color because the representation that we see in magazines, on TV, they are usually always fair models, right? But now, we see half Africans, right? So, yeah. And also, for the longest time, we would always think that you need to be really thin, size 0 when you are a model,” she told us, after being asked about the evolution of the local modeling scene.

Farah Ramos (middle in white dress) with talent from her agency

Ramos noted that her agency is also keen on scouting for plus and medium-sized models, citing the necessity for inclusivity and diversity in promoting unique modeling campaigns.

Some of the featured talent from the agency are individuals that wear different hats such as Su Jin Kim, a half-Korean, half-Filipino who balances her modeling gigs with her career as an award-winning news reporter. 

Another rising multi-faceted model is Laziz Rustamov, a pure Uzbek and a prolific billboard, print, and runway model who also dabbles in acting in some of the most watched teleseryes (TV dramas) such as FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, and Tadhana: Fake Love.

Su Jin Kim

Laziz Rustamov

“We try to find more personalities and unique looks that are the best representations of the race that they are a part of ,” the Farah Models founder said.

"Now, the industry is open to the personalities of the models. So, aside from the beauty, they also have wisdom and they have really a good heart. So, they are able to complete the job."