Deciding Who's In or Out

Just when you thought you’ve settled in, Mega Fashion Crew shakes things up again by bringing back 10 contestants who were booted out in the earlier episodes. Returning as wild cards, the contestants were recalled “to see drastic movements,” according to mentor and Mega Creative Director Suki Salvador. Among them is a certain fashion stylist, who got eliminated in episode 4 based on a controversial Facebook post.


Along with fellow mainstay judges, Mega’s editor-in-chief Sari Yap, designer Avel Bacudio, and model Raya Mananquil, the guesting of top fashion show director Robby Carmona is something that got the viewers glued to their TV’s last week: “I was so happy to be invited as a guest judge for Mega Fashion Crew and see the new breed of talents we have in the Philippines. The challenge was for them to create a collection, and showcase it in a fashion show.”

The contenders were in for a treat as Carmona directed the “challenge” of the stage show. “The runway will be your playground. This will be the fashion show that will decide if you are really right to be part of Mega’s Top Fashion Crew,” adds Salvador.



Get into the heads of Yap and Carmona as they share their insights on last week’s episode:


Style Kit: What do you like most about being a judge?
Sari Yap: I've said before that my life here in Mega has always been a search for talent. As a judge in Mega Fashion Crew, I do what I do every day as editor in chief of Mega—select and highlight good work. I especially enjoy when someone improves or when a talent blossoms. The competition changes people, some for the better and some for the worse, it's always entertaining to see what the next challenge will bring.
Robby Carmona: What I like most is I get to share my knowledge and experience with the next generation, at the same time, I get to see new perspective from them as well.


SK: What do you hate the most about being a judge?
SY: As a judge, it is inevitable that I have to be the bearer of bad news sometimes. To improve someone requires that you critique him and although I have no qualms about giving constructive feedback, you can never foresee how the contestants will react. All they should know though is everything we say is for the improvement of their work.
RC: Eliminating. I’m very emotional about eliminating someone from the group but I know that they will be stronger and better after.


SK: What are the common mistakes of the contestants?
SY: The contestants being young and having limited time to execute, sometimes they forget to take the time to completely study and understand the brief. This is of utmost importance to ensure great output. If you're doing a beauty editorial, consider what the brand personality is. If you're doing a catalogue, make sure that you sell the clothes.
RC: It’s basically how to effectively relay a fashion story for an audience. As you know, a fashion show in comparison to a movie, doesn't have actors who throw lines to relay a story, it’s how the collection is put together and how a model translates it on the runway.


MB: What do you think the contestants need to improve on?
SY: The contestants need to work on their polish and taste level. What separates amateurs from professionals are these two qualities. Regardless of the time pressure or the circumstances surrounding a project, every image should be aspirational and be the best showcase of each individual.


* Generation MEGA Season 2: MEGA Fashion Crew, every Saturday 7pm, with replays on Sundays, 10am, on ETC.

Style Search

Backstage is the new front stage,” quips Mega Publishing Group’s executive group creative director Suki Salvador as the magazine conglomerate prepares to host the second season of its Mega Fashion Crew Gen M reality show on cable television. With 60 participants, the style search will look for the next top photographer, fashion stylist, makeup artist, hairstylist or female model in teams tasked to execute a fashion shoot, offering a unique peek into the fashion industry and scoping out new talents. “Life here in Mega has been a constant search for these people,” shares the magazine’s editor-in-chief, Sari Yap.

Judges for the new season include Yap, celebrity fashion designer Avel Bacudio, and top model Raya Mananquil. Mentors include Salvador and Mega magazine’s publisher and deputy editor Meryll Yan. “Aside from fabulous items and cash prize of P100,000 each, a promising career awaits the winning individuals. The five winners will also have the chance to work with the Mega editorial team for a fashion editorial,” adds Yan.

To find out what the judges and mentors would be looking for, we asked Salvador and Yan who they look up to in fashion:

Meryll Yan, Mega magazine’s publisher and deputy editor

Photographer: My favorite photographers are Annie Leibowitz and Steven Meisel. Their images are always iconic and they prove that each photo does speak a thousand words.

Hairstylist: My favorite hairstylists are Ney Guese and Jay Wee. They do lovely work with such speed and they’re fun to work with. Ney and Jay would even assist in holding a prop or throwing a couture hem up.

Makeup artist: Best makeup artist is Owen Sarmiento for fantasy and Jigs Mayuga for beauty. We love collaborating with Owen for amazing concept shoots (see Varekai ed in July). Jigs is a master when it comes to bringing out a woman’s best features. He’s an excellent face sculptor.

Stylist: Best stylist for me is Patricia Field. She is responsible for some of the most memorable outfits on film and TV and that influences everything from pop culture to what’s displayed on the shop floor.

Model: For me, the best model is Natalia Vodianova. She is such a chameleon. Locally, I love Ria Bolivar, Vanessa Matsunaga and, of course, Marina Benipayo. I remember when one makeup artist remarked to Ria in one photo that she looked “Brazilian,” she shook her head and said, “ayoko.” Now that’s Pinoy pride.

Suki Salvador, Mega Publishing Group’s Executive Creative Director

Photographer: I like a lot of photographers locally and internationally, but I gravitate towards Annie Leibovitz. Her images are extremely romantic and always full of emotion. Her photography treatment has a unique, soft focus that is unparalleled.

Hairstylist: I’m amazed by the work of Serge Normant. He put Julia Roberts in really big hair on the cover of his book Metamorphosis. Normant always provides an unconventional but sophisticated way of doing hair.

Makeup artist: I am amazed by the work of Pat McGrath. She is the favorite makeup artist of a lot of top fashion designers because she has a fresh and forward twist to doing beauty. She is able to define features while keeping the skin healthy-looking.

Stylist: Vogue Paris editor-in- chief Emanuelle Alt is my favorite stylist. I appreciate the fact that she keeps the woman’s comfort in mind all the time. I also like that she mixes both high and low pieces.

Model: Kate Moss is the top choice for models. She doesn’t try too hard to look chic. In fact, her approach to modeling has always been simplicity. Fortunately, she has great bone structure to aid her.

*Catch Mega Fashion Crew every Saturdays, 7PM, on ETC, with replays on Sunday 10AM.