Model man
How a career in fashion found Paolo Roldan, Filipino-Canadian male supermodel
By Maris A. Mortel
Manila Bulletin
Published: June 7, 2013
Paolo Roldan at the press interview session at the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2013.
With his 6’2” height and sculpted, muscled physique, it’s not surprising to know that international runway and print model Paolo Roldan didn’t initially dream of becoming a professional model.
Instead, he wanted to become a professional basketball player. Born in the Philippines, Paolo moved to Canada with his family as a young boy. But he would later return to his birth country to try to pursue a career in the sport. “Actually, my first passion was basketball,” shares Paolo in a one-on-one interview during his recent trip to Manila for the Bench Body Holiday 2013 show. “I actually came back to the Philippines to play basketball. Unfortunately it didn’t work out for me.” It was after this frustrated attempt that he decided to take up civil engineering as his undergraduate course. Yet after completing his studies, Paolo chose to heed the call of another path. “I went back to Toronto and a friend advised me to try something new. And that’s how I got into fashion. I started as a retail guy, and from there I became a buyer, then a creative director, and so on and so forth.”
It was when he was on a trip as a fashion buyer in New York that Paolo’s life began an amazing twist, where he was discovered by no less than Boss Models New York founder and owner David Bossman. Despite having the model build, Paolo never saw himself modeling while he was growing up. “I mean, I’ve always been asked [to] since I was younger. But my parents were all about just getting your education, getting a normal job,” he says. “[When I got asked again] I just thought maybe I should try it because it keeps happening over and over.” And the rest is history in the making.
Paolo began his modeling career on a high note, walking the Fashion Weeks in New York and Paris, appearing in the buff in a daring editorial for Vogue Paris—which certainly increased his profile—and landing a major Givenchy ad campaign. While his early body of work may precede him, three years into the industry and he is still going strong. This year, Paolo has walked the men’s show for designer brands Michael Bastian, Giorgio Armani, Diesel, Phillip Plein, among others; his most recent catwalk being for Bench Body during the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2013 show.
Paolo sees his entry into the fashion industry as a “natural progression,” an interest he credits to his mother, “who’s been dressing me up since I was a little baby!” and something that is in his blood, “an uncle of my dad is actually a designer here in the Philippines, Aureo Alonzo.” Today, Paolo’s personal style changes according to his moods. “Right now I love heritage brands, mainly Double RL, it has a very manly look. But I do like to get suited up and look dapper once in a while.”
One could say that modeling for a popular underwear brand is also a natural progression, reason why today Paolo is Bench Body’s latest endorser. The campaign, shot in New York, was styled by Noel Manapat and photographed by Brent Chua, also an international male model. This could be the reason why Paolo was immediately comfortable with Brent and relaxed at the shoot, even though it was their first time to meet. “Bench contacted my agency in New York. I was actually foreseeing or hoping, at least, for something like that happening. So I was really happy and my agent contacted me about it,” shares Paolo. The images show off his perfectly sculpted body in Bench Body’s athletic-inspired underwear, designed with colorful piping and in contrasting colors.
Despite the tough, bad-boy look his images project, with his serious stares and stoic face, “I’m not technically a bad boy (laughs),” says Paolo. “I may look (does serious face), I mean that’s what looks best. But I’m very (smiling, makes a heart sign with his hands).” A trait that is certain to make him even more irresistible.
Instead, he wanted to become a professional basketball player. Born in the Philippines, Paolo moved to Canada with his family as a young boy. But he would later return to his birth country to try to pursue a career in the sport. “Actually, my first passion was basketball,” shares Paolo in a one-on-one interview during his recent trip to Manila for the Bench Body Holiday 2013 show. “I actually came back to the Philippines to play basketball. Unfortunately it didn’t work out for me.” It was after this frustrated attempt that he decided to take up civil engineering as his undergraduate course. Yet after completing his studies, Paolo chose to heed the call of another path. “I went back to Toronto and a friend advised me to try something new. And that’s how I got into fashion. I started as a retail guy, and from there I became a buyer, then a creative director, and so on and so forth.”
It was when he was on a trip as a fashion buyer in New York that Paolo’s life began an amazing twist, where he was discovered by no less than Boss Models New York founder and owner David Bossman. Despite having the model build, Paolo never saw himself modeling while he was growing up. “I mean, I’ve always been asked [to] since I was younger. But my parents were all about just getting your education, getting a normal job,” he says. “[When I got asked again] I just thought maybe I should try it because it keeps happening over and over.” And the rest is history in the making.
Paolo began his modeling career on a high note, walking the Fashion Weeks in New York and Paris, appearing in the buff in a daring editorial for Vogue Paris—which certainly increased his profile—and landing a major Givenchy ad campaign. While his early body of work may precede him, three years into the industry and he is still going strong. This year, Paolo has walked the men’s show for designer brands Michael Bastian, Giorgio Armani, Diesel, Phillip Plein, among others; his most recent catwalk being for Bench Body during the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2013 show.
Paolo sees his entry into the fashion industry as a “natural progression,” an interest he credits to his mother, “who’s been dressing me up since I was a little baby!” and something that is in his blood, “an uncle of my dad is actually a designer here in the Philippines, Aureo Alonzo.” Today, Paolo’s personal style changes according to his moods. “Right now I love heritage brands, mainly Double RL, it has a very manly look. But I do like to get suited up and look dapper once in a while.”
One could say that modeling for a popular underwear brand is also a natural progression, reason why today Paolo is Bench Body’s latest endorser. The campaign, shot in New York, was styled by Noel Manapat and photographed by Brent Chua, also an international male model. This could be the reason why Paolo was immediately comfortable with Brent and relaxed at the shoot, even though it was their first time to meet. “Bench contacted my agency in New York. I was actually foreseeing or hoping, at least, for something like that happening. So I was really happy and my agent contacted me about it,” shares Paolo. The images show off his perfectly sculpted body in Bench Body’s athletic-inspired underwear, designed with colorful piping and in contrasting colors.
Despite the tough, bad-boy look his images project, with his serious stares and stoic face, “I’m not technically a bad boy (laughs),” says Paolo. “I may look (does serious face), I mean that’s what looks best. But I’m very (smiling, makes a heart sign with his hands).” A trait that is certain to make him even more irresistible.
I love both Asian male supermodel cum photographer Brent Chua and Paolo Roldan!!!
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