By Alex Vergara
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page E1 of the September 19, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
SO the Philippines has yet to produce another Miss Universe since Margie Moran won the title in 1973. But beauty contest buffs should take heart, as Australia was also in the same boat until Jennifer Hawkins brought honor to the country this June.
Prior to her victory, the last Australian to wear the Miss Universe crown was Kerrie-Anne Wells in 1972. Australians have partly to thank Filipino-Australian Peter Sereno for ending the 22-year title drought.
After Hawkins won the local pageant, Australian contest organizers went to Sereno for help. As a stylist and former talent manager, he has had plenty of training in honing wannabes into becoming recognizable fashion and media celebrities Down Under. Having worked as a PR practitioner,
he's also media-savvy enough to know what works and what doesn't for his proteges.
Passion for beauty tilts
But perhaps Sereno's best qualification is his passion for beauty contests, especially the Miss Universe tilt, which he watches and analyzes without fail. Before working with Hawkins, he also helped train her predecessor, Ashlea Talbot.
"We're a weird bunch," says Sereno via e-mail. "But I'm a living testament that being an [beauty] 'expert' in this field can pay off."
A native of Davao City, Sereno, 26, was barely 11 when he migrated with his family to Australia in 1989. Inspired by gowns he saw in countless beauty pageants while growing up, he later trained as a designer. It's in styling, however, that he has found his true calling.
"Fashion design isn't something I want to pursue at this stage in my life," says Sereno, who's now based in Sydney and works for Escada. "[But] the skills I have learned I am able to apply in the area of styling and determining what, how and when to wear [a particular look] during competitions."
In fact, Sereno was already into styling without him knowing it and even before such a profession had acquired a name. Friends at school would come to him to seek advice about their prom outfits. Debutantes would also run to him for fashion and styling tips for their big night. It didn't take long for word to get around of his ability and willingness to do free makeovers.
"Before I knew it," he says, "I was already conducting a backyard operation in runway training! I'm a true believer that knowing how to carry yourself can make a big difference in the way people look and interact with you."
Fresh and natural
Which pretty much applies to Hawkins, a former cheerleader and dancer, who, less than a few weeks before flying to Quito, Ecuador (the contest venue), knew next to nothing about the intricacies surrounding the world's most prestigious beauty pageant.
Not even the organizers, says Sereno, believed in Hawkins initially. While "delegates" from such countries as India, Colombia and Venezuela trained for at least a year prior to the contest, Hawkins was all set to fly to Quito on her own. That was until someone thought of hooking her
up with the Fil-Aussie Pygmalion.
"When I first saw her," he recalls, "I thought she had a chance to land in the semifinals on her appearance alone. After all, she's beautiful. But for her to win the contest was beyond anyone's wildest dreams."
Hawkins may be a tyro compared to some of her rivals, but Sereno believed her dancing background would help her stand out in the runway. Instead of making her rehearse motherhood statements of the "world peace" and "Mother Teresa is my idol" variety, he turned such inexperience in
handling interviews to her advantage.
Such a strategy of playing up his ward's "fresh and natural" side included freeing her of techniques that would only hinder her from presenting her true self. The game plan extended to her "amateurish" catwalk technique and "unrehearsed" answers.
"While other delegates spoke like they were already running the UN trail," says Sereno, "we made sure Jennifer sounded fresh. It's amazing how much work it takes to sound unrehearsed! In the end, our strategy of making her stand out worked."
Indeed, it did. They were happy enough to see Hawkins end up in the magic 12, but she exceeded everybody's expectations, perhaps including hers, by landing on top. In fact, her "spontaneous" demeanor started way too early, if unwittingly, in the contest.
On the eve of Hawkins' departure for Quito, Sereno and the beauty queen's designer were still recording "test" questions and answers for her to listen to during her flight (so much for in-flight entertainment!). The three spent the earlier part of the day doing last-minute coaching and styling, and planned to assemble her key wardrobe the next day since her flight wasn't until 9 p.m.-or so they thought.
Imagine their surprise when a frantic Hawkins called them up past midnight to tell them she had looked into her ticket and found out that her flight was actually 9 a.m. Sereno and the designer raced to the latter's studio to put together her outfits, including the very important "stepping-off-the-aircraft-at-Quito number."
"We had this Joan Collins diva outfit prepared for her, which she was supposed to change into 30 minutes before touchdown," says Sereno. "Imagine our horror when she stepped out wearing a white sleeveless shirt, denim miniskirt, flat sandals and scarf around her head! We almost died!"
Like her two mentors, Hawkins was probably too exhausted from all that prep work. She failed to change and make a lasting first impression because she woke up late. Indeed, not a very good beginning, but one that eventually rectified itself as the contest wore on.
Global perspective
So what are Sereno's observations-and unsolicited advice-on what's hampering the Philippine effort? After all, the country, like Venezuela and India today, once had a reputation for sending virtual winners to various beauty tilts abroad.
"I guess it's important to look at it from a global perspective and beyond the traditional beauty-queen view," he says. "This includes checking out her [delegate's] international marketability. Aside from being able to work the charity rounds, she should also look great on the cover
of Sports Illustrated."
It's no longer how much hungry mouths you can feed, he adds. The name of the game is also about how much money you can raise for various causes through commercial avenues. And, yes, that includes foundations that promote "world peace, unity and understanding."
that's nice!
I saw the clip of that one, her butt was real nice. Looks fluppy and redish, like she's just been spanked or something!