One pouty Canadian catwalker is a favourite among some A-list fashion photographers.
A French stunner went from finalist in the Elite Model Look competition to walk for big labels like Dior and Chanel.

Then there is the Serbian hunk whose chiselled features have made him the poster boy for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana.

Apart from their runway sucesses, what do Coco Rocha, Sigrid Agren and Andrija Bikic have in common? Answer: All three once called Singapore home.

Along with at least seven other top names on the scene now, the trio used Singapore as one of their springboards to fame.

Ravishing Rocha, currently placed third on Models.com's list of Top 50 female models, for example, came as a 15-year-old newbie in 2005 under the management of local agency Ave.

Boy wonder Bikic, meanwhile, arrived with a head of curly hair and 'a few tear sheets in his portfolio' in 2004 to be represented by Upfront, says its managing director Watson Tan.

The agency suggested he cut and straighten his hair - which he agreed to - and he has since walked for luxury labels like Bottega Veneta and Giorgio Armani.

It is not just their professional advice and tender loving care that have earned local agencies the title of model mother hen to catwalk chicks though.

Singapore also has the reputation of being the best place in Asia to build an aspiring model's portfolio of photos, otherwise known as 'tear sheets' in industry speak.

Says Ave's spokesman: 'Local photographers are not only skilled but also have the latest equipment. Style makers like Eddie Halim, Johnny Khoo and Brenda Tham are extremely sensitive to new ways of presenting trends.

'The top fashion houses here have also always been very supportive in lending us their designs for shoots. All these add up to photos that are not only up-to-date but also have an international feel.'

It helps too that most of the leading fashion titles here are in English, making it easier for these foreign faces to make it through the international front door.

Says American Prada campaign model Rory Greer, 23, whose two-month stint here with local agency Mannequin ended last month: 'I had a lot of good editorial jobs in Japan but many European companies don't accept them because they are in a language they can't understand.'

Thanks to these factors, the Garden City has nurtured many models looking to blossom.

Upfront's Tan says the number of such hopefuls approaching his agency has jumped by as much as 70 per cent over the past three years.

The spokesman for Ave adds: 'No matter how talented or stunning a model is, if she does not have a book, it would be difficult for people to see how versatile she is.'

MODEL MAKING

She won Cycle 2 of Italy's Next Top Model last year. He is a Prada model hand-picked by top American photographer Steven Meisel. Yet Michela Maggioni and Rory Greer both made a pitstop here earlier this year to further their careers

MICHELA MAGGIONI, 21

Hometown: Gorgonzola in Lombardy, northern Italy
Currently in: Milan
Claim to fame: Winning Cycle 2 of Italy's Next Top Model last year, which included a 150,000 euro (S$298,000) contract to be the face of Max Factor's Italian campaign
Time here: March to April
Representing agency: Mannequin

Why did you decide to work in Singapore?

I had heard about how industry insiders here are creative, precise and methodical and thus very good with pictures. I knew about how (modelling) rates here are low, but I wanted to grow as a model and I thought this would be a good place to do so.

What is the main difference between modelling here and elsewhere?

People here work with great precision. Nothing ever goes wrong.

Which was your most memorable job here and why?

I loved shooting the campaign for a Singapore shoe brand in Bangkok. It involved a private jet and a limousine and everyone on the team was the best possible.

What is one thing you've learnt from your stint here?

To be more professional and really put my all into a job, to really feel and bring a picture to life. I also learnt the importance of adapting to changing environments.

What is one thing that the local modelling industry can improve on?

To be more experimental with concepts - something I'm sure can be done considering how good your photographers are.



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RORY GREER, 23

Hometown: Washington DC, United States
Currently in: Washington on a break; headed for New York next for work
Claim to fame: Being picked by famed American fashion photographer Steven Meisel to star in Prada's fall/winter 2007 campaign
Time here: February to April
Representing agency: Mannequin

Why did you decide to work in Singapore?

Singapore has a reputation for producing good editorial spreads and I needed to update my portfolio with new magazine 'tears' from English publications. The ones I did in Japan, for example, were great but often not accepted because they were in Japanese.

What is the main difference between modelling here and elsewhere?

It is more difficult looking good at castings here because of the heat. On a more serious note, there are some amazing people in the industry.

Which was your most memorable job here and why?

I enjoyed doing the lookbook for local label Reckless Ericka. I like the intimacy of working with designers personally, especially when they are friendly, relaxed and know how to have fun.

What is one thing you've learnt from your stint here?

That perspiring a lot is good for the pores and actually can prevent breakouts. This has since given me a reason to work out. Seriously.

What is one thing that the local modelling industry can improve on?

To feed the models better. We technically do make good money but we often don't see much of it after paying for our expenses. It doesn't help that the currency here is lower in value compared to that in places like Europe and the United States.

This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.