Budiey
The stage was set at Paradigm Mall, and the Malaysia Supermodel Search (MSS) 2014 in collaboration with Asia Model Festival Awards 2015 concluded this evening with a grand finale which saw who is ultimately worthy of the moniker supermodel in Malaysia.
Aside from resident judges Amber Chia (International Model & Principal of Amber Chia Academy) and Benjamin Toong (Catwalk Guru & Creator of MSS), the panel of judges was a rather impressive one, consisting of the following esteemed professionals:
Mr. Addie Low – Founder of NOW Model Management Pte. Ltd, Singapore
Ms. Ahn Mee-Ryu – President of Korea Pro Makeup Association
Ms. Aisikaa Mendelsohn – Founder & CEO of Fame Management Asia Co. Ltd, Bangkok
Ms. Gillian Hung – President of Malaysia Official Designers’ Association
Ms. Katarzyna Nakonieczna – International Model from Russia
Mr. Lew Wen Feng – Advertising & Promotions Manager of Paradigm Mall, Malaysia
Ms. Ngoc Trinh – Miss Vietnam Global 2011
Ms. Raulen Lee – International Director of Korea Model Association
Mr. Vo Canh – Asia Supermodel 2013 from Vietnam
Mr. Vu Khac Tiep – Director of Venus Model Agency, Vietnam
Mr. Yang Eui-Sig – Chairman of Korea Model Association
Re-branded and re-booted from the edition formerly known as the annual Asia New Star Model Contest (ANSMC), which has been running successfully for the past three consecutive years, one female adult and one male adult winner of MSS will be sent to Seoul, Korea, to compete at the ANSMC 2015, which will be held in conjunction with the prestigious 10th Asia Model Festival Awards. On top of that, the winners will also win modelling contracts with NOW Model Management Singapore.
After a nationwide search, back in July, which saw auditions at Kota Kinabalu, Bintulu, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, as well as applications online, the top 20 adult and top 20 kid finalists were officially revealed at a press conference held at SOP Bar & Bistro, Paradigm Mall on 12th August 2014.
Continuing in the vein of last year’s ANSMC success as an online reality programme, eight MSS 2014 webisodes began airing weekly two months ago on the “Malaysia Supermodel Search” YouTube channel, culminating in this live grand finale at Paradigm Mall, which will be featured as the ninth and final webisode of this edition. Resident judges Chia, Toong, and also model extraordinaire Tinie, have been at the helm the panel from the very beginning.
“Only a model with the entire package – physical attributes, good attitude, personality, confidence, and an X factor, deserves to be called a supermodel, can make an impression and give our country an advantage on an international level,” expressed Chia – who is the Korea Model Association (KMA) representative to Malaysia. “Through the Malaysia Supermodel Search series, we also want to educate everyone about how being a professional model is not as simple as it seems – likewise all professions, it requires a lot of hard work too,” added Toong.
The top seven potential female supermodels who were vying for the title are Audrey Wong Shi Mei (20), Bella Chee Yuen Chi (19), Ivana Esther Robert Smit (15), Kessyl Lim Tek Iee (19), Nurul Hazrina binti Sabri (22), Selin Chan Nyin Wen (18), and Siti Khairunisah binti Abdul Razak (23); whereas the six potential male supermodels consist of Anson Ang Ming Soong (24), Jackson Lim Howe Seng (26), Jayden Yen Yoong Cheng (21), Joseph Oon Zi Yin (21), Ryan Yong Fong Sing (24), and Sina Razaghi (22).
Besides their all-expenses paid trip to Seoul, along with their modelling contracts, both the female and male winners will also have the honour of becoming the 2015 faces of Paradigm Mall, in which they will be walking as celebrity models for the Paradigm Mall Fall/Winter 2014 fashion week. Additionally, they will each also walk away with cash and sponsored prizes worth about RM100,000 in total; consisting of a Driving Dreams scholarship by KDU University College, as well as prizes from Gintell, Celebrity Fitness, MIZACH, M.A.C, O’slee, Neubodi, and modelling courses from Amber Chia Academy.
As for the kid supermodel category for MSS, entry was opened to all kids between the ages of 4 and 11, and a batch of extremely adorable and talented future supermodels were discovered. For the girls, they were Aleesya Marsandha Alias (5), Althea Tan (8), Isabelle Claire Fredericks (7), Nurshafeera Reezlyn binti Shamsul Azhar (10), Sharifah Destinee Dickerson (8), and Sharmaine Yap Sham Min (8); whereas the boys were Aiden Sim Jun Wei (6), Destin Khoo Jun Hao (6), Goh Yu Zhe (6), Jeremie Kee Zhen Way (9), Leo Jericho Mahilum (9), and Vincent Chung Zhi Chen (6).
At this grand finale which was emceed by radio personality Amelia Henderson, where guests were also serenaded by award winning singer Abigail Chew, the following awards were given out accordingly:
KIDS CATEGORY
Most Popular Kid Model Award: Jenifer Tan
MSS 2014 – Male 2nd Runner Up: Destin Khoo
MSS 2014 – Female 2nd Runner Up: Sharmaine Yap
MSS 2014 – Male 1st Runner Up: Aiden Sim
MSS 2014 – Female 1st Runner Up: Aleesya Marsandha
MSS 2014 – Male Winner: Goh Yu Zhe
MSS 2014 – Female Winner: Nurshafeera Reezlyn
ADULTS CATEGORY
Best Talent Award: Selin Chan
Most Popular Adult Model Award: Siti Khairunisah
Best Performance (Voted by Paradigm Mall) – Male: Jayden Yen
Best Performance (Voted by Paradigm Mall) – Female: Kessyl Lim
MSS 2014 – Male 2nd Runner Up: Jackson Lim
Before the final results were announced, Toong made a surprise announcement on behalf of the KMA. Due to the potential shown as well as quality of performance delivered by all the finalists, five winners will be flown to Korea to represent Malaysia and compete at the ANSMC 2015 (instead of just the initial two), and they are:
MSS 2014 – Female 2nd Runner Up: Ivana Smit
MSS 2014 – Male 1st Runner Up: Anson Ang
MSS 2014 – Female 1st Runner Up: Bella Chee
MSS 2014 – Male Winner: Jayden Yen
MSS 2014 – Female Winner: Selin Chan
Organised by Amber Chia Academy Sdn Bhd, the Malaysia Supermodel Search 2014 in collaboration with Asia Model Festival Awards 2015 would not have been possible without the support of title presenter Paradigm Mall. Other generous sponsors include Runway Productions (Event Management), Korea Model Association (Official Model Association), O’slee (Official Skincare), M.A.C (Official Makeup), Premiere Hotel Klang (Official Hotel), Hair Atelier (Official Hair Salon), gateway@klia2 (Official Mall), Celebrity Fitness (Official Gym), KDU University College (Official University), SOP Bar & Bistro (Official F&B), Now Model Management, Gintell, Obsidian, Neubodi, Show Up, Guezz Studio, Spritzer, Grey Goose, Martini Royale, Wine Warehouse, Fa-Ying, Custom Made, MIZACH, Poney, JAE Homme, Bremen Wong, InFLUENCE, Joe Chia, SAWYeR, Daniel Ng, Aim Max Media, and Manoah Consulting.
