Friday, February 11, 2011

STYLING PORTOFOLIO 15: GEORGINA WILSON ON BEAUTY STANDARDS


THIS IS GEORGINA WILSON
by. Carlos Concepcion
photography: BJ PASCUAL
hair and makeup: BIANCA VALERIO
clothes: STYLEBREAK
accessories: RIQUEZA

Georgina Wilson is a household name. Known for her perfect face, perfect complexion, statuesque height, sweet personality. Really my list of compliments could go on. Every article written
has described her goddess like attributes. Now I know Georgina personally, observed her from afar and upclose. And I wondered how people would perceive her if we cracked her perfect image
just a little bit. Expose some sort of rawness, because even with all her out of this world attributes she is at the end of the day a human being, just like you and I. And I felt what a waste if the
rest of the world never found this out. For in Georginas true beauty, are the little imperfections that she has.

So I decided to do a little experiment. A photoshoot unlike any she has done.  What if we changed a part of Georginas physicality and see how she would react to being turned into something 
she is not. I decided to take one of her main attributes, her perfectly creamy white skin envied by many, away. Transformed with dark ebony skin, a different kind of beauty. One, unlike her
own. Would she still feel beautiful in skin that isnt her own? For a few hours, I wanted her to be someone else. 

As layer upon layer of the darkest foundation was put on her skin, I watched her face in the mirror. I wondered if I would see hesitation, fear, an ounce of insecurity. At the start, there was 
hesitation. As it went on, I found only eyes that peirced even stronger. A slight smile on her lips -clearly she was starting to enjoy this transformation. And therein lies a 
side of her I have longed to expose. That slight glimmer of hesitation, is proof that she has issues too. But the commitment she has into finishing what she has started is the
quality that raises her to a level that we have always praised. We always see her end product, the perfect image. But how she got to that perfect image is really what should inspire all you
fans out there.

I did this piece to highlight qualities not normally seen in Georginas media personality. Everyone is always more than just one thing and it is important for you kids out there to realize this. 
There isnt a stereotype, a box that you have to fit into. We are so many things -have so many sides. We want you kids to feel that you are not alone, we all feel this way. We are all both awkward 
and cool, pretty and ugly, both scared and confident - Or even absolutely everything above. We all have our moments of high and low.

The images were created not just to shock, but also made to provide Georgina and you the reader, a time to question. A time to question your own standard of beauty. Skin color is one of the
biggest issues today. Here Georgina shares with us honestly, her views on this topic discussed thoroughly but never resolved. You may agree or disagree, but really the point is it made you
think. And hopefully inspire you to be comfortable in whomever you are.

C: It is pretty established that filipinos have a fascination with fair skin... Where do u think this is rooted from?
G: It isnt just the Filipinos that are obsessed with fair skin, the whole asian region is! I read in an article before that Japan's fascination with white skin goes back 1000 years 
(there are historical records indicating so)! I think it's pretty simple - one always wants what they do not have. If you're dark you aspire to be lighter. Most of the Western world 'work on 
their tan' whenever they can. I personally have very straight hair and I would die to have hair with more body. I think thats the basic root of the desire/fascination. 

C: Do u think you having fair skin has been to your advantage working in the modelling industry?  Why or why not?
G: I think I'd still receive the kind welcome even if I was darker. I haven't really thought about it and isolated it out as being advantageous or not.