Fil-Canadian’s Rise to Top Model Status
Rowena Papasin, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
VANCOUVER – A young Filipino-Canadian is one of the most in-demand male models in the world of high fashion.
Tall, dark-eyed with killer cheekbones and a street-smart athletic style, Adryan Hanson easily stands out in any crowd.
It was a little more than two years ago when he first broke out on the international catwalk.
Yet, he has already walked the runways with the likes of supermodel Naomi Campbell, Kendall Jenner and fellow Filipino Paolo Roldan.
“Paris, New York, Milan are some of the biggest markets in the world for modeling. It’s definitely been a blessing to be established in that five percentile of the top models of the world or what not. So it’s very blessed, you know, it’s definitely been an eye-opening experience,” he said.
Hanson, an only child, grew up surrounded by his mother’s family in Vancouver and enjoyed playing sports.
He flew to Manila from Vancouver several years ago to play basketball for a local university.
But his journey took a detour from the basketball courts to the runway.
Despite this, his father Steve said he could not be more proud.
“Taking a risk to go to Manila with no family close around was a pretty big risk and I think it was neat for him to see where his mother’s family is from, and really connect with us out of his culture. I think it was really important,” said his father.
Hanson has modeled for top fashion brands like Givenchy and Ralph Lauren. But he said modelling is not all the glamour it’s made up to be.
“I think people only see the glory of the modeling world and really don’t understand how tough it is to maintain a successful career, because you know, the turnover rate is pretty quick. One season you might be doing really well, then the next season, well, here’s the next big thing, and designers, they really have no sympathy in that sense,” he said.
Hanson now divides his time between New York and Los Angeles for work commitments. But he still finds the time to create and market his own individual brand via social media.
(Source: ABS-CBN.com)