From left to right: Shikin Gomez, Natalie Prabha and Nia Atasha; outfit and accessories by Chanel
Cover Shikin Gomez, Natalie Prabha and Nia Atasha

Three top Malaysian models tell us what happens when the stage goes online and the audience gets bigger

What happens when the sudden standstill of an ongoing pandemic forces a model to exit the physical stage and pivot to the virtual runway? Well, as cliché as it sounds, the show must go on.

In this month's issue of Tatler Malaysia, three Malaysian models—Shikin Gomez, Natalie Prabha and Nia Atasha, who are all represented by The Models Lab KL—share how they decided to make their own opportunities instead of waiting around for the right set of circumstances. And in the process, they discover what it means to be a model in the digital age. 

ICYMI: Spotlight On Malaysian Supermodel Alicia Amin

Making it work off the runway

Tatler Asia
From left to right: Natalie Prabha, Shikin Gomez and Nia Atasha; outfit and accessories by Chanel
Above Natalie Prabha, Shikin Gomez and Nia Atasha

“We miss fashion shows so much—you have no idea,” bemoans Nia Atasha, 25. The model, actress, visual artist and budding entrepreneur is visibly wistful over the four-way Zoom call as her friends Natalie Prabha and Shikin Gomez echo that nostalgia.

“Yeah, the craziness of fashion week, the six hours of waiting time, and the two hours of stage time... It was all worth it," muses proud Sabahan Prabha, 27, who's also a vegan who often shows off her cooking skills on Instagram. "Especially when you look at where we are now. It’s been a whole year since our last show; I don’t think I even know how to walk anymore. My heels are probably rotting in a corner somewhere.”

As for 28-year-old Gomez, a finalist in Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 (ANTM), she professes to feeling adrift as her schedule was once packed with castings, shows, and social events. “It was so weird. One moment the main issue was trying to find a day off. The next moment, I found myself  stuck in my brand new apartment with nothing to do. Everything just stopped. I honestly thought that it was the end of my career."

See also: Style Evolution: The Top Model Moments Of Beauty Queen Kavita Sidhu

Keeping up with social media

Tatler Asia
Shikin Gomez in Chanel
Above Shikin Gomez

In today's world, social media is like a double-edged sword for the models. On one hand, it's become an essential tool to survive the industry's digital surge, and on the other, an exhausting balancing act.

“Personally, I think having a social media presence is really important in this day and age,” states Nia. “I know many people are still sceptical about the merit of ‘influencers’ or ‘Instagram models’, but in order to be noticed and recognised by people—whether they are clients, brands or even your audience—you need to have traction on social media.”

But gaining that traction isn't as easy as it looks, as the girls describe it to be a full-time job as trends, apps, algorithms as well as its users don't wait for anyone. Additionally, a great reach on social media comes with great responsibility and even greater public scrutiny. After competing in ANTM, Gomez recalls an incident where strangers would DM her social media with threatening messages.

See also: Social Media Star Jessica Wang Talks About Her Digital Influence On Instagram & TikTok

“Life was simpler back then,” she says with a wry smile. “You could just post whatever you want, whenever you want, on social media. You didn’t have to chase likes or followers. And you didn’t have to think about the nuances that come with being a public figure with a following that keeps tabs on your daily life.”

Either people have no idea how bad it can get, or they do but don’t want to acknowledge it, but it’s heartbreaking to see comments like ‘these people need to go kill themselves’ or ‘they don’t deserve to live'.

- Natalie Prabha -

Prabha sighs in resignation at the mention of Gomez's experience, having seen one too many instances where “people can be cruel", and are quick to condemn models or artists without understanding context. She stresses that for influential figures, especially those with a younger following, it was vital to utilise the platforms they have on-hand to remind them that information on social media could only go so far and was limited to only singular facets of an individual’s life.

"Either people have no idea how bad it can get, or they do but don’t want to acknowledge it, but it’s heartbreaking to see comments like ‘these people need to go kill themselves’ or ‘they don’t deserve to live'.”

What makes a model

Tatler Asia
Nia Atasha in Chanel
Above Nia Atasha
Tatler Asia
Natalie Prabha in Chanel
Above Natalie Prabha

Likening the industry to a 'toxic relationship', the girls are no strangers to criticisms and rejections, particularly those that involve one's physical appearance, which can at times include skin colour. While it's an occupational hazard, it doesn’t mean that the ladies had to take it lying down.

“It's what you do with those criticisms that matters," says Gomez. "Going through those challenges definitely had us learning not to live by other people’s opinions. Just because we’re rejected for a certain job, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t another opportunity. There will always be other yeses."

Just because we’re rejected for a certain job, it doesn’t mean that there won't be another opportunity. There will always be other yeses.

- Shikin Gomez -

And although negative work culture has long since been discussed in modern times, the girls admitted to being put into environments where vulnerabilities were seen as a weakness. “It’s like an unspoken rule—you don’t talk about it. Because if you do, you’re labelled as a diva, or as 'weak' and incapable of doing your job,” says Prabha candidly. “We're treated like walking coat-hangers, only need to look pretty in the clothes. The reality of it is that we're easily replaceable. There’s always the danger of being ‘cancelled'.”

The real fear when it comes to speaking up, Nia admits, is losing their livelihood. “While I feel like we owe it to our supporters to be more transparent because of how they look up to us, we also don’t want to step on anyone’s toes—we have a job to do and bills to pay, you know? That’s the toughest part.”

See also: Watch: Kevin Kreider Of Bling Empire Talks Exclusively To Tatler

On representation and beauty standards

Tatler Asia
From left to right: Nia Atasha, Shikin Gomez and Nia Atasha; outfit and accessories by Chanel
Above Nia Atasha, Shikin Gomez and Nia Atasha

(As models), I believe that we should challenge stereotypes because in Malaysia, we have all these cultural restrictions. We're so much more than the labels our cultural identities dictate.

- Nia Atasha -

Conscious of the fact that they are public figures, the ladies are doubly cautious about what they share on social media and take care to relate to their followers, especially when it come to topics that involve cultural representation as well as local beauty standards.

“We get to wear a designer’s vision and participate in all these amazing campaigns, but at the core of it all, I believe that we should  challenge stereotypes because in Malaysia, we have all these cultural restrictions. We're so much more than the labels our cultural identities dictate," says Nia.

See also: 15 Stunning Photos That Will Change Your Definition Of Beauty

In Southeast Asia, it's known that fair, porcelain-like skin is still held up as the ideal form of beauty. “Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to skin tones but we live in a country with all kinds of shade,” says Nia. "You’d be surprised by the number of DMs I get asking about the shade of foundation I wore for campaigns, so it sucks when people make us three to four shades lighter than we are in real life.”

Gomez adds: “I get people asking me how I can be so confident in my tanned skin, and I don’t even know how to answer them. It’s heartbreaking. It shouldn’t matter if you’re tan or fair, you’re beautiful regardless. Look at models like Vanizha Vasanthanathan and Rubini Sambanthan. They are perfectly comfortable in their own skin and it’s empowering for people to see that representation, that it’s okay to love your skin.”

“Whether you’re a model, a spokesperson, a public figure, or an influencer, we have to make sure that we don’t box ourselves into constructed ideals just to make a quick buck,” notes Prabha. “You have to think of the bigger picture, about how it will affect you as well as others. You need to maintain your integrity, and well, sometimes you just have to say no to the money.”


To read the full story, get your complimentary copy of the April 2021 issue here

Credits

Outfit  

Chanel

Accessories  

Chanel

Photography  

Chee Wei

Photographer's Assistant  

Yu Shen

Styling  

Colin Sim

Hair  

Keith Ong

Make-Up  

Plika Makeup

Topics