Here’s What Happened at the First Vogue Faces Visayas

In partnership with Cream Silk, more than 400 hopefuls arrived in Cebu, bringing with them different journeys, identities, and stories told through hair.

By early afternoon, the line outside the NUSTAR Resort Cebu convention halls had outgrown the two neat rows of chairs prepared for applicants. It stretched into the hallway as aspiring talents filled out forms and exchanged conversations with strangers, some surprised to find friends already waiting in line.

Inside, participants moved through height measurements, a Cream Silk runway challenge, portrait sessions with photographer Karl King Aguña, and interviews with Vogue Philippines editor-in-chief Trickie Lopa, managing editor Jacs Sampayan, beauty and wellness editor Joyce Oreña, fashion director Pam Quiñones, and media channels editor Anz Hizon.

More than 400 applicants answered the first Visayas edition of Vogue Faces: Strands and Strides in partnership with Cream Silk. While the casting call searched for fresh faces, it also asked participants to tell a story, beginning with a simple prompt: How has your hair evolved with you? Before stepping into the room, many had already traveled their own distances to answer it.

For 21-year-old Nicole Fortuna, that journey began in Bohol. She only learned about the casting call two days before, but decided the hour-long boat ride to Cebu was worth taking. “We are three hours away from Panglao. I thought, I may as well still come because then it would be the experience,” she recalls.

19-year-old Lucia Eastwood Krah arrived from Boracay, carrying a different story of belonging. Having grown up between Oxford and Geneva with Filipino, British, and Ghanaian roots, she says coming to the Philippines reshaped how she understood her identity.

“I always used to say I was a quarter and it’s a little bit reductive,” she shares. “You can’t really measure the amount of someone’s essence by saying it’s a quarter or a fraction.” Learning to care for her natural curls became part of that journey, connecting her not only to her heritage, but also to the importance of representation for people who rarely see themselves reflected.

For Cebu-based model Lauren Ruiz, she shares how the experience is one for the books, especially with how inclusive and diverse the casting call is. She talks about her journey through transformation, “My hair has been through a lot. I think just being myself is enough. Flipping my hair, accepting my becoming.”

Across the casting call, no two applicants looked alike. Men also arrived wearing their hair in short and long styles that reflected their personalities. Coming from Carmen, 33-year-old Michael Ray appeared at the casting call with long straight hair he grew for eight years, summing up his journey, “I’m very proud at this age that I’m still a dreamer because that is a beautiful thing.”

During the casting call, the applicants were given Cream Silk Repair Booster Treatments, a range formulated with “skin-inspired” ingredient boosters for different hair needs. According to the brand, the Rebond Straight with Amino-Keratin Boosters and Damage Repair with Amino-Collagen Boosters are designed to repair damaged hair strands and support hair that looks and feels healthier over time. Framed alongside the casting call’s theme, the range aims to reflect the idea that caring for hair is part of an ongoing journey of becoming.

The first edition of Vogue Faces Visayas concluded late in the afternoon, followed by deliberations from the editorial team. From hundreds of applicants, selected individuals will go on to be featured in an upcoming editorial.

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