It is Jade Pono, an experienced model renowned for her professionalism and her style woven with ardor and femininity, who won over the LOOK of the YEAR jury during the grand final Sunday.
PHOTOS: MONÏ
It took a long time for Jade to realize that she had just been elected LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR!
“When Mika Palmyra announced that she was going to reveal the name of the winner, someone in the crowd shouted Nikki You got that! so I thought, cool, it's Nikki, now I'm going to be able to go rest because I haven't slept for two nights, I was so feverish,'' tells Jade with emotion.
''But I was getting all kinds of weird messages...and the coordinator was asking me to go in front! I was totally confused... Until I saw the crown arriving in my inventory!''
Japanese living in Hawaii, Jade Pono has been a professional virtual model for five years.
''Short in real life, I wanted a second life as a great tall top model so I got to work, combining training and participating in as many fashion shows as possible to gain experience.
''Today I am member of 25 agencies and on some Saturdays, I have three shows in a row!''
The runners up
HUNIPET & LATHILDA
In the wake of Jade, also very stylish and remarkable on the runway, another highly reputable experienced model, Hunipet Delicioso, 1st runner up, and a student model, a new star, Lathilda, 2nd runner up.
The two runners-up each received L$10,000 in cash, a ZURI tiara and over L$15,000 in gift cards.
The three LOOK of the YEAR winners will also appear in several reports in The SL Enquirer and in the magazines SL Confidencial, SL20 and LUXE Paris.
A SPECTACULAR FINAL
It's a colorful show that the 12 finalists delivered in their last LOOK of the YEAR challenge. On a grandiose stage created by Parisian Skytower, co-owner LUXE Paris, the great 12 took us on a journey around the world by interpreting, in turn, a particular look inspired by one of the 12 most important fashion capitals of the planet.
In our fantasy world, Rihanna, Cher and Madonna, three of the world’s biggest fashion icons, created the Global Fashion Ball to benefit hungry children. At their head table, 12 elegant women diplomats representing the 12 most important fashion capitals of the planet, the 12 LOOK of the YEAR finalists!
Each of the finalists was asked to prepare a formal look representing the fashion style of a particular capital. The 12 greatest fashions capitals were selected according to the latest Global Fashion & Luxury Cities Index (Nov 2021) and assigned to the finalists randomly.
And all the finalists shone, admirably capturing the fashion essence of each of the capitals and arousing an extremely close vote.
A JURY of 13 FASHION
& MEDIA PERSONALITIES
Finalists had to present an outfit made up of LUXE Paris clothing and ZURI jewellery and have received for this, generous gift cards from both brands. The LOOK of the YEAR contest is the only style competition on the grid which subsidizes its finalists.
The jury was made up of 13 personalities from the fashion and media worlds: Parisian Skytower & Mika Palmyra, LUXE Paris owners, Zuri Rayna, owner and designer Zuri Jewelry, Valsnia, LOOK of the YEAR 2021-2022, Ponchituti Boucher, legendary top model, co-owner of One On One Agency and owner ProPose Modeling Poses, Frolic Mills, another virtual fashion legend who practically invented the industry in Second Life and the owner of the new SL20 magazine, Lanai Jarrico, owner of The SL Enquirer, , Adonis Lubomir, owner of Swank Events and Womenstuff group, Chema K, owner of SL Confidencial magazine, Ava Jhamin, co-owner The A-List and L'Amour Productions, Stephano Del Piero, teacher at In-Nova Model Training Academy, Consuela Blanche, manager Visionaire Photo Institute, Virgo, manager of the Latin Quarter.
The judges have awarded a score to each finalist by evaluating the accuracy and originality of their interpretation of their fashion capital as well as the presence of LUXE Paris and ZURI elegance. They also evaluated the finalists stage presence and charisma. The scores allocated during this last challenge were added to those of the first challenge, which took place ten days ago on the theme DECADES of FASHION 1950-2020. It is the sum that determined the winner.
SURPRISE!
VALSNIA LAUNCHES
HER 1st COLLECTION
As soon as the FASHION CAPITALS challenge was over, Mika Palmyra, the other owner-designer of LUXE Paris, left de judges' lounge to proceed with the compilation of the votes. Usually a long and boring moment, this waiting period turned into magic tho as Valsnia, outgoing LOOK of the YEAR winner, surprised the crowd with the launch of her first collection for LUXE Paris!
Suddenly, the majestic runway decked out of gold and onyx disappeared to give way to a magical Hindu garden. Five top models from One On One Agency, ZosiaAura, Memole, Miso, Tiy and Sholy, appeared as so many mysterious goddesses... This is because Valsnia's new collection pays homage to her country, India.
"I married traditional fabrics from my own real-life wardrobe with today's styles and cuts to show the two sides of India, its fondness for the past and its modernity," says Valsnia.
Among the traditional fabrics used, Valsnia's wedding dress and that of her mother.
SHOCKED
JADE COULDNT FIND
HER WORDS
The presentation of the collection ''LUXE Paris COLORS of INDIA by Valsnia'' was immediately followed by the long-awaited highlight of the event, the crowning of the new LOOK of the YEAR, Jade Pono, and of the runners-up Hunipet Delicioso and Lathilda.
Jade was so shocked that it took her long minutes before she could find her words to thank the judges, the organization and her supporters. On the VPC, the models' private communication system when they are on stage, the show's coordinator, Lali Arbizu, was begging Jade to break the silence...
''I just couldn't believe it'', Jade exclaims.
''I still cant believe it'', she added, 48 hours later.
Sa soeur Morgan
l'a inspirée
This is the second year that Jade has taken part in the LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR competition. Chosen in the semi-finals last year, she had not been selected for the final and here she is the big winner! What happened? What changed?
“What a tough question,” Jade comments with a laugh. ''I think it was my sister Morgan Incognito who inspired me. I so wanted her to be proud of me!
Morgan, Jade's virtual sister, also Japanese in RL, is a celebrity in the fashion world both for her qualities as a top model and for her involvement in many projects to improve the world such as her I SAY NO campaign benefiting RAINN, the Rape Abuse & Incest National Network.
Jade also thinks the LOOK of the YEAR mentoring team and the training she received in her early days at Naar Rexen's In-Nova Academy played a big role.
THE BEST PART:
THE MENTORING CLASSES!
"These mentorship classes and seminars with legendary supermodel Ponchitutti Boucher were the best part of the competition," she says feistily.
''It's worth millions of dollars to me!
''As for the school that introduced me to modeling, In-Nova, it is an extremely serious and very demanding institution!
''I even learned the basics of design there, which allowed me to create a cape to highlight my LUXE Paris dress for the final!''
Obviously, no one will be surprised to learn that Jade would like to continue her design apprenticeship within the LUXE Paris team. To be continued!
You regret missing the LOOK of the YEAR grand final?
Watch the ''live'' broadcasted by SL4Live-TV on YouTube:
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