The Millennial Beauty

“The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and beautiful of all." —The Emperor, Mulan

This will keep us from celebrating the best of humanity, and this International Women’s Month, we at Modela Filipina celebrate the exemplary women who stand as inspirations in these trying times. For this feature, we were able to sit dow

n with Kim Baranda: artist and woman of calm strengths to give us her perspectives on how to hold our heads higher in these trying times.

For all of us, this pandemic has forced us to reevaluate what to do with our circumstances, and Kim is no exception.

“A lot of things in my life changed during the pandemic but I’m happy that I also received a lot of blessings.”

She teased her big decisions and potential projects lined out for her. The simple task of asking ourselves what is the next step— no matter how small, is the key to keep moving. And yet, ever so humble, she doesn’t hesitate to underscore what’s important when it comes to these achievements.

“There are too many to mention but overall I think it’s being happy and content with life.”

While our focus is empowerment, we’re no stranger to the changing tide that is the style of our culture. These are the subtle forces that can shape, make, or break a person’s identity as they shuffle through this ever-changing landscape, asking themselves who they are. But like most things in life, the simplest course is often what we need.

“Just be yourself, trends come and go but being true to yourself will always make you unique and in style.”

And, while on the topic of style, our brand ambassador candidly shared with us how she feels donning Modela Filipina jewelry.

“Modela is handmade, handcrafted, and very beautiful. I feel empowered when I wear it because it makes me feel confident;”

She also expressed the sense of pride she feels knowing that these are genuine products of hardworking Filipinos, a sentiment we also share and strongly stand by. At the end of the day, we just want to ensure that our values are reflected in the satisfaction of those who carry our statement pieces.

We then decided to take things in a more sober tone, bringing up the issue of comparative culture, and what we can do to stem the conflicts it creates between the women of our society.

“We need to support each other and not bring each other down. I think comparisons should change. It’s such a normal thing now to compare yourself to others. We should celebrate everyone’s individuality and uniqueness.”

Of course, we did lighten the mood with the obligatory questions on love. Of which, she had classic sage advice.

“Always pray for guidance, and don’t do things you wouldn’t want others to do to you. Never look for love because the right one will come at the right time.”

Love, life, and empowerment in the time of a pandemic. Everything has changed, and yet some things remain constant, and that’s who we are and how we conduct ourselves. To tie this all up nicely, we will leave you with a mantra from Kim Baranda herself:

“Be you, as long as you know you’re not doing anything wrong. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Kim Nichole Baranda

Viva Artists Agency