So… here we are. Eleven recaps later, and we’re at the last one. How does it feel? Bittersweet, because while we are maybe, possibly, a little tired after three months of drama and expecting unexpected things, we’ve grown a lot more attached to this show and its cast than we thought we would.
Last week, the show’s biggest antagoniser (and crybaby) Clara was eliminated, and we finally have our Final 3. A combination that isn’t at all surprising, based on what we’ve noticed over the past episodes. Tu consistently refusing to bow down to her physical weaknesses, and delivering her fiercest poses for the camera each week; Shikin with her edgy appeal and mastery of how to give her best poses for each shoot; Maureen defying everyone’s expectations and constant put-downs to land herself into the top 3.
The three models head back to the model house, and here’s where the girls first are able to properly reflect that, this is it – the Final 3, and they’ve made it so far! “I’ve always told myself that I’m going to prove Clara wrong,” says Maureen. “I’m so glad that she saw that I deserve to be here.” We’re reminded of all the times when Clara, and to be fair, quite a few of the other contestants, called Maureen out for not deserving to make it so far, all because of that supposed boring “pretty face”, and indeed, we’re glad she’s proving all her haters wrong.
Throughout this episode, there’s constant talk of Maureen making it all the way here despite being the youngest, shortest, and least experienced. The constant repetition feels a little tired after awhile… but we guess it’s just to emphasise what a feat she’s achieved.
Model Mentor Cara G McIlroy appears on video, and it’s to say goodbye! She can’t stay to judge this episode, so in her place will be former Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach, who will finally back after not appearing since the premiere episode. Speaking of judges, the girls also reflect on the whole Xiao Qing revelation, that while they all thought the undercover judge was indeed competing against them, they were at least forced to step up their game.
As the girls sit in the living room of the model house, the camera suddenly cuts to footage of a group people walking in. We can’t tell who they are just yet, but it seems like quite a significant group of people. Turns out… it’s the girls’ family members and friends! Maureen’s aunt and uncle, Shikin’s mother and sister, and Tu’s friends come bearing tearful hugs, and it’s such a nice treat for the three of them, after so long of being away from home and all that is familiar (no WiFi, no contact, remember?)
It’s a bittersweet reunion, however – due to the distance, not all of their closest family members could be here. Tu asks her friends how her mum is doing, as she was hospitalised just when Tu left for this competition (she’s better, thankfully). Maureen also sheds a few tears over the absence of her dad.
There’s not much time to be sentimental though, because the last-ever Cindy Mail is here! “It’s time to go back to your rooms and rise up as a symbol of pride for your country,” it says. The girls know immediately it’s going to be about traditional outfits, and they are proven right, as they meet Cindy and Yu Tsai at the photoshoot location. It’s not that straightforward a shoot, though; “It is stylised and avant-garde,” says Yu Tsai. The girls sport glitter brows and lips and facial jewellery, and are supposed to strike high fashion poses in their nations’ traditional garments. Cindy provides direction, while Yu Tsai is behind the lens.
Tu, wearing a traditional Vietnamese áo dài paired with a majestic headpiece, struggles a little with the weight on her head initially. But she soon breaks out of her shell, and has the judges practically screaming in excitement with the fierceness of her poses. Shikin also struggles with moving in the restrictive baju kurung, and her lack of experience with avant-garde shoots. She recovers soon enough though, and the judges have nothing to complain about. Maureen looks very girly indeed in the Filipino traditional dress of the baro’t saya and the stacks of pearls she’s wearing, but once in front of the camera she becomes almost… feral. She easily nails the shoot.
After a break with the fancy Neutrogena light masks, the girls make their way to the National Gallery, for the final challenge. Fashion show director Daniel Boey tells them they are going to “be fashion statues, coming to life on the runway”. Yes, of course we’re ending all of this with a bang and staging a proper fashion show – the girls’ family and friends are going to be cheering them on in the audience as well!
But… that’s not all. The other 10 contestants are back! And the finalists are exhilarated to see all the familiar faces – past animosities have dissipated by now as there are reunion hugs all around. No time for catching up though, because it’s straight to preparations for the fashion show they have to pull off.
The “Renaissance Muse” fashion show kicks off. And the girls are wearing Xiao Qing’s designs, pieces from her fashion label X.Q.ZHANG! The girls do two sequences, with one outfit change, and the rest of the contestants forming the background. Cindy Bishop herself closes the show in a dramatic black dress and headpiece!
Finally, results time, in an emptied-out National Gallery. This week’s judging panel is made up of, of course, Cindy Bishop and Yu Tsai, who are joined by Pia Wurtzbach, Ruby Adler, model booker from STORM Model Management, and… our very own Editor-in-Chief Adele Chan!
Shikin steps up to the plate first. Yu Tsai said that nerves were evident in her face at the start of the runway show, but by the second act, she came into her own. The other judges echo his opinion; Cindy also says she looked uncomfortable at some points.
Maureen’s up next, and Cindy says there was an “aura” about her. Our boss thinks otherwise, however: she says she wasn’t feeling Maureen’s walk. But this is balanced out by Yu Tsai and Ruby Adler, who have only nice things to say about her performance. As for Tu, Pia says she came off a bit too strong at some parts; Adele says her walk looked a bit too posed too; yet Cindy is all for it.
It’s just like a typical finale episode of any reality show, where you really can’t tell who’s going to come up tops eventually, because the judges are (deliberately?) offering very balanced out opinions. At this point, there isn’t one girl who seems to have outperformed the rest, and it could be anyone’s game at this point.
Then, the best shots from the photoshoot are reviewed. First up, Tu’s picture is positively magnificent, and the judges take the opportunity to once again praise her never-say-die attitude.
Shikin’s is stunning too, and Cindy and Yu Tsai, who were on set, praise her ability to give them a variety of poses. Adele raises her concerns here, asking Shikin: “But are you too edgy for commercial shoots?” Still, she’s called a “powerhouse” by the judges.
Finally, Maureen’s image is brought up. And, we have to say… it’s breathtaking.
“That image is exactly what I wanted to see from you at the end of this competition,” declares Yu Tsai. He goes on to say that he never cared about Maureen’s limitations, despite them being talked about practically every episode, as none of these matter in modelling.
It’s now time. The three join hands, and after Cindy Bishop summarises what each of the girls have demonstrated throughout the season, and questions whether all this is enough to get them the crown… in front of their family and friends, the winner is announced.
As our Editor-in-Chief said to her about her photoshoot challenge: “When I look at a model I ask myself, if I put her face on the cover, will she sell the magazine?” And as our latest cover shows, yes, this face sells magazines. Congrats, Maureen! You were the unexpected choice, but the right choice to be Asia’s Next Top Model.
Read more about what you can expect in this issue here.
Get the #52 special edition of our magazine, available at Kinokuniya and all good newsstands from July 2017.
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