Filipino-German Maureen Wroblewitz became the first Filipina to win the model search Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 after beating Malaysia’s Shikin Gomez and Vietnam’s Minh Tu Nguyen in the finals.
“I was the last Filipina standing and a Filipina has never won before. I wanted to win this for my country and I am so happy to say that I did,” the 18-year-old said in an Instagram post moments after the final episode of the show revealed the winner on Wednesday.
The finalists donned dresses inspired by their country’s traditional costume with avant-garde twists.
Wroblewitz, the smallest contender in the competition, outlasted 14 contestants from seven countries, including compatriots Anjelica Santillan and Jennica Sanchez, who were both eliminated early in Cycle 5.
Before the final round of the competition, Wroblewitz was branded by other candidates as “pretty face with no skills”.
“[Little] did they know, it would just make me come out stronger and better. It became a perfect motivation for me to prove them wrong and to show them that being inexperienced does not mean you are a weak model,” the 5-feet-6-inch Wroblewitz said.
Aside from recording the first Filipina victory in the competition, Maureen won a brand new car, will be featured in a fashion spread and cover of Nylon Singapore, and will get a modeling contract with Storm Model Management.
Credit: Asia’s Next Top Model’s Facebook account
