The search for the cutest and coolest kids in town is over. Nurul Deena Ellysha Mohd Faisal (Deena), six, and Muhammad Miqqhal Mohammad Jeffrie (Farish), two, emerged as the Malaysian winners for the GapKids and babyGap categories respectively at the fashion house’s sophomore South-East Asian casting call for children.
The two kids beat over 600 hopefuls at the casting calls – organised by Gap Inc’s franchisee, FJ Benjamin – that took place at 1 Utama in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, over four days in two weekends late last year.
The contest sought to uncover new faces to front the babyGap and GapKids ad campaigns and was open to newborns and children up to the age of five for its babyGap category, and those aged between six and 10 for the GapKids group.
From the auditions, pictures of the Top 100 finalists across four categories (25 finalists for each category: Baby Boys and Baby Girls under babyGap; and Boys and Girls under GapKids) were posted on facebook.com/gapmalaysia for public voting; it registered 74,330 votes.
The other two Malaysian finalists who made the final four alongside Deena and Farish were Ethan Burley, seven, and Chan Zi En, two.
The four children had joined their Singaporean and Indonesian counterparts in Singapore last month to face a judging panel comprising FJ Benjamin and Gap representatives.
Two winners were picked out of the four finalists from each country to feature in the ad campaigns across the three nations. The Malaysian winners of the regional casting call were unveiled at a party hosted by local TV personality Aishah Sinclair at the GapKids and babyGap stores in The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur, earlier this month. Also held was a special showcase of the labels’ latest spring collection.
Young Deena, from Penang, looked cool as a cucumber as she strutted on the makeshift runway during the event alongside a host of child talent.
Her mother, Nurul Ainy Mohd Noor, 34, said the news of her daughter’s win came just a day before her birthday.
“So it was a double celebration for the family!” the homemaker mum-of-two said excitedly.
Deena had apparently taken the good news calmly. “I think I was more excited about it,” said Nurul Ainy. “She just put her hands up and said, ‘Thank you, God.’ Then went back to watching cartoons.”
Deena, who started Year One at Convent Green Lane last month, also plays the violin and is a rhythmic gymnast. She recently signed with a child talent agency.
Meanwhile, Farish was a blithe little package at the midday affair. His father, Mohammad Jeffrie Abdul Halim, 36, said he did not expect Farish to top his group. “My wife had decided to try out at the audition just for fun.”
The businessman from Shah Alam said that though Farish is usually an outgoing boy who enjoys outdoor activities, the little fella was actually rather nervous during the shoot.
Still, the playful tot, who is of Chinese-Malay descent, clearly charmed the judges. The father-and-son pair donned matching orange shirts at the unveiling party, drawing an onslaught of adoring giggles from the crowd.
Jeffrie added that he would support his son if he ever chose to embark on a modelling career.
In addition to a RM2,000 Gap gift card and Hasbro merchandise, Farish and Deena snagged the right to be featured in the Spring 2012 visuals at all babyGap and GapKids stores nationwide for this month. The duo’s images will also appear in Singapore and Indonesia during the period.
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