Nicole

April 11, 2018

Written by Kath Elefante

April 11, 2018

Written by Kath Elefante

She spent her teenage years working as a commercial model, meeting different people and traveling the world – and that has made Nicole Hernandez-delos Angeles one of the most recognizable faces on Philippine TV.

Now a mom to 2 boys, Nicole still looks as fresh and young when she did her most memorable commercial. These days, you can catch her on Industree TV’s “Baby Barangay” with fellow moms Cat Juan Ledesma, Kelly Misa-Fernandez and Patty Laurel-Filart (who all happen to be Heyjow muses, too) where they share snippets of their work, travels and family life.

Here, Nicole tells us her mommy me-time ritual, stories from her early modeling years and her advice for aspiring models:

On personal style: “I like things that are easy, quick, comfortable and convenient because I have 2 boys and I’m always on the go. I must be in pieces that can transition from morning until the afternoon and if they can carry me over to the evening then that’s great.

Nicole wearing the Solana ruffle top from Offbeat Alley with (1) Blanca earrings from Aloha White collection and (2) Roya bracelet set from Summer Bounty collection

On what she wears on a typical day: “I spend the early hours of the day in gym attire because that’s usually when I work out, which is my detox and me-time. I try to squeeze in a run while my kids are in school.”

“When I’m not in my gym clothes, a normal outfit would be something easy-going, especially now that it's summer. It depends on the day and activity of my kids. Plus, I cook so I must be comfortable while I’m in the kitchen. If it’s soccer day, you’ll see me in shorts, sneakers and a T-shirt."

Nicole wearing the Veloso maillot from Agua Brazilian Swimwear with (3) Algier 2-layer necklace from Aloha White collection and (4) Devi bracelet set from Summer Bounty collection

Nicole dresses up the ruffled swimsuit with (5) Magnolia statement earrings from Aloha White collection

Some of Nicole's summer must-haves include her favorite pair of Ray-Bans, tinted sunscreen and Jo Malone's Green Wheat and Meadowsweet cologne

"When I have work, I dress up in basic pieces that are easy to move around in. I prefer solids because it’s easier to dress it up by layering it with accessories.”

Nicole dresses up her summer basics with metallic Tory Burch sandals complemented with intricate Heyjow pieces from Summer Bounty, Aloha White, and Azure Paradise collections

On how she discovered her passion for modeling: “It was more of an accidental discovery. A friend brought me to a VTR where I did horribly and cried. I told myself ‘I’m never going to do this again’ then I get a call afterwards saying I got the part."

"Ever since I did that commercial for a shampoo, it’s been non-stop. I’ve been doing advertisements since I was 13 years old. I stopped for a while when I got older and moved out of the country but modeling has always been an opportunity to travel and a means to earn, especially at a young age. It opened a lot of doors for me and gave me a chance to save, budget and invest.”

Nicole wearing the Hewes Bow dress from Offbeat Alley with (6) druzy and howlite layers from Azure Paradise collection

On memorable projects: “The ones I would do abroad because nobody would see it! (laughs) But more because I get to travel with my mom. I guess the most memorable one that people would always associate me with is Pond’s.”

Nicole looking fresh in a plain white dress, semi-slicked back hair and (7) Elise statement earrings from Golden Glow collection

On what inspires her: “There are a lot of people I admire – not just the models or the personalities in front of the camera but also the people behind it because they’re the ones that make you look good and help you perform like the director, the lighting designers, the editors. Those are people I admire because they work so many hours to make an amazing finished product. I try to emulate some of their strong qualities such as the level of professionalism."

Nicole wearing a striped linen dress from Little Luli with (8) pearl and disc layers from Aloha White collection and (9) aquamarine rosary chain from Azure Paradise collection

"I get inspired by people who are naturally talented and get it in a single take. Doing an ad can sometimes be tiring and it shows on your face but when you work with seasoned professionals, you feed on their energy and that's what keeps you going.”

On how she has evolved in her career: “I’m always a little nervous whenever I do a project. It’s not easy for me to switch on and off and it takes me a little while to warm up. Imagine: you’re shooting, you’re expected to perform a certain way and that you should know all your angles but after a while you get conscious because there are so many people watching! I guess through the years, the degree of nervousness has decreased a little bit and I’ve gained a little more confidence each time.”

Her advice for aspiring models: “Always be true to yourself. Never sell yourself short and never settle. If you feel in your gut that what you’re doing is wrong, it probably is. At the end of the day, you’re representing yourself and you should be happy with the product.”