1. She was born in Pampanga, Philippines
Kelsey was born in the islands of the Philippines to a Filipina mother and an American father of German, French and Irish descent. Her early life consisted of volleyball and local school pageantry, which her mother had forced her to join. Much to everyone’s surprise, she didn’t win. However, she would eventually go on to achieve much greater things in her life.
2. Started modeling at 15 years old
Kelsey’s first steps into the modeling world involved a lot of traveling back and forth from her home in Pampanga to Manila. Her first big break in the industry was shooting for a Candy Magazine fashion editorial. Appearing in the popular teen publication’s pages quickly became a regular gig as she started shooting more and more editorials. As her portfolio grew, more industry professionals started taking notice of Kelsey and her unique look. Through the years, she found herself casted in shows alongside the top models of the country for prominent designers in Philippine Fashion Week, appearing in major commercials and really establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with at such a young age. She was able to accomplish all of this despite being one of the shortest models in attendance at every show and shoot.
3. She was discovered on Instagram at 17 years old
Two years into her modeling career, Kelsey had built a fascinating portfolio of work in ramp, commercial and print modeling, which she shared frequently on her social media pages. Upon checking her email one day, she came across something that caught her eye; an invitation from a model agent who proposed for Kelsey to try her hand at modeling in New York. Roman Young had come across images of the young model on Instagram and instantly envisioned a career abroad for her. Because she was only in her second year of college at the time, Kelsey’s parents were hesitant. However, after some thought, they allowed her to fly to the Big Apple and try her hand at modeling in one of the fashion capitals of the world for four months.
Before she knew it, she was in the thick of the model madness that consisted of test shoots, castings and running across town to make it on time to everything. Some of her first jobs include working with L’Officiel, Harper’s Bazaar, Uniqlo, and Vera Wang to name a few. It didn’t take long for her to gain international recognition yet again and start traveling to places like Peru, Sweden, and London to sign with other agencies and shoot.
4. She graduated from Ateneo De Manila University
Despite continuously booking jobs with some of the world’s most respected designers, companies, and publications, Kelsey had made it a point to graduate before pursuing modeling full-time. Juggling her career with her studies was no easy feat, but Kelsey remained determined to see her mission through. Ultimately, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication in Ateneo De Manila University’s class of 2017.
5. She was the first Filipina model to walk the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
Kelsey has made history for Filipinos multiple times throughout her career. One of the most notable feats that she’s accomplished so far is being the first Filipina model to walk in the prestigious Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. This had been on Kelsey’s bucket list since she was a kid. In fact, barely one week into her big move to New York, she had a conversation with Metro Magazine’s then Editor in Chief, Sarah Meier, about the power of the Law of Attraction and spoke into the universe her intent to earn her wings. Kelsey started out shooting a series of campaigns for the Victoria’s Secret website in 2018. That same year, she decided to take a step into pursuing her dreams and joined the castings for the show. The Philippines watched anxiously through social media as Kelsey advanced the rounds of the callbacks. On September 7, 2018, she announced on her Instagram page that she was selected to walk the runway.
Her then agency also took to Instagram to share the news with a video of an emotional Kelsey walking into an office where her team was waiting to congratulate her with flowers and smiles. The two months that followed the announcement were filled with fittings, intense workouts, rehearsals, and media recognition that launched her career to celebrity status. On November 18, 2018, all of her hard work paid off as she walked the runway and made history while doing so. With a big smile on her face and confidence in her strides, Kelsey worked the catwalk with the Philippines on her back.
6. She was the first Filipina model to be photographed for Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue
On February 19, 2019, Kelsey announced on Instagram that she was the newest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2019 rookie, making her the first Filipina to appear in the popular publication’s pages. She was flown to the Bahamas to shoot a beautiful spread of her in her element. In the years that followed, Kelsey went on to appear in the magazine’s 2020 issue which was shot in the Dominican Republic and the 2021 issue which was shot in Florida.
7. She has famous friends
Since making her mark through her work, Kelsey has shot up the industry’s ranks and is well established in the “It Crowd” of Hollywood. She has been spotted with pop culture icons like Zac Efron, Future, Anita, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Lopez and more at events and social gatherings.
8. She is no stranger to red carpets
It is no secret that Kelsey is a natural in front of the cameras. Her fascinating fashion sense coupled with her natural glow make her a vision on any red carpet that she sets foot on. Throughout her career, Kelsey has been spotted at a number of A-list events including the Vanity Fair Oscars Afterparty, the Venice Film Festival, the amfAR Gala, and Fashion Weeks across the globe, to name a few. Here are some of our favorite looks!
9. She uses her platform for good
With over 2 million followers on Instagram, Kelsey has made it a point to use her platform to advocate for good. Beyond her jaw-dropping selfies and beautiful style pictures, she has opened up countless times in interviews and features about shedding light on real beauty, owning her stretch marks, and the importance that goes into feeling good in the skin you’re in. Kelsey is also passionate about building a plastic-free world. She shared with Philippine based publication Metro.Style that it was her father who encouraged her to find an advocacy that she was passionate about and use her platform to spread awareness.
10. She has overcome a lot of noise
From a young age, Kelsey had to learn how to navigate labels and find her footing in the communities that she was in. She has shared various times how many have called her racially ambiguous, with people oftentimes coining her to be what she isn’t. In the Philippines, she was known as “The White Girl”. Whereas, the second that she stepped foot into the industry in New York, she was dubbed as “The Asian Girl”. In an interview with one of fashion’s most famous photographers, Yu Tsai, she shared that despite the confusion she frequently gets, she proudly claims her Filipino roots and identifies as a Pinay.
