By Daniela Agurcia
After nearly two decades of walking the runways and posing for photographers, Victoria’s Secret Angel Ines Rivero is experiencing the other side of the modeling industry as she sits on the panel of judges for nuvoTV’s new reality show ‘Model Latina South Beach.’ In this exclusive interview, the Argentine supermodel, who has been featured on the cover of renown fashion magazines such as ‘Elle’ and ‘Vogue,’ talks about her role on the show as well as her experience as a model, her family and her advice for women everywhere.
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Being a judge on ‘Model Latina South Beach,’ which premiered on Monday, May 28, sounds like an easy job. But of course, drama is inevitable when the stakes are so high: ten Latina models will compete for a chance to win $25,000, a position as nuvoTV’s spokesperson and a contract with international modeling agency, Q Management. Even so, Rivero enjoys playing judge. For her, the most rewarding part of the experience is being able to pass on the lessons that she’s learned as a model and help the young women grow in the industry.
Lesson number one: Rivero stresses that confidence is sexier than physical appearance. Many single women focus on their looks when trying to get a man’s attention. Even Rivero was guilty of this mistake, telling us, “I used to be worried about all of the little things wrong with my body, but now I don’t care what people think.”
It looks like Muriel Villera, 21, of Hialeah, Florida, took Rivero’s advice to heart. Last night, she was crowned this season’s winner. She believes that her personality played as big of a role in her success as her beautiful face and perfect figure, recently saying, “There is nothing more attractive than ambition and confidence.” Next stop for this Latina? A move to New York City to use what she learned on the show and focus on her modeling career.
While Muriel hopes to be a positive example for aspiring models, Rivero believes that women get the wrong impression from this industry, often thinking that they need to be as skinny as them or that they need surgery to look a certain way. Â She argues that men are generally attracted to women who are natural, so instead of trying to cover up, just be confident with you you are. Recognizing the great influence that models have on women everywhere, she says, “I think we can inspire women by being healthy and in shape and showing off our bodies with confidence.”
As for finding that self-confidence, Rivero thinks that “finding a balance,” both physically and emotionally, is the most important step. She tells us that she’s learned to live her life by being optimistic and trying to find the good in all situations. “Confidence comes from having joy inside you, not necessarily by the way you look in the mirror,” she shares.
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When asked if husband Jorge Mora is supportive of her career, Rivero says, “Absolutely.” Regardless of how demanding and revealing her career may be, he understands her lifestyle – after all, he is a professional singer and relates to being in the public eye. Despite her hectic schedule, her husband and daughter always remain her top priority, and she supports them both in whatever they do.
As for the secret to her lasting relationship? Communication. Rivero says she and Mora know how to respect each other’s space and to always talk through their issues. “One of the first things we did was learn how to fight effectively, so that helped us through a lot of problems,” she says. “Learning to talk about things is key, and we’re pretty good at it now.”
Be sure to catch the reruns of ‘Model Latina South Beach’ on nuvoTV!
