The Gibraltar Magazine



	She modelled for the first time in her early teens but long before then she had been watching every move her sister made in that direction and when her sister, Monique Chiara, who she looked up to so much, won the Miss Gibraltar title in 1995 there was no stopping young Bianca.
	The following year Bianca entered the annual Miss Plater and met with Gina Victory who taught her much of what she knows about modelling. Bianca walked away from the contest as 1st Runner Up. From that moment she dedicated many hours to modelling, starting with various local boutiques to gain confidence, experience and self-esteem. In 2002, she followed her sister’s footsteps and entered that year’s Miss Gibraltar Contest. She did not win the title but neither did she walk away empty handed as she met a special person, who is now her partner, Bryan Zammit. She proudly says he has influenced and encouraged her to organise beauty pageants and she now does four per year. As well as her full time job, the contests and the shows, she still finds time to travel, something she really enjoys as she is interested in the different cultures of the world. She has combined both loves, modelling and travelling, and has been invited to take part in competitions around the world. Her first international event was in Sri Lanka — Miss Tourism International 2002. After 5 weeks of hectic rehearsals and an incredible amount of travelling Bianca came home with the title of Miss Catwalk International. The following year in Canada at Miss Mundo Latino International she won the Miss Friendship award. The titles began to pile up as the following year Bianca travelled to Peru to enter the Miss Continents of the World and brought home the title of Queen of the European Continent and once again Miss Friendship. How has winning these competitions helped her? “It’s funny how competition stretches us in ways we never imagined,” she explains. “I have felt on top of the world on various occasions but when I was in China for the Model of the World it was incredible. I celebrated my 25th birthday there with a massive celebration organised for me by the pageant directors. By then I had travelled to all five continents, but my journey was not over yet. Little did I know that I would continue to travel and model in Austria, Slovakia and at the prestigious Madrid Fashion Week. Last year I competed and won the title of Mrs Mundial 2007.” What made Bianca go into the production side of modelling? “After many years of entering competitions you learn all the tricks of the trade and it’s a shame not to pass on your experience. I wanted to put my experience to good use. ‘Glamour Creations’ was created January 2003 and that’s where Miss Glamour got its name. Five years later and I am now organising my sixth Miss Glamour; it has now become a very popular annual event that has come round full circle with girls I have trained now entering Miss Gibraltar. This show is aimed at young ladies between the ages of 14-17. “I then decided ‘Glamour Creations’ could be doing more for the girls in our community and that is when Dream Girl of the Year was created for girls aged from 10 to 13.” Bianca also organises the Wedding Dress Competition (originally created by Jessica Bonfante). As if all this was not enough she confesses to wanting a new challenge for 2008 — and it is coming in the form of the very first Mrs Gibraltar pageant which will be held at the Alameda Open Air Theatre on Friday 15th August. (Would-be participants shouldcall 54000377 or e-mail glamourcreations@ hotmail.com for an entry form.) Back to Miss Glamour, and we wondered if the winner travels abroad after winning the competition? “As part of one of the prizes in last year’s Miss Glamour, the winner had the opportunity to travel to Peru. It was the first time Glamour Creations has sent the winner to an international competition. We clearly put Gibraltar on the map as many people didn’t even know where Gibraltar was. 18 year old Leigh Neish was the winner and she travelled with me to Peru coming back with the title of Nuestra Belleza Mundial 2007. She made her parents and me very proud,” Bianca reflects. “I was competing in the same show for Mrs Mundial and I also won the title. This is the first time in Gibraltar’s history that two contestants have entered an internationally acknowledged pageant and both have come away with the first prize. It was a very emotional and wonderful night, one I will remember forever. “Now even though I have proudly represented my homeland Gibraltar on all the above occasions and I have come home with international titles, I must say it has been a shame that not even once have I had the help or support of the Government,” Bianca comments. “Not even congratulations!” Are young people in Gibraltar very interested in modelling? “It is more girls than boys but luckily a lot of young girls enjoy the idea of being involved in fashion shows, photo shoots, modelling and beauty pageants. I am pleased to see that the majority of contestants each year have never participated in a pageant and they find it a rewarding and worthwhile experience,” she answers, going on to explain; “In my opinion models must be outgoing and of a good nature, patient and have common sense along with a strong and happy personality which will withstand the demands of the pageant. Resilience, good health and fitness, plus the mental ability to cope with rejection is ESSENTIAL at all ages in this competitive field.” Bianca is very motivated, and she believes that when you dream big, you achieve big things — she undoubtedly has!