Jarah Mariano, the super cute swimsuit and lingerie model.
Jarah Mariano is a New York-based model who has appeared in the catalogs of lingerie stores like Victoria's Secret, Bare Necessities, and Pink. Jarah certainly has the looks for lingerie, with figures of 34(bust), 24(waist), 33.5(hips), lovely skin and a beautiful face. Mariano is in fact one of the few models with Asian heritage to feature in Victoria's Secret, along with the part-Japanese Aline Nakashima, and is the the first Asian-American.
Despite appearing in the Victoria's Secret catalog, Jarah Mariano has not featured in the prestigious Victoria's Secret Fashion Show; probably her average height of 5'7" counts against Jarah taking to the runway.
Jarah Mariano has also modeled for fashion stores like Rock and Republic, Armani Exchange, Old Navy, and the edgy Abercrombie & Fitch. For the last named, Jarah Mariano was the lead subject for photographer Bruce Webber, which is a little ironic. Some years ago Abercrombie & Fitch was in the news for selling T-shirts with text and images offensive to the Asian-American community:
Abercrombie & Fitch who started with one small New York City outdoors store and factory in 1892, said in their defense, "We poke fun at everybody, from women to flight attendants to baggage handlers, to football coaches, to Irish Americans to snow skiers. There's really no group we haven't teased." Again in 2003 the store was in the news for sexist slogans on T-shirts for girls; one such had the words "Who needs a brain when you have these?" splashed across the chest!
No such controversy has come the way of Jarah Mariano's modeling photos. Unlike so many other models Jarah has completed her education, graduating from Pace University in New York. Mariano says that juggling her college and modeling career at the same time was difficult but worth it, since she was able to pay for her education and gain independence.
Jarah Mariano has Asian and Hawaiian heritage and her full name is Jarah-Evelyn Makalapua Mariano. Jarah is certain of her mother's side of the family, which she reckons is 50% Korean and Hawaiian with some Chinese. But since her father was adopted into his family, his ethnicity is unknown.
Jarah herself was born in Hawaii but was raised in Mission Viejo, an upscale suburb in Orange County California. Her family is large with two brothers, a step-brother, and another step-sister....her parents still live in Mission Viejo and Jarah visits them and also catches up with all her friends. She would love to own a house on the beach somewhere in California but can't stand the LA traffic, which is why she prefers New York.
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Jarah Mariano completed her high schooling in Mission Viejo before moving to New York. But Mariano was roped into modeling much before this, while she was only 15.
A modeling scout from Next Agency spotted the cute Jarah Mariano while she was shopping at Santa Monica. Getting into modeling, traveling to different places and meeting new people, helped Jarah in getting over her shyness....similar to Alexis Bledel. After coming to New York Jarah Mariano shifted to IMG Models agency.
2007 was a good year for Jarah Mariano; she appeared on the cover of Complex Magazine and in an interview described what she loved about New York; the Pink Elephant club, eating McDonald’s hash browns, and drinking Jack Daniels with coke! In the same year Jarah Mariano was selected to appear in the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.
For the photo shoot and video the beautiful model was taken to her birthplace Hawaii, along with fellow models Jessica White and Tori Praver, who is also from Hawaii. Curiously while Jarah Mariano is Hawaii-born and raised in California, Tori Praver is California-born and raised in Hawaii! The three models stayed at the Sheraton Maui Resort, on the Ka'napali Beach. When not posing in skimpy swimsuits, Jarah spent time body surfing, which she had enjoyed doing while growing up in California.
The five girls from IMG models in the 2008 SI Swimsuit Edition (left to right): Jeisa Chiminazzo, Jarah Mariano, Jessica Gomes, Daniella Sarahyba and Quiana Gant. Notice how Jarah is dwarfed by the other girls?
Jarah Mariano has a boyfriend but her constant companion and playmate is a cute little doggy! A male Chihuahua named Slayer who accompanies Jarah on her photo shoots and stays with her in New York.
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Her rising profile and growing popularity will take Jarah Mariano places, but she was already making money from her modeling assignments. In August 2007 she bought a $10,000 painting by fellow model and friend Caron Bernstein from the World Culture Open Center in Manhattan!
