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Melody Samaniego - The Philippine Star
April 9, 2025 | 12:00am
Jennica Sanchez, JL Toreliza (BGYO), Andrei King, Kylie Versoza, Pond Naravit, Kyline Alcantara, Jeff Ong, Akira Morishita (BGYO)
The air was electric — charged with scent, sound, and the collective shriek of hundreds of fans packed shoulder-to-shoulder under the grand skylight of SM Aura’s Main Atrium. The Versace Summer Soirée last April 5 wasn’t just a brand event. It was a sensory explosion, a fever dream of fragrance and fandom, capped by the fever-pitch arrival of Pond Naravit, Versace’s Southeast Asia ambassador and Thai actor beloved by Filipino audiences.
Dressed in summer tones, the crowd roared, surged, and chanted Pond’s name even before he appeared, creating an atmosphere that throbbed with anticipation. Host Bethany Talbot, statuesque in a backless cobalt gown, stoked the temperature even higher, her bronzed figure and sultry presence earning its own share of shrieks. With every beat the DJ dropped and every spritz of scent — Eros Energy, Dylan Blue, Bright Crystal — the frenzy grew louder, the energy more palpable. More than an event, it was a spectacle.
Kyline Alcantara displays her favorite bottle of Versace fragrance, Bright Crystal.
The atrium itself had been transformed into a dreamy slice of the Mediterranean. Inspired by Versace’s La Vacanza theme, signature motifs and oversized perfume bottles set the stage for a sun-drenched fantasy. But it was the human stars who pushed the crowd to delirium: Kylie Versoza, glowing and regal; Kyline Alcantara, all youthful fire; and Stell of SB19, suave and grounded, lent star wattage to the celebration.
But it was Pond — lithe, luminous, and seemingly floating above the mayhem — who sent pulses racing. With skin that glowed under the atrium lights, a bone structure carved from marble, and a playfully seductive pout, he was every bit Versace. Fans screamed as he held up giant perfume bottles, and when Bruno Mars’ Versace on the Floor reverberated through the speakers, the crowd nearly lost it.
Speaking with this writer, Pond was gracious, calm, and surprisingly candid. When asked about his most unforgettable fragrance memory, he smiled, “Dylan Purple — it was my first journey with Versace. And of course, Eros Energy, which is the latest collection, and the one I represent.” His love for the Philippines? “Yes, of course,” he said with ease. “This is my second time here, and the fans are so warm and wonderful.”
Thailand’s heartthrob and Versace Southeast Asia brand ambassador Pond Naravit sets the crowd ablaze with his magnetic presence at the SM Aura summer soirée — flawless, statuesque, and owning the moment like only he can.
On the hot topic of fragrance and gender, Pond didn’t hesitate: “All the Versace fragrances are for all sexes. There shouldn’t be gender-specific scents. Everyone should wear what makes them feel good.”
And feel good they did. As the music surged and the air was filled with the citrusy, aquatic notes of the brand’s bestsellers, fans danced, posed, and basked in the glory of summer — Versace-style.
For a few unforgettable hours, the atrium was transformed into a temple of beauty, desire, and self-expression. A celebration not just of scent, but of identity, artistry, and euphoria.
