Dreaming, that's what most kids does when they are little and most often these kids aspire to achieve their dreams. Most of them start young, that's why House of Mode Elle grasp these little sweet dreams by opening an Academy for Dreamers.

Yes, House of Mode Elle opens a school name Mode Elle Academy that will hone the skills and talents of individuals as they face the challenges of the entertainment industry.  It is a fashion academy that is open to kids as young as two years old. Courses offered include modeling, acting, singing, dancing, personality development, makeup and photography. The students is categorized in three sections, 2 to 10 years old for kids, 11 to 15 years old for teens and 16 to 29 years old for adults.   

Sleek and sexy creation by Russ Cuevas

Adam Balasa’s wedding creation

Upon enrollment, students automatically receive lessons in modeling and personality development. The aspiring artists will undergo 25 sessions but may also avail of the unlimited sessions if they wish to. Tall ones get to have an advantage as the academy offers scholarship to girls who are 5’7” (and up) tall, and boys who are 5’10” (and up) in height.

Instructors from their field of expertise will share their knowledge to students and inculcate values and skills in them. The team of instructors will be headed by House of Mode Elle founder Allen Castillo, who has been training models for years and is also a theater actor from the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). Castillo will handle modeling, acting and personality development courses.

Creation of Alex Pigao.

Other instructors are Bong Lee for makeup, Ojie Ramos, Jolie Navia and Champy Cachola for advanced photography, Joanne Co of Kids at Work and Marc Alcala for acting, Jenny Saavedra of UP Music and Yamaha Music School for singing, and Christine Feliciano and Airalyn Dimapilis for dancing.

But for Mode Elle, beauty is not just skin-deep. The "fashion house with a heart" is what the House of Mode Elle has been called since its inception in 2012 because it was built for a charitable cause. As a cancer survivor himself, Castillo knows how hard it is to cope with such condition. His condition awakened compassion within him and led him to do volunteer work.

Collection made by Aaron Dela Cruz.

Castillo visited halfway homes and met other people suffering from cancer. They were just kids, trying to live each day, hoping a miracle will happen. The fight against cancer is a non-stop battle that not all patients can endure but with the support of family, friends and even strangers who are willing to lend a helping hand, the struggle may become a little bit more bearable.

Castillo knew he had to do something and hence, the House of Mode Elle was born. Castillo believes that promoting beauty inside and out is the right way to go. True to its mission to promote beauty while helping cancer-stricken children, the media presentation of the Mode Elle Academy kicked off with a fashion show for a cause, featuring 170 Mode Elle talents who were clad in clothes design by professional fashion designers.

Designed by a 14 year old girl, Chenee Abunda

A Mode Elle’s beautiful student wearing a Michael Sta. Maria creation.

Ticket sales were donated to the beneficiaries of Tahan Tahanan in Quezon City and Child Haus in Manila, two non-governmental organizations that provide temporary shelter to kids with cancer and other non-communicable diseases and their families.

“We give scholarships to kids with cancer who want to be artists and models. One of the cancer survivors that we trained is Chantal Rivera. She has performed in some of our past events. We also give medications and other hospital necessities for these kids suffering from cancer,” disclosed Castillo.