Mahina Garcia
The bronzed and beautiful face of Mahina Garcia graces more than just Sunset Point and Pupukeas on a longboard. Although the 19-year old loves a good surf, dedication and focus have pointed her toes down a path in the modeling industry. You might recall seeing this familiar local beauty in commercial modeling with companies like Target, Nordstrom, San Lorenzo Bikinis, Arhaus Jewels, GQ, Adidas and most recently Waiola Coconut Water, plus acting gigs with Hawaii Five-0 and recent co-host to Chris Latronic in Board Stories Television on OC16.
Behind The Lens with Hawaii’s Top Model
Dombroski
By Lauren Rolland
Daughter of Hawaiian surfer Kai ‘Borg’ Garcia, this femme fatale has the confidence of dad and the striking features of mom. The combination of power and natural beauty is a winning one, as Mahina has worked with Niche Models and Talent since the age of 14. Landing her first big job with Target as a seasonal back-to-school and bikini commercial model, Mahina’s career has only continued to climb. The Perks An extremely lucrative profession for this island girl, Mahina has spent the last few years of life jet setting around the states to places like Los Angeles, Miami and Texas- even places like Sandra Bullock’s vacation home on Tybee Island in Georgia. “The only reason I continue to do it is for the money. And as long as it stays this way, I’ll hold onto it,” Mahina remarks. Setting Goals When modeling ceases to provide income, this businessminded woman has the desire to follow in the footsteps of her grandmother as an entrepreneur. “My grandma owns a few really successful businesses on Kauai and I want to open future doors.” Already, Mahina and her grandmother are planning for shop space on Oahu, and the goal is to get things up and running by mid 2014. Ultimately, this local girl wants to make enough money to live on Oahu, be happy and travel. Mahina plans to return to Miami this month and also hopes to gain a few passport stamps from the high-end fashion destinations of Paris, Japan, New York and London in the near future. But this woman is waiting till she’s physically and mentally prepared to conquer these feats. “It’s a crazy industry, it really eats away at you because there’s constantly competition around you. You need to be mentally strong and you need to be able to take criticism. You can either take it personally, or you can take it as a job. For me, I take it as a job instead of making it who I am.” Realities of the Industry- “Modeling is harder than people think.” Coining herself as an athletic girl, Mahina stays slim by eating healthy and practicing pilates, yoga, crossfit and hiking. But just because the 5’9 figure maintains a healthy