BY JOHN H. WALKER

L’Observateur

Rose Perrilloux-Patel, like many young women before her, headed off to California in search of her modeling dream but in the end, she found it right here at home.

“I went to California, looking for my dream,” she said. “I wound up coming home to help my dad (Pastor Steven Perrilloux at Riverlands Christian Center in Reserve). I know God’s hand is in all of this, because I had barely been home a month when I heard the radio commercial.”

The commercial was for Pantene, which was looking for African-American models in an effort to expand its reach into that population.

Perriloux missed the casting call in New Orleans, so she, a sister and her fiancé hit the road and headed to Atlanta for a July 26 call.

“We waited in line for hours,” she said. “Then, they took the shot and said they would be in touch that day. We didn’t have any money and there we were, waiting and waiting. Finally, they called that evening and said they wanted me to come back in the next day.”

The next day entailed more cameras and interviews — and the admonition that “we’ll give you a call.”

“We evacuated to Destin (Fla.) for Gustav when I heard,” she said. “I was on the beach when they called … I had waited two months.”

After surviving that process, she was flown to New York where she wound up as one of four new faces for Pantene’s efforts to market its “Relaxed and Natural” product line.

The East St. John’s grad said there would be four-parts to the ad campaign, which has debuted in both Essence and Ebony. Perrilloux’s role in the campaign showcases curly hair.

Now signed to a two-year contract, she said she was told there would be other opportunities.

“I had gone to little modeling conventions,” she said, “but never got picked. This is my first national experience and I hope it opens the door.”

She said none of this would have been possible without the support of her family — Pastor Steven and Rita Perrilloux, sisters Robin and Christina, Brother Steven and husband, Rodrick.