The son of one of Asia’s first supermodels could be a model himself. Tall and lanky, with a wild, ratted birdsnest of dark hair, he has the boy-waif look that designers are currently seeking out.

Yet Balto, who goes by just one name, prefers to study music. He’s especially interested in composing movie soundtracks, he said. Talking with this reporter during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Balto ticked off names of some music that inspired him so quickly I didn’t get it down.

“My dream is to compose music,” he said. He looks like a musician, garbed in dark skinny jeans and black T-shirt, accessorized with silver bracelets, cross pendant, and unlit cigarette held loosely in his right hand.

In contrast, his mother, statuesque Irina Pantaeva, is 100 percent supermodel. This day, wearing a pastel chiffon halter dress that flowed loosely over her shapely curves, she stood out among a Fashion Week crowd that is not easily outshown.

Born in Ulan-Ude, Siberia, Pantaeva is both a supermodel and actress, according to Wikipedia. In addition to modeling for Burberry, Calvin Klein and Oscar de la Renta (among others), she has graced the covers of both Singapore and Spain Vogue, according to the Fashion Model Directory.

When first approached by this reporter, Pantaeva was dismissive until I took interest in Balto (who is also known as Ruslan Pantaeva, the name he uses for his e-mail address). When a photojournalist caught Pantaeva’s attention, Balto talked rapidly with this reporter about his love of music. He said he is studying at a college in the northeastern United States.

For now, Pantaeva still draws more attention than Balto, as can be seen in Fashion Week photos featured on Zimbio, which show Pantaeva in the foreground and a sliver of Balto (mainly his hair) in the back.

Photo courtesy of www.zimbio.com