R’Bonney Gabriel debuts PH collection at Bench Fashion Week
rbonneynola/Instagram
Creative and stylish, Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel recently showcased her passion for fashion in the Philippines.
During the recently concluded Bench Fashion Week, the Filipino American beauty queen debuted her first Philippine collection, titled “How to Survive on Land and Sea,” held at the Bench Tower in Bonifacio Global City.
The Fil-Am fashion designer took to Instagram to share her excitement and gratitude, offering fans a glimpse of her creations that graced the runway.
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“When [Bench] offered me this opportunity, I had to say yes,” she shared.
Despite having only been in the Philippines for a few months, Gabriel embraced the challenge of sourcing materials, production and manufacturing, navigating her way through the complexities of the local fashion industry.
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“Navigating these past 2.5 months has been tough, inspiring and rewarding to make this vision come to life,” she added, reflecting on her journey to bring her designs to the runway.
The collection was brought to life by a stellar lineup of models and Filipina queens, including Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo, former Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados and model Lou Yanong. Gabriel’s parents, Dana Walker and Remigio Gabriel, were also in attendance, showing their support for their daughter’s latest endeavor and major project in the country.
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Expressing her gratitude, Gabriel acknowledged the collective effort behind the success of her debut collection. She extended her thanks to her family, friends, tailors, models, the Bench team, Empire PH and Mercator team, and the Philippine fashion community for their unwavering support.
During her time in the Philippines, the former Miss Universe has fully immersed herself in the culture, even taking Filipino language classes and exploring local gems like “ukay-ukay” thrift stores. She’s also been adventurous with Filipino street food, trying delicacies like “balut.” With this debut, Gabriel not only showcased her talent but also her deepening connection to her roots.
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