‘FORCE FOR GOOD’ R’Bonney Gabriel wows the New Orleans audience in the swimsuit competition. She wore clothes by Filipino designers in this contest and in her Miss USA bid last year. —AFP
The Philippines may not have scored another victory at the Miss Universe pageant over the weekend but the crown went to someone with Filipino lineage—the United States’ R’Bonney Gabriel, whose father was born in Manila.
The 28-year-old fashion designer bested 82 other aspirants in ceremonies staged at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans in the US on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), succeeding India’s Harnaaz Sandhu to become the ninth Miss USA to be proclaimed Miss Universe.
Settling for the first runner-up spot was the heavy favorite, Amanda Dudamel of Venezuela, while Andreina Martinez of the Dominican Republic was second runner-up, giving the Americas the three highest placements in the competition.
Gabriel was the first Filipino-American to win the Miss USA and Miss Universe titles.
Celeste Cortesi of the Philippines failed to advance to the semifinals, breaking the country’s 12-year streak of placing within the top 21 which started in 2010, courtesy of Venus Raj, who finished fifth that year.
In that span, the country produced two winners: Pia Wurtzbach in 2015 and Catriona Gray in 2018, adding to only two other Filipinos who had won the title—Gloria Diaz in 1969 and Margie Moran in 1973.
Filipino designers
Gabriel, whose name was derived from her father Remigio Bonzon’s nickname “R.Bon,” had championed Filipino craftsmanship during the pageant.
She wore gowns made by Filipino designer Rian Fernandez in the preliminary gown competition and the finals, like she did during her Miss USA bid. Another Filipino designer, Patrick Isorena, made her costumes in both her national and international competitions.
During the final round of questioning, the final three delegates were asked: “If you win Miss Universe, how would you work to demonstrate this as an empowering and progressive organization?”
Gabriel responded: “I would use it to be a transformational leader. As a very passionate designer, [I’ve] been sewing for 13 years, I use fashion as a force for good. In my industry, I’m cutting down on pollution through recycled materials when I make clothing. I teach sewing classes to women that have survived from human trafficking and domestic violence.”
She added: “It is so important to invest in others, invest in our community, and use our unique talent to make a difference. We all have something special. And when we plant those seeds in other people in our life, we transform them, and we use that as a vehicle for change.”
Rocky start, short reign
The new queen had a rocky start to her Miss Universe journey when her fellow Miss USA candidates accused the national pageant organizers of rigging the contest in her favor.
The Miss Universe Organization conducted an investigation and found no proof of any favoritism, but Crystle Stewart was removed from her post as the national director for the US.
Gabriel will have a truncated reign because the 2023 Miss Universe pageant is already scheduled to take place in El Salvador later this year. No contest was held in 2022. —CONTRIBUTED INQ