A former Miss Universe Canada has expressed her support to a Filipino designer amid the controversy surrounding Dubai-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco and Miss Universe Canada Nova Stevens.
2016 Miss Universe Canada titleholder Siera Bearchell recalled her experience with Filipino designer Rian Fernandez during the pageant in Manila in 2017.
Bearchell said she and Rian have remained good friends “after experiencing a lot of drama together”.
She also said that Fernandez even designed her wedding gown.
“The pageant world can be a toxic place, but it can also be a place where lifelong friendships are created,” she said,
“I met Rian after an unusual gown situation at Miss Universe. The whole story and conversation with Rian can be found via the link in my bio. It’s way too complicated to explain in a caption,” she added.
The beauty queen said that she has limited information on the current controversy surrounding Stevens and her camp and Cinco, but she is grateful to work with a Filipino designer.
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Rian Fernandez said that he was tapped by the Miss Universe Canada organization in 2016 when the pageant was held in the Philippines.
“Unfortunately, I did not have the courage to speak before because I am just a small brand. I was scared that it would boomerang on me. Now that I know that I was not the only one treated badly by Denis, but other Filipino designers as well… I cannot be silent anymore,” Fernandez wrote.
“I was devastated and cried in my hotel room!!! I FELT FRUSTRATED, CHEATED… and I questioned my talent and skill as a designer! Until the stress and anxiety level escalated and I felt half of my body paralyzed. It was the scariest moment of my life. Luckily, there was this supporter of Catriona, a licensed Physical Therapist in Dubai, who helped me. If not, I might not have seen the light of day,” Fernandez added.
The Filipino designer said that he never received any apology from Miss Universe Canada’s team.
He also thanked Cinco for shedding light into these so-called unfair practices toward Filipino designers.
