'Much love to all Filipinos': Michael Cinco, Canada's Nova Stevens, publicist end Miss Universe feud
MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe Canada 2020 Nova Stevens finally apologized to Michael Cinco on her social media account and hopes to end the "ego war," once and for all.
The apology, coupled with the long overdue words of gratitude, has materialized - as should have been at the onset, before all the tea has been spilled.
The last piece of the brouhaha puzzle is also in place with MGMode (aka Miguel Martinez, Nova's publicist) likewise giving his apology to Michael Cinco.
In leaked videos online, Nova and Miguel can be seen trying to appease Michael and apologizing to the world-renowned Filipino designer.
"Michael, I love you. Sorry if I hurt you - of course they are mean words, like really mean words and hopefully we can mend this - and if you want me to bring you an amazing girl next year, I am willing to do it again. I am willing to do. Much love to all the Filipinos... Hate is not the answer," Miguel said.
For the sake of people who were not apprized how this all came about, here was how it all started.
MGMode, in a Facebook comment to Michael's post, wrote, "The truth need to be told. The gown was sent late by Michael's team and, when it arrived, none of them fitted. We were able to fit the one for the finals but the one for prelims, we didn't have time. We went to Dubai.2 times, to prevent such mistake since it happened to us with Argentina's gown last year @marianajvarela and Uruguay @fionatenutaranerio. Such a terrible mistake should not have happened
"We love Michael! But this was inexplicable. At the same time, they had time to custom made a gown for another delegate who checked in with her custom made Miss Universe gown. Things don't add up! Sadly!"
And here was Michael's reply:
"Hi Miguel! I don't normally respond to unnecessary social media posts, but this one caught my eye as it seems to post uncalled for blame on my team. The audacity of truth to be told when it is bereft of it.
"FIRSTLY, the gown arrived on time. Or, how could you have sent me photos and video of her (Nova) wearing them, shows how the gowns perfectly fitted her, days before each event. The video shows that the gowns fit her perfectly. It is not ILL-FITTING as you are spreading the rumors. You are just forcing me to make Nova's waistline from 26" to be cinched to 23" which obviously I didn't do but you told me in pageants, comfort is not important.
"SECONDLY, the insinuation that my team was trying to sabotage her win, it's just absurd. Her life story was supposedly inspiring and I even went out of my way hiring a team of world-class photographer and filmmakers to shoot her in my couture gowns at a world-class location in Dubai just to give her extra publicity mileage and create for her a balance of glam and luxury as opposed to her humble homecoming in Africa and everything was PAID BY ME.
"THIRDLY, if it doesn't add up to you, then I'll add Miss Romania, Miss Mexico, and Miss Czech Republic who all wore couture gowns from my new couture collection. Sadly, it is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. Let me just add that they are endlessly thankful. The new Miss Universe 2020 Miss Mexico @andreamezamx was so grateful and sent me a THANK YOU message even if she didn't wear my gown in the prelims night, after her coronation. Miss ROMANIA @bianca_tirsin was so gracious to send me a video message and thanked me a million times for creating her gowns. She wants to come next week to Dubai to personally THANK me. Miss Czech Republic @klara_vavruskova sent messages. But from your side, I didn't even receive a THANK YOU note from your @novastevens @davila.denis and from Miss Canada Organization. It only shows how ungrateful you are. You even seemed so upset with me for her being eliminated in the pageant. AM I THE JUDGE?
"Stop blaming me for NOVA's not making it to the Top 21 in MISS UNIVERSE. In fact, she did not wear my gown to the preliminaries as you wrote earlier posting that she will wear another gown. And now, YOU'RE TELLING ME that her PRELIMS GOWN KILLED HER to advance to the finals. Am I to be blamed for that?
"I dressed up most A-List HOLLYWOOD celebrities, royalties, and very wealthy clients all over the world and they only have ONE RULE in fashion . . . IF THE CLOTHES DON'T FIT, DON'T WEAR THEM! SIMPLE AS THAT, GET IT? And mind you, all of them know how to say THANK YOU . . .
"And LASTLY, here is the real TRUTH TO BE TOLD . . . YOU and your team have been USING me and taking advantage of my kindness for the past 3 consecutive years to dress up your candidates WITHOUT PAYING ME ANY CENT! You don't even pay the courier or any other charges. A SIMPLE THANK YOU NOTE FROM NOVA, YOU AND YOUR TEAM would have sufficed. But you don't have the grace and decency to do that. YOU ARE ALL UNGRATEFUL, VILE, and PROFESSIONAL USERS. Next time, don't ask me or any FILIPINO designers to dress up your candidates. Ask the CANADIAN designers to showcase their works in the world stage. I DON'T NEED YOU in my career and dressing up your candidates WILL NOT HELP MY BUSINESS. STOP taking advantage of my KINDNESS and STOP scamming FILIPINO designers. HOW DARE YOU . . . SHAME ON YOU and your whole CANADIAN team . . .#sorelosers #MoveOn #attentionseekers #LifeIsNotAllAboutMissUniverse," voiced out celebrated fashion designer Michael Cinco on Facebook.
Related: Canada’s Nova Stevens apologizes for ‘wrong’ done to Michael Cinco over Miss Universe gowns
So that's the gist of the word war that transpired a few days after the Miss Universe 2020 crowning moment. But as a Shakespeare play is so titled, "All's well that ends well."
