Fashion show organizer denies discrimination

CEBU, Philippines — In what was meant to be a milestone for Filipinas in the international fashion scene, Miss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrell, singer Kiana Valenciano, and five other Filipina models were instead barred from walking down the runway during one of the shows for Los Angeles Fashion Week.

According to Kiana’s manager and mom  Angeli Pangilinan Valenciano, the party flew to Los Angeles at the invitation of Jacob Meir, founder of the For the Stars Fashion House in Melrose, which regularly hosts showcases for Filipino designers.

Conceptualized by Meir himself, the event held at The MacArthur on the evening of March 12 (March 13 in Philippine Standard Time) was an opening show for Lebanese designer Elie Madi. Works of Filipino designers Resty Lagare and Rocky Gathercole were also meant to be featured in the show as Meir distributes the creations of Madi, Lagare, and Gathercole in the United States.

However, on the day of the event, the seven Filipinas were in for a shock when they were asked to leave the backstage by the staff of event organizers, Art Hearts Fashion. According to makeup artist Cherry Ordoñez and Herrell’s uncle Alan del Rosario, Art Hearts Fashion’s president Erik Rosete did not want the Filipina models in the show.

The alleged directive was: “No Filipinos on the runway.”

In protest, the models, Meir, Lagare, and Gathercole skipped the event altogether. In various Instagram posts, Angeli Pangilinan detailed the group’s experience, and thanked Meir, Medi, Lagare, and Gathercole for standing up for the ladies after having been so shabbily treated backstage.

The ladies involved also had something to say regarding the alleged discrimination. Kiana, daughter of veteran performer Gary Valenciano, posted a tweet saying, “I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud to be a Filipina.”

As for Herrell, the Cebuana beauty queen also took to social media to express her sentiments. The 23-year-old Filipina-American was actually born in Los Angeles herself. The Sinulog Festival Queen 2013, Miss Mega Cebu 2013, and Reyna ng Aliwan 2013 title-holder wrote that despite the incident, she knows well enough not to judge an entire country for it.

“One man doesn’t define a whole nation. After the LA Fashion Week experience, I have been receiving many messages about this issue on my social media accounts,” Jamie began on a photo post.

“Yes, racism is still an issue and what has happened shouldn’t have happened but, not all people are the same. I have met wonderful people of different race and color in America (including Americans) and this one man will not taint my image of the good people I have met in this country,” Jamie continues.

Herrell also urged everyone who wishes to make a career in America to keep the hope and give themselves the chance to make their dreams come true.

“Filipinos are strong at heart and let’s continue to show that to the world. Let’s celebrate our differences and break away from the prejudice because life is just to freaking beautiful,” said Herrell, who after her Miss Earth reign, was kept busy with Isla 7107, a flip flops brand designed to promote the country’s ecotourism and which she founded alongside businesswoman Imelda Precion. Aside from modelling work, she was also recently given the Outstanding Individual Award during the 80th Cebu City Charter Day for her work in Sustainable Environment and Good Livelihood for the community.

Nothing to do with race

Erik Rosete, fashion designer and executive producer for the Los Angeles Fashion Week, clarified the allegations made against him and his team. He explained that Valenciano, Herrell and the five other models were only barred from the show because Meir had lied and stole money.

“They brought 5’5 models I did not cast in the show, and they brought their own hair and makeup team which is against our contract. They owe us over $100,000 in past dues,” Rosete counters in his own social media post, pressing that he has nothing against Filipinos, knowing full well that designers Danny Nguyen, Kenneth Barlis and half of his team are also Filipinos.

“This had nothing to do with race, color or gender. This had to do with the fact that he (Meir) is a crook and a liar. He was collecting money from designers, sponsors and models on the side and trying to run a side business from our production, all while telling us he would pay us ‘one day,’” the designer quips, adding that no one had walked out back stage since the girls “patiently waited” while he “looked for a solution” and that it was his decision to not push through with the event.

“I apologize for any miscommunication, but I do not want to be treated unfairly. I not only helped create the first-ever Filipino Victoria’s Secret model [Janine Tugonon], but also had her as the opener of my big debut at New York Fashion Week. My production manager has a son who is Filipino. I did my best to salvage the situation, and Jacob pulled a nasty move and tried to tarnish what we have worked so hard to build but trying to publish false stories,” Rosete added.

Still, Meir stood firm and denied his so-called debt and lies. In a phone interview with ABS-CBN News, Meir presses that it was their party who decided to cancel the event and he has the text messages to prove it.

“I can show this [text messages] to everyone. He [Rosete] clearly did not want any of the Filipino girls to walk in the show,” Meir says.