READ: Jehza Huelar's official statement on gown mishap
Miss Supranational contender Jehza Huelar has released an official statement a few days after the controversial wardrobe malfunction that happened during the pageant.
The gown that Jehza wore was designed by Kannah Besino-Simbulan. In the photo that circulated in social media, it showed that it was held together with safety pins when she walked on stage for the Top 10 for Miss Supranational 2018.
Here's Jehza's official statement from her Instagram account:
"Official Statement About The Gown Malfunction
"I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who supported and followed my journey in the recently concluded Miss Supranational pageant. It was an experience that I will treasure forever and I will always be grateful to the team of talented creatives who helped me in putting together multiple amazing looks that showcased our Filipino designers.
"In preparation for the pageant with careful consideration of its requirements, we studied the aesthetics and quality of the body of work of every designer. After carefully deliberating with my creative team, we reached out to select Filipino designers that we wanted to collaborate with. We were involved in the conceptualization of every gown we used, and the designers were also successful in meeting the deadlines that we set.
"The gown I wore during the evening gown competition was made by KNH Designs. The gown she made was made of very light and durable double stretched fabric that fits me perfectly. I was personally involved throughout the creative process of the gown from its conceptualization; Ms. Kannah Simbulan of KNH Designs helped me in turning my vision into reality. Since I was involved in the creation of my evening gown, I can attest that all the materials used are of high quality and the craftsmanship was impeccable. I am impressed by Ms. Simbulan's quality of work and I am looking forward to collaborating with her for my upcoming projects.
"As for the gown's malfunction, I would like to emphasize that everything can happen during a live telecast. During rehearsals, I wore the gown multiple times and the gown worked perfectly. I was even able to hang and fix my looks for the show in our dressing room prior to the actual show. Just like in any pageant, our dressing room was open and full of people. No personal assistants were allowed inside our dressing rooms, hence no one can always have complete visibility of our items.
"After I was called into the Top 10, I rushed backstage to change into my evening gown. Amidst several things happening backstage, I tried to zip myself up; however, I struggled to find the zipper on my own. A staff from the show helped me but we still cannot close my dress properly. Since I was already being called on the stage, several people joined to help but the tugging and pulling from multiple directions only made the situation worse. Already pressed for time, the people who helped me decided to just pin the back of my dress as a workaround measure to keep it closed. Nonetheless, I went onstage and gave the best possible walk that I can deliver at that moment.
"I would like to clarify that we are not insinuating in any way that the malfunction of my gown is a result of a sabotage plot. I also would like to reiterate that I trust the work quality of my chosen designer. There are several circumstances beyond anyone's control during a live performance. I do not want any unnecessary accusations thrown at any of the parties involved as the incident was only a result of multiple uncontrollable factors.
"Once again, I am very grateful to everyone who supported me during this journey. I would not have made it this far without my dedicated creative team and the designers who entrusted their beautiful creations to us. May this experience remind us that setbacks are simply opportunities that set us up for a strong comeback.
"Maraming salamat po at mahal ko kayo!