No Filipino Rule: Gary Valenciano's daughter, Kiana, barred from walking at LA Fashion Week
Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano, wife of Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano, couldn’t hide her disappointment over the alleged mistreatment of her daughter Kiana Valenciano at the LA Fashion Week event.
In her lengthy post on Instagram, Angeli claimed that Kiana and former Miss Earth Jamie Herrell were racially discriminated. Five other Filipino models were also prevented from walking the ramp after they were informed that Filipinos are not allowed in the event.
According to Angeli, “This is just going to make us tougher. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” - my daughter Kiana on not being allowed to walk on the LA FASHION WEEK opening show.
“Former Miss Earth Jamie Herrell and Kiana together with 5 Filipino models (some of who had previously walked on the ramp for Fashion Week) were not being allowed to walk of the ramp for LA FASHION WEEK. “No Filipinos allowed to walk on the ramp!” We want to ask WHY? It was bad enough that you didn’t want to allow the girls but was there a need to publicly humiliate them? And there were only three designers on that 9pm slot. And two were Filipino - Rocky Gathercole and Resty Lagare.”
She also expressed her gratitude to Jacob Meir of For the Stars Fashion House for fighting for them to be allowed to join the event.
Angeli added, “Filipino models could not walk for the Filipino designers? Thank you to Jacob Meir of For the Stars Fashion House for standing his ground and fighting for the Filipinos as the five models, Jamie and Kiana were his personal choices.”
Kiana studied Fashion Design at the prestigious Central Saint Martins in London.
Angeli was also heartbroken that the organizer of the LA Fashion Week robbed her daughter of her dream and the opportunity to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Walking on the ramp at LA FASHION WEEK would probably have been a check on my daughter’s bucket list as many know that she ran away from the call of showbiz for many years to sew and learn fashion design, even taking short courses in London to pursue her passion for fashion as she loved to draw dresses and gowns since she was little. This lady chose a sewing machine over more expensive, material presents as a must-have-gift as a teenager. To rob her of a dream-come-true opportunity was not nice at all. It was actually horrible.”