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Miss Earth Katherine Espin wishes Imelda Schweighart ‘the best of luck’
Miss Earth 2016, Ecuador's Katherine Espin, said on Tuesday that she harbored no ill feelings towards former Miss Earth Philippines 2016 Imelda Schweighart, despite the viral video in which the latter was recorded criticizing the pageant winner.
In the video, Schweighart claimed that Espin had a fake nose, chin, and breasts, and that the Miss Earth winner should be "natural."
According to the beauty queen from Ecuador, who even became Schweighart's roommate at some point during the competition, there was no proof to any of the Filipina beauty queen's claims that she had plastic surgery.
“She was staying stuff, I don't even know why. She doesn't have proof of that. I've never had surgery in my face. Never in my life,” the Miss Earth titleholder told GMA News.
“Humans, we make mistakes, but it's never too late to change and to be different. I don't have any anger towards her, at all,” added Espin.
Yellow gown
Espin speculated that Schweighart's ill feelings towards her maigh be because she had worn the yellow Leo Almodal gown during the finals—the same gown which was supposedly made for the Philippines' bet.
Schweighart was unable to enter the Top 16.
In a recent Facebook post, the Filipino designer explained that the yellow gown was part of his collection for several upcoming international fashion shows and high-fashion editorial videos.
“I was requested by Imelda's training camp to dress her up and, without hesitations, I said 'yes.'" Almodal wrote in the post. "I chose that design because it suits their color requirement and styling. To set and clarify things; Imelda or anyone from her camp had not given or paid me a single peso for that gown. That yellow gown is technically my property and I was just letting her borrow it for Miss Earth pageant; that if she makes it to the top 16. As the owner it will be under my discretion to whom it will be used.”
Seeing that Schweighart did not make the cut for the finals, he decided to offer the yellow gown to Ecuador's representative, who had paid for a gown for Espin.
“I'm like, 'Where's my dress? I need to use my dress,'" Espin recounted. "Then, they said, 'No, Leo could not make it.' I literally never even knew that the yellow dress was Imelda's.”
Meanwhile, Leo explained, “Unfortunately, I didn't finish the gown of Ecuador on time... She already paid half of the amount as downpayment. My team made that decision to dress her up in that yellow gown. It was actually a blessing in disguise that saved me from further troubles, shame and humiliation. I believe that things happens for a reason and checking the fit, length and style of the gown; it suits Katherine perfectly.”
Leo said that she asked Schweighart's camp to delete the photos and the videos showing the Filipina beauty queen wearing the yellow gown, but they failed to do so.
Espin reposted Almodal's statement and said, “This is the true version of the theme of my dress! I hope that with this clarification because the things are resolved. Many thanks to all those who have been there supporting me constantly.”
Future duties
Despite the controversy, the new Miss Earth remained positive, and was excited to fulfill her duties as an international beauty queen.
To Schweighart, she said, “I really wish her the best of luck.”
The Filipina beauty queen's camp has yet to respond on the matter.
This week, Schweighart became the first Miss Earth Philippines titleholder to cut short her reign since the competition began in 2001. She held the title for only four months.
She has been succeeded by Kiara Giel Gregorio, who was Miss Philippines Air. — Bianca Rose Dabu/DVM, GMA News
