Award-winning journalist Janet Nepales launches first book, a gorgeous tribute to fashion

Award-winning journalist Janet R. Nepales paid tribute to fashion and Filipino designers in her first book "Fashion. Filipino. Hollywood. The World."

A collector's item, the coffee table book features more than 200 pages of full color photos of glamour and style, a rare compilation of specially picked images of gorgeous couture.

Featuring stunning spreads of fashion, including red carpet photos of top stars, talents and celebrities, mostly taken by ace Hollywood photographer, Fil-Am Sthanlee B. Mirador, "Fashion. Filipino. Hollywood. The World" is worth the long wait for Janet's first tome.

"This book is my shoutout to all the designers in the Philippines and the world—the masters, many of whom we have sadly lost, the current geniuses, the rising talents and the next generation. I salute you all!" Janet wrote.

Fifteen Filipino fashion designers are highlighted, along with the world's best couturiers, as showcased in photos of their beautiful creations.

Thelma Sioson San Juan, the Philippines' leading journalist on fashion and lifestyle, said in her foreword that the book is a significant tribute to the creativity, ingenuity, and tenacity of Filipino designers.

"I say this as I look at the pictures of red carpet drop-dead designs by Filipino designers on these pages. It is always the seamless fusion of the West and the East, so that you don't know where foreign influences end and where ethnicity and cultural aesthetics begin," she said.

"Fashion. Filipino. Hollywood. The World" is the second publishing project of Bessie Badilla under her Queen-B Multi-Media Productions, following the success of Ruben V. Nepales' "Through A Writer's Lens," whose limited hardbound edition copies sold out.

Ruben is the husband of Janet and the couple has two daughters, Bianca Nicole and Rafaella Angelica.

As with Ruben's book, Bessie also did the layout and design of "Fashion. Filipino. Hollywood. The World."

"It was during the Golden Globes 2020 that I brought up my book idea to Lady Jane. It was time for her to make a book on all the Filipino designers she has worn on the red carpet. Her personal photos wearing Filipino designers' gowns alone could be a book on its own!" Bessie said.

"The idea grew to include celebrities wearing Filipino designers and celebrities just being beautiful on the red carpet," she added.

Photos by renowned fashion lensmen, led by Filbert Diego Kung, are also highlighted in the book.

Limited copies of the special hardbound edition are now available in the Philippines, Asia, and the Middle East. In the United States, Canada, and Europe, copies are available for pre-order.

For orders of more than one and orders outside the Philippines and the United States, indicate how many copies via private message in the book's Facebook page.

"FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World" is a milestone for Janet, a consistent winner in the National Entertainment Journalism Awards, a US-wide competition, and the Southern California Journalism Awards, both presented by the Los Angeles Press Club.

Born and raised in Quezon City, Philippines, Janet has a weekly column, "Hollywood Insider," on GMA News Online. She is also the Hollywood correspondent of the top TV network. She also has regular monthly columns in Manila Up and Exquisite magazines.

A product of the University of Santo Tomas, Janet was recognized by the Filipina Women's Network (FWN) as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the US in 2012 and one of the 100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the World in 2013. She is a co-author of the first FWN book, "Disrupt: Filipina Women: Proud. Loud. Leading Without A Doubt."

Janet is the first Filipina member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) which votes on and presents the annual Golden Globe awards. Noted for its philanthropy, the HFPA is a non-profit organization that has donated more than $45 million to charity, scholarships, grants and film restorations over the last 20-plus years.

She was elected as the first Filipino executive secretary of the HFPA for the years 2017-2019 and the first Filipino treasurer of the HFPA for the years 2019-2021. She was an executive co-producer of the 75th, 76th, 77th and 78th Golden Globe Awards.

—MGP, GMA News