Kiana Valenciano, Pinay models barred from walking in LA fashion show

MANILA, Philippines — It would have been a check on singer Kiana Valenciano’s bucket list to walk the ramp in an international fashion show. But according to her mother and manager Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano, her daughter was robbed of that chance after she and six other Filipino models were barred from joining one in Los Angeles.

Seven Filipinas, including Valenciano and former Miss Earth Jamie Herell, flew all the way from Manila to Los Angeles after being invited to walk the runway for the opening of the prestigious LA Fashion Week at The MacArthur last Monday. They were supposed to showcase the pieces of two top Filipino designers, Resty Lagare and Rocky Gathercole, as well as Elie Madi.

However, to their surprise, the Filipino models were denied access to the backstage of the show.

Kiana and Angeli found the situation “ironic” as the show was set to feature Filipino designers. Angeli also wondered if it was a height issue.

“It's confusing that the designers Rocky Gathercole and Resty Lagare were Filipinos and they couldn’t have Filipina models,” Kiana said in a recorded video posted by her mom.

“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. Filipino models could not walk for the Filipino designers?” Angeli wrote in a separate Instagram post.