Former Miss Universe R'Bonney Gabriel showcased her creativity and advocacy for sustainable fashion by designing a dress made from palm leaves.
In a recent Instagram post, the Filipino-American beauty queen and fashion designer shared the story behind the unique piece. "I picked up this fabric from @tubigonraffiagallery last year in Bohol… it’s made from palm leaves - a natural fiber, hand dyed, and hand woven," she shared.
R'Bonney expressed admiration for the craftsmanship behind the fabric, highlighting the time-intensive process involved. "It takes hours just to make one roll. I love how the fabric was light but held its own shape. It was my first time working with this textile, but I have sooo many ideas for more designs now 🙂," she said.
Fans online were quick to react to her creation.
"You are so talented!!! Keep doing the amazing work. Your brand will one day be a household name," one fan commented.
"My 5-year-old daughter follows you — we love your designs! Next month, she’ll be taking her first sewing class. Thank you for sharing your wonderful art," another fan wrote.
In August last year, R'Bonney launched her first collection in the Philippines called "How to Survive on Land and Sea" during the Bench Fashion Week.
"When [Ben Chan] offered me this opportunity, I had to say yes. Even though I’ve only been in the Philippines for a few months and didn’t know where to begin, I knew I needed to take this challenge on to find where to source materials, produce, manufacture, etc… and do it in a sustainable way," she remarked in an Instagram post last year.
"Navigating these past 2.5 months has tough, inspiring, and rewarding to make this vision come to life."
R’Bonney Gabriel shares behind-the-scenes look of her palengke photoshoot
In a previous interview with ABS-CBN News, R'Bonney shared the process that went into making the collection.
"I'm mixing swimwear elements and beachwear together, kind of balancing the two contrasting elements," R'Bonney relayed. "I got my shells from Siargao. Some of them are from Bench or the ukay-ukay, and I upcycled them. It's all really sourced here in the Philippines since I'm here now."