From competing in local beauty pageants to creating avant garde looks from banana leaves and curtains, queer Filipinos know fashion. What better place to showcase this talent than the illustrious design competition show Project Runway, hosted by Heidi Klum?
Below is a short but non-exhaustive list of Filipinos who have competed on the hit reality TV show:
Veejay Floresca (Season 21)
The current winner of Project Runway and the show’s first Filipino and first transgender winner (and transparently the inspiration for this little listicle), Veejay graduated with a degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising from De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde in The Philippines then earned a master’s degree in Fashion at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. During her interview with Good Morning, America, Veejay shared that competing was a “celebration of authenticity.” One of her challenge wins featured inspirations from her Filipino heritage, reimagining traditional terno sleeves into deconstructed epaulet-like structures for a dark and high fashion pantsuit moment.
Kenneth Barlis (Season 19)
Kenneth Barlis was born and raised in Zamboanga del Sur before moving to San Diego, California with his single mom when he was 15. Since competing, he’s dressed a wide range of celebrities including out queer icons Dominique Jackson, Troye Sivan, Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Halsey, and RuPaul. He said one of his proudest moments was when Michaela Jae wore his dress for the red carpet of the Soul Train Awards.
Darren Apolonio (Season 19)
Darren was born and raised in Manila, where he earned a BA in Multimedia Arts from De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde. He describes his trademark as “over-the-top designs” for all genders.
Kiniokahokuloa “Kini” Zamora (Season 13)
Kini was born and raised in Kauluwela, Hawai’i and is of mixed Filipino and Native Hawaiian heritage. He learned to sew at the age of ten. He was a fierce competitor, making impression with his dark, umbrella-inspired dress for the “Rainway” challenge and made it to the top three of his season. Having returned to his home in Hawai’i, his upbringing on the islands and deep connection to his community informs the designs he makes to this day.
Jay Sario (Season 07)
Sario was born and raised in Laoag, Ilocos Norte and moved to Hawai’i when he was 17. The ingenuity of Filipino fashion design was evident in his work – winning challenges where he made stunning outfits unrecognizably made out of unconventional materials like burlap sacks and garbage bags.
