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Most may know R’Bonney Gabriel as Miss Universe 2022. But beyond her accomplishments in pageantry, R’Bonney is also a talented and trained designer and seamstress. With an eye for style and fashion, the Filipino-American creative has been vocal about her love of design, even wearing her own creations to events and running her own label, R’Bonney Nola. She graduated from the University of North Texas in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in fashion design with a minor in fibers, and she also worked as a sewing instructor at a NGO.
In 2024, she presented her debut collection, How to Survive on Land and Sea, at BENCH Fashion Week Holiday 2024, which served as a marriage of her Filipino and American roots and her life journey, while showcasing her passion for sustainability.
This year, R’Bonney is taking her craft for design to the spotlight once more as she returns to the competition stage. It isn’t another pageant, though, but as a contestant on the newest season of Project Runway.
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R’Bonney Gabriel Joins Project Runway
Recently, Project Runway revealed its roster of contestants for its upcoming 22nd season. For the first time in the show’s history, a total of 22 designers will be competing, making it the biggest batch of hopefuls in one season yet. Among the 22 is R’Bonney Gabriel, who will be competing with and against established and up-and-coming designers from around the world who represent the new, next, and now in fashion.
Notably, R’Bonney isn’t the only designer who has a competition background in the season. Also included in the lineup are drag queens Q and Plane Jane, both of whom competed in RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 16 and received high marks on their run for their design skills. Meanwhile, the season will also feature a returning contestant in Joseph McRae, who finished in 9th place in Season 21. Heidi Klum, Law Roach, and Nina Garcia are returning as judges, while designer and season 4 winner Christian Siriano returns as a mentor this season.
Following Veejay Floresca’s win in Project Runway Season 21, R’Bonney is looking to be the next Filipina to take home the title and bring her design career to the next level, a career that she’s steadily been building on over the years. Her craft as a designer has been there even before she joined Miss Universe, with sustainability and upcycling at the root and a core pillar of her design philosophy. Using techniques such as deconstructing garments and recycling, repurposing, and reconstructing materials, her designs aren’t only fashion-forward but also eschew fast fashion trends for a more purposeful and eco-friendly approach.
With her spirit of creativity, love of fashion and culture, and passion for sustainability, R’Bonney will be one to watch on Project Runway.
Catch R’Bonney in Project Runway Season 22 when the new season premieres on July 9 on Freeform and streams on Disney+, with a new episode dropping every week after.
Featured Image and Photos: MEGA ARCHIVES, Photographed by DOOKIE DUCAY. Creative Direction by PATRICK TY. Styled by ELDZS MEJIA. Makeup by MICKEY SEE. Hair by VALERIE CORPUZ. Written by RIA DE BORJA. Art direction BRIE VENTURA. Beauty Direction AGOO AZCUNA-BENGZON assisted by MARA GO. Production JONES PALTENG. Sittings Editor PEEWEE REYES- ISIDRO. Fashion Assistant ERICA TERROL. Styling Assistants CARL ALBERTO and MIGS LEGUERRA. Nails LUZ FORTUNO of TRIPLE LUCK BROW & NAIL SALON. Photography Assistants MARK CATUNGA and BYRON DE GUZMAN. Shot at PIONEER X STUDIO.
Photos by EXCEL PANLAQUE, DISNEY (via Webstie)
Frequently Asked Questions
Her participation marks the high-profile transition of a reigning Miss Universe titleholder into the arena of mainstream reality fashion design. While she is widely recognized for winning Miss Universe 2022, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design and runs her own sustainable label, R’Bonney Nola. Competing on this platform allows her to validate her technical sewing and design expertise on a global stage outside of the pageantry system.
Season 22 breaks show records by introducing a pool of 22 designers competing simultaneously, making it the largest batch of hopefuls in the history of the franchise. The diverse cast features a highly competitive mix of global designers, returning alumni, and distinct sub-genre creators. This includes seasoned reality competitors like drag artists Q and Plane Jane from RuPaul’s Drag Race, alongside returning designer Joseph McRae, who previously finished in ninth place.
Her creative work is anchored entirely in sustainability, upcycling, and eco-friendly textile manipulation. Instead of following fast fashion trends, her construction methods rely heavily on deconstructing vintage garments, recycling discarded textiles, and repurposing industrial materials into modern silhouettes. Her debut collection, How to Survive on Land and Sea, showcased this ethos by blending her Texan upbringing with her traditional Filipino roots through conscious, zero-waste tailoring.
The judging panel maintains its signature high-fashion authority with the return of supermodel Heidi Klum, fashion journalist Nina Garcia, and celebrity image architect Law Roach. Additionally, celebrated designer and Season 4 winner Christian Siriano returns to his role as the main mentor, guiding the expansive group of 22 designers through their weekly timed construction challenges.
A frequent mistake is assuming she is a traditional pageant queen who simply lends her name to a brand or uses a team of ghost designers for her wardrobe. In reality, she is a classically trained seamstress and patternmaker who constructed many of her own high-profile look garments long before entering the mainstream spotlight. Dismissing her as a superficial lifestyle personality overlooks her hands-on technical background in fiber manipulation and pattern deconstruction.
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