World class Filipino designer Leo Almodal has become the target of some online bashers recently after Miss England won the best in evening gown made by him in the recently concluded Miss Grand International in Las Vegas. It's a back-to-back for sir Leo Almodal as he also created Miss Japan's winning emerald gown at last year's edition of Miss Grand International.
Filipino fans apparently posted some harsh comments on Almoda's social media accounts because of disappointments on why he's not dressing up Philippines' represenatatives in the international stage.
Here's Leo Almodal's statements posted on his facebook :
These past few months I realized that a lot of my fellow Filipinos unfollowed me in social Media and lately I received a lot of angry and disappointed comments, why I'm not dressing up the Philippines delegates in their respective International pageants? Calling me "traitor"?
Right now I just want to clarify this issue so we can move on with it..
MY ANSWER IS:
I WOULD LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVVVVEEEE LOVEEEEE LOVE LOOVVEEE LLLLLLLOOOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE!!!!! TO DRESS UP OUR COUNTRY'S DELEGATES!!!!
who would not want that!!!??? It will be a pride and honor to dress up a fellow filipino like MYSELF!
But folks you have to understand that it's totally out of my hand and not under my control. In fact I sent a message to Gines the right hand and Assistant of Madam Stella Araneta to set a meeting with the Director herself but what i got was a seemingly blunt answer: "That's a good idea!" but he never got back to me...
I was requested by the pageant camp KF (Kagandahang Flores) to send a fashion design sketch for Nichole Manalo (Miss Globe) and Joanna Eden ( Miss Supranational) in fact I would love to dress up all our queens including Maxine, Kylie and Nicole even if it's for free!!! I know I'm not rich but i wouldn't mind a full sponsorship because It's for our country!!! but do you know what happened? Yes the designs I made for these 2 girls were absolutely beautiful... but It was REJECTED!!!
Everything started last 2014 when I was asked By KF to send the Pink Gown for MJ Lastimosa who politely asked me to create for her an Evening Gown. She said that she's willing to take the risk to wear it and break BPCI's rules and refuse to wear Barazza'S gown saying; "this is my last pageant and I want to make it count!" And I believed her but sad to say she didn't...
DO YOU KNOW WHY PIA WURTZBACH GOT THE PRIVILEGE TO WEAR A FILIPINO DESIGNER?
I was the one who paved the way... I was the sacrificial lamb! The guinea pig! We all know that BPCI prepared wardrobes for each girl and Pia is not an exemption.
It all started with me and Janicel Lubina Miss International Philippines 2015. BPCI requested me to create the National Costume for her and I was very happy and honored to do it. I was then requested to the bring the National costume to BPCI office. A week before that scheduled meeting Janicel visited me in my atelier and begged me to dress her up in the evening gown competition saying that she didn't like the gowns they gave her and showed me pictures of it; Truly the gowns were quiet typical and ordinary...
Going to the BPCI office I brought the national costume and the evening gowns with me and I was ecstatic and excited to meet Madam Stella but to my dismay it ended up in frustration because she didnt show up... The assistant Genis was there to meet us, in fact we took photos and videos with the costume and gown; And God she looked amazing on the masterpiece i made for her!
Janicel has this puppy-beggy look on her face begging Genis to wear the gown I made for her in the Miss International Pageant... Genis exclaimed "OK! I will take care of it and I will show the pictures to madam for approval. Now put those dresses in your suitcase and you're ready to go!
It was on the Pageant day itself that I realized that Genis did not send the pictures to Madam for approval. The other girls and KF told me that Stella was furious, angry and mad to see Janicel wearing my gown on TV!!! I was shocked, worried, angry, surprise, sad and happy; it was a mixed emotion. Happy because she won the Best Dresser Award or Best in Gown. For 17 years at last a Filipino designer has proven that we Filipinos are competitive and has that enormous talent to dress up our own delegates... but sad because technically it was a wrong move... Was it my fault? I was the one who's always trying to reach out and offer a hand to help... but been misunderstood and to my fellow filipinos I became the bad guy instead? Now where is the justice here?
Leo Almodal Leo Almodal Leo Almodal
I learned the hard way... NOW; I'm just a businessman and a very open minded person, an independent entity and a high fashion brand. I don't have pageant camps or relations to any other companies or institutions. My mission is to dress "women" and bringing out the best version of themselves.
To me "WOMEN" means: no nationality, no age limit not even gender (lesbian, femme, botch, lipstick, transgender, gay etc.) As long as you want to feel beautiful I will be here to cater and help ;)
 |
| MGI Best In Gown Winners : from left Miss Japan (2015) and Miss England (2016) |
 |
| MJ Lastimosa wearing Leo Almodal during Miss Universe 2014 Final rehearsals |
 |
| Leo Almodal took to facebook after learning MJ Lastimosa won't be able to wear his creation as instructed by Madam Stella Araneta of BPCI |
 |
| According Leo Almodal, BPCI Planned to Sue Leo Almodal for Dressing up Janicel Lubina at Miss International 2015 Pageant To All Social Media Bashers Know The Story First, Before Judging... |