MANILA, Philippines — Miss Universe Canada 2020 Nova Stevens said sorry for the comment that her pageant team made about the gown she was supposed to wear at the Miss Universe 2020 preliminaries, which was executed by internationally-renowned Filipino designer Michael Cinco.
In an Instagram post early today, Nova admitted that her team and Michael entered an agreement that fashion designer will sponsor all her gowns for the competition, so therefore, her outfits are “not free,” as opposed to what Michael claimed in his Facebook post.
“I don’t usually dignify drama/hate with a response because I believe in feeding only what feeds my soul. However this has personally attacked me so I feel the need to clarify a few things: Designers & pageant contestants enter into sponsorship agreements regularly. Just as they do at award shows or any other public event,its not ‘free’. It involves an immense amount of effort + negotiation on both sides. My team worked hard to secure a deal with Michael without having a big budget as Canada is not a major pageant country and we don’t have the type of support some other countries do. Micheal and my team had an agreement to sponsor the main contest gowns. SPONSORSHIP IS NOT CHARITY; it is an agreement to lend a gown to a public figure in return for PR, publicity and safe return of the gown,” Nova said.
She also denied being “ungrateful” toward Cinco, and proof of this, she said, are her social media posts thanking him for his creations.
“As of now, I have 10 posts that are still up thanking him, not including interviews where I always made sure to mention him, nor the many personal videos thanking him from the bottom of my heart,” she explained.
She admitted that her team was wrong for making the comment and shared that it could be because they were upset because her preliminary gown allegedly did not fit.
“As you all know, even in the best intentioned deals, things can and did go wrong. In my case, the preliminary gown did not end up fitting perfectly. This was important because it affects scoring. So we made the decision to wear a different gown (thank you to Virgilio Madinah). Unfortunately my team who had worked so hard was upset that Michael did not deliver his end and they did make a comment. This was WRONG on my team’s part.”
She then said sorry for the comment that hurt Michael and assured him that they appreciate him. She also admitted that the disagreement should have been handled “in private and with maturity.”
“As part of my team, I fully apologize. I appreciate all his efforts and that perfect final gown. This is a disagreement that should have been handled in private and with maturity. However, it has devolved into an ego clash on social media, and dragged me into the middle of it,” she said.
As a result of the feud, she received new backlash and racist comments. It can be recalled that before the finals, she posted about receiving racist remarks, mostly from Filipino pageant fans.
Related: Despite Pinoys' racist comments, Miss Universe Canada enlists Pinoy designer Michael Cinco
“I have been getting death threats, racist trolls are hurling despicable insults at me, and people are dragging my character with lies. What amazes me is that people seem to be more outraged at my alleged ‘lack of thanks’ rather than me being asked to die and receiving racist hate. I don’t deserve that,” she said.
According to her, despite of what is happening, she still loves Michael and her team.
“Michael said he’d give us a war, but we are a peace loving nation and we don’t accept this war. We don’t accept racism. We don’t accept bullying. I personally love all my fellow contestants, I love every single one of my sponsors including Michael and I love my team.”
She again apologized for “missteps” that she and her team did.
“I don’t agree with the ego battle on either side and I’m sorry for any missteps on our part. I wish that people would find more love and understanding in their hearts.”
She also revealed that she is celebrating her birthday today, May 25.
“Now, I am going to go back to processing my wins and losses at Miss Universe. I will enjoy my birthday tomorrow and heal. I hope you can all take a break from the hate for a few days. Peace and love,” she concluded.
‘Truth need to be told’
It can be recalled that in a lengthy Facebook post last May 22, Michael alleged that the team behind Nova were “ungrateful, vile, and professional users” after MGmode Communications, the publicist behind the beauty candidate, posted in a social media comment that Nova was allegedly unable to wear Michael’s creation for the preliminaries because the gowns allegedly came late and ill-fitting.
“The truth need to be told! The gown was sent late by Michael’s team, and when it arrived none of them fitted! We were able to (fix) one for the finals but the one for prelims, we didn’t have time,” MGmode Communications said, as screenshot by Michael.
“Such a terrible mistake should not have happen. We love Michael! But this was inexplicable. At the same time, they had to custom made a gown for another delegate who checked in with her custom made Michael Cinco gown. Things don’t add up! Sadly,” the agency added.
Michael, who said in his Facebook post that he was really not the type to rant on social media despite receiving a lot of bashing in the past, said he broke his silence to clarify that first, the gowns arrived on time and proof of these are photos and videos of Nova wearing them in the rehearsals.
“FIRSTLY, the gowns arrived on time. Or how could you have sent me photos and videos of her wearing them, showing how the gowns perfectly fitted her, days before each event. You even posted a video of NOVA in her last fitting and she was happy,” Michael said.
The designer revealed that the pageant team “forced” him to even make Nova’s waistline look inches smaller.
“You were forcing me to make Nova’s 26” waist line to be cinched to 23”, which I obviously didn’t heed even if you said that in pageants, comfort doesn’t matter. But PLEASE dont say that her gown was ill-fitting.”
Second, Michael stressed that he never tried to “sabotage” Nova’s win and actually even paid for her Dubai photo shoot.
“SECONDLY, the insinuation that my team was trying to sabotage her win, is just absurd. Her life story was supposedly inspiring and I even went out of my way hiring a team of world-class photographer and film maker to shoot her in my couture gowns at a world-class location in Dubai just to give her extra publicity mileage and create for her a balance of glam and luxury as opposed to her humble homecoming in Africa. And everything in that shoot was PAID FOR BY ME. Did you get that?”
Michael alleged that the Miss Universe Canada team “used” and took advantage of his kindness for the past three years and allegedly did not even pay or thank him.
“YOU and your team have been USING me and taking advantage of my kindness for the past 3 consecutive years to dress up your candidates WITHOUT PAYING ME ANY CENTS! You don’t even pay the courier or any other charges. A SIMPLE THANK YOU NOTE FROM NOVA, YOU AND YOUR TEAM would have sufficed. But you don’t have the grace and decency to do that. YOU ALL ARE UNGRATEFUL, VILE and professional USERS. Next time don’t ask me or any FILIPINO designers to dress up your candidates. Ask your Canadian designers to showcase their works in world stage...I DON’T NEED YOU in my career and dressing up your candidates WILL NOT HELP MY BUSINESS. STOP taking advantage of my KINDNESS and STOP scamming FILIPINO designers...HOW DARE YOU...SHAME ON YOU and your whole CANADIAN Team...”
Thirdly, Michael clarified that it was not his fault that Nova did not make it to the finals because he dressed up other contestants as well but they did not give him any negative feedback and were in fact grateful.
“THIRDLY, if it doesn’t add up to you, then i’ll add Miss ROMANIA, Miss MEXICO and Miss CZECH REPUBLIC who all wore couture gowns from my latest collection in Preliminaries. Sadly, it is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. Let me just add that they are endlessly thankful.”
He revealed that even the winner from Mexico, Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza, wore his creations during the preliminary activities, except for the evening gown portions.
“The new Miss UNIVERSE Andrea Meza of MEXICO who was not able to wear my gown at either nights, even took time to send me a THANK YOU message right after her coronation. Miss ROMANIA Bianca Trilsin even sent me a video message and was very grateful and is even planning to come to Dubai next week to meet me and THANK me personally. Miss CZECH REPUBLIC was so humble and honored to wear my gown. Former Miss Universe 2017 DEMI-LEIGH TEBOW was so gracious to send me video greeting and thanked me for the gown she wore. But for NOVA and your team, not only have I not got a curt THANK YOU but even seemed so upset with me for being eliminated in the pageant. AM I THE JUDGE?”
“STOP blaming me for Nova’s not making it to the Top 21 in Miss UNIVERSE. In fact, she did not wear my gown to the prelims as you were earlier posting that she will wear another gown. And now YOU’RE TELLING ME that her PRELIMS GOWN KILLED HER to advance to the finals. Am I to be blamed for that?” he pointed out.
According to him, he has dressed some of the world’s most famed celebrities, including Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Nicole Scherzinger, Christina Aguilera, Ellie Goulding, Aishwarya Rai, Fergie Ferguson, Chris Brown, Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell, and has not experienced anything like he did with Nova.
“I dressed up most A-List HOLLYWOOD Celebrities, Royalties and wealthiest clients all over the world and they only have ONE RULE in fashion...IF THE DRESS DON’t FIT, DON’T WEAR IT!!! SIMPLE AS THAT. GET IT??? And mind you all of them know how to say THANK YOU...”
Lessons for Filipino designers
Another Filipino designer, Rian Fernandez, supported Michael, claiming that he, too, received the same “VILE & CHEATERY” from the Miss Canada team.
“I was adamant to share this story, but with all the hullabaloos circulating the social media right now on how Miss Universe Canada Organization deceived the great Michael Cinco, a well-renowned Filipino designer based in Dubai, I just want to share the dreadful experience I had with them as well. An awful experience that almost cost my life!” Rian said in a May 23 Facebook post, accompanied with pictures of his designs on Miss Canada candidates.
“Maybe people will be asking why I am only speaking up right now, or maybe I just want to ride this wave of controversy to gain popularity… OH NO! That is not my intention. Unfortunately, I did not have the courage to speak before because I am just a small brand. I was scared that it will boomerang on me. Now that I know that I was not the only one treated badly by Denis, but other Filipino designers as well… I cannot be silent anymore.
“I wanted my voice to be heard NOW because I am one with M5 when he mentioned that FILIPINO DESIGNERS SHOULD NO LONGER TRUST Miss Universe Canada Organization, under the directorship of Denis Martin Davila. I will not allow this VILE & CHEATERY of Denis to continue!”
According to him, his partnership with the pageant team began with Siera Bearchell for Miss Universe 2016. He said he is still friends with Siera and he even made her wedding dress. Siera affirmed this in an Instagram post yesterday.
"The pageant world can be a toxic place, but it can also be a place where lifelong friendships are created. I met @rianfernandez888 after an unusual gown situation at Miss Universe... Rian and I became good friends after experiencing a lot of drama together and he designed and made my wedding gown!???? We saw each other again in Atlanta, Georgia at Miss Universe 2019. He is incredibly talented and his work is amazing. Love you Rian!!!!!" part of Siera's post said.
Rian recalled that for the 2018 competition, where Philippines’ Catriona Gray won, he and Davila went on an agreement for Fernandez to sponsor all of Marta Magdalena Stepien’s gowns. Fernandez spent a lot for his team to create the gowns and for the fittings that happened in the contest’s then venue, Thailand. To the designer’s shock, however, Stepien did not wear the gowns he did for her.
“ALL EXPENSES FOR MY TEAM WAS SHOULDERED BY ME! The gowns were made out of love for the reason that Denis promised me that I will get the exposure & media mileage.
But alas, the preliminary competition happened and I was shookt that Marta is wearing a Michael Cinco creation. I have nothing against M5 because he is an icon! My point is, we were promised by Denis that Marta will wear me to the preliminary and final competition because we have a group chat of continuous updates on how the 5 gowns are going. Since this happened, I asked Denis to return to me all the 5 gowns so that other ladies can wear me on the final night, even just for an OOTD on backstage so that people will see the creations that my team & I worked hard for! Denis didn't return the gowns (except for the one Miss Cambodia wore... the deep red gown) for he promised me that Marta will really wear me for the finals, but you all know that it didn’t happen and Marta still wore M5... THAT HE B*$H!+ ME TWICE!” Rian exclaimed.
According to him, because of what happened to him, he was paralyzed and almost died due to stress and anxiety.
“I was devastated and cried in my hotel room!!! I FELT FRUSTRATED, CHEATED… and I questioned my talent and skill as a designer! Until the stress and anxiety level escalated and I felt half of my body paralyzed. It was the scariest moment of my life. Luckily, there was this supporter of Catriona, a licensed Physical Therapist in Dubai, who helped me. If not, I might not have seen the light of day,” he narrated.
He said he did not even receive an apology or explanation for what was done to him.
“After that incident, I never received any explanation or apology from their team. I know that I shouldn’t be counting the cost of that dreadful experience (both financially, mentally & psychologically) because I wanted to be part of Marta’s Miss Universe journey,” he said.
“Let this be a lesson to all of us Filipino designers. Never shall we be scammed again by this MUC organization! To you Denis and your team, please have some gratitude and a little sense of professionalism when dealing with people who want to help your queen. Please have a little shame. May this be the end of your swindler personality!”