The annual Gold Gala took place last Saturday, May 11 at The Music Center in Los Angeles, California. Now in its third year, the prestigious gathering—dubbed as the "Asian Pacific MET Gala"—celebrates the trailblazers of Asian-Pacific community and their accomplishments. Key personalities present at the event were Lea Salonga, Lucy Liu, Bianca Bustamante, Halsey, and Avan Jogia, among many others.
The fashion at the event was a sartorial spectacle, a vibrant display of the region's rich heritage. Needless to say, Fil-Am TikTok creator Bella Poarch made sure to bring a dash of Filipino flair to her gold carpet look.
LOOK: Bella Poarch at the 2024 Gold Gala in Vania Romoff
The camisa stands as a hallmark of traditional Filipina womenswear. An icon of timeless femininity, this garment is characterized by its distinctly loose sleeves, and is typically crafted from piña fabric.
First popularized during the 16th century, camisas were once a symbol of wealth and affluence during the Spanish colonial era. Today, centuries later the Camisa has been thoughtfully reimagined through the discerning eyes of Filipina designer Vania Romoff.
At the Gold Gala 2024, Bella Poarch captivated in a custom camisa by Vania, her brand's signature silhouette. The piece featured the signature boat neckline and billowing sleeves, now crafted in the softest shade of pink with two front tie bows–an apparent nod to the Gen Z-favorite coquette aesthetic. Complementing the top was a matching wrap-around midi skirt with delicate pleat detailing.
This is the third year stylist Nikko Panti dressed the 27-year-old content creator for the event. In an interview with Preview, Nikko shared that he tries to make it a point to dress Bella in Filipino-made ensembles. "For the annual Gold House Gold Gala, I always push for Bella to wear something that was designed by Filipino designers. This is the third year I'm dressing Bella for the event, and I've always been enamored by the silhouettes of Vania Romoff's design," the Los Angeles-based stylist expressed.
For this look in particular, Nikko drew inspiration from Vania's signature Camisa silhouette— a crowd favorite among Filipina style stars— as well as a column skirt she's worked on before. "[The custom look by Vania] is definitely one of my favorites that Bella wore; even Bella fell in love with it at our initial fitting," he revealed.
Makeup artist Brittany Page Lambert elevated the ensemble’s dainty and feminine attitude with a glossy mauve lip and cool-tone blush and eyeshadow, giving Bella a radiant glow on the carpet. Celebrity hairstylist Castillo perfected the look further with an elegant high bun, framing her face with loose strands.
Beyond mere sartorial aesthetics, stylist Nikko Panti hopes to spotlight more Filipino talent through Bella's expansive reach.
"I've said it before and will keep repeating myself because the Philippines has such great and talented designers. I'm just lucky to have been allowed to use Bella's platform to showcase the talents we have. The world needs to be aware of our designers."
What a gorgeous look!
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
