Thrift and Trend: R’Bonney Gabriel’s Stylish Ukay-Ukay Hunt in Manila
R’BONNEY GABRIEL – Miss Universe 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel recently surprised fans by diving into the world of thrift shopping at Cubao’s famous ukay-ukay stores.
R’Bonney Gabriel delighted her fans with a recent YouTube vlog where she documented her thrift shopping adventure in Cubao, Quezon City. Known for her passion for fashion and sustainability, the beauty queen spent an entire day exploring various ukay-ukay stores in search of one-of-a-kind pieces to bring on her upcoming travels and to use in her fashion creations.
“I’m going to an ukay-ukay spot in Manila but this time I am going all day… I’m going to the thrift stores in Cubao now. I want to find clothes for my trip to South Africa,” she shared. “I want clothes to upcycle, crochet… I also want any kind of clothes for my next collection.”
R’Bonney’s thrifting spree turned out to be a success. She visited multiple stores and discovered standout pieces that fit her creative vision. Among her haul were jackets and a rare baby blue vest, all acquired at a great bargain.
“I bought a lot of jackets. So many unique colors. A lot colors it’s like hard to find but I’m lucky!” she said. “I ended up paying ₱5,000 for seven jackets and a baby blue rare vest. Cubao was a success!”
Back at home, she excitedly showed off her finds to her viewers. “These are all in great condition. Not all the styles are something I would actually wear. Maybe if you style it right… but I just love the colors,” she explained.
Committed to sustainability, R’Bonney plans to transform her thrifted items into new, stylish garments. “What I do now is I’m gonna bring them to dry cleaner to get cleaned before I end up tearing these apart and using this beautiful leather,” she relayed. “I am going to cut these open, deconstruct, and reconstruct and make a super bomb outfit.”
Her fans were quick to praise her creativity and resourcefulness. “I actually think you’re a very creative person and you’re opening the minds of Filipinos about how someone’s ukay-ukay can be turned into a work of art,” one commented. Another added, “Wow, our superwoman. Keep on inspiring the world to sew and to dress up well with available resources.”
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