The 2023 MISS Universe will be announced on January 14, a Saturday.
The 71st year of the pageant will feature 86 female competitors, including R’Bonney Gabriel.
Who is Miss USA 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel?
On March 20, 1994, R’Bonney Gabriel was born in Houston, Texas.
Gabriel stated to the regional station of ABC News in Houston in October 2022: “My dad came to America from the Philippines on a college scholarship with only around $20 in his pocket.
“He desired to establish a new life for himself. In Texas, he met my mother, a rural resident of Beaumont. I’m a very proud Texan-Filipina.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, backpacking, and hula hooping, according to her bio.
Where did R’Bonney Gabriel go to school?
2018 saw Gabriel graduate from the University of North Texas with a degree in fashion design and a minor in fibres.
At the age of 15, she picked up sewing for the first time and immediately fell in love with the act of creating things out of materials and textiles.
After graduating from college, she worked as a Nicole Miller intern in New York City.
Gabriel’s bio describes her as a “eco-friendly clothes designer, sewing instructor for survivors of domestic abuse, artist teaching women business skills, and supporter of sustainability in the fashion industry.”
She found a garment at a thrift shop and transformed it into a dress for her attire for the Miss Texas USA opening song.
For auditions and rehearsals, she frequently creates and designs her own outfit.
When did R’Bonney Gabriel win Miss USA?
The 28-year-old created history when she became the first Filipina-American to win Miss Texas USA in December 2021.
Before entering the Miss Universe Organization, she was a model for six years.
Gabriel was named Miss USA in October 2022, about a year later.
Following her win, Gabriel told Houston Life: “Oh my God, it’s an honor. I’m getting messages on Instagram and just social media of Filipina girls and women telling me they’re so excited, they’re so happy.
Gabriel will be representing the United States in the 2023 Miss Universe pageant on Saturday, January 14, in New Orleans.
