I built this collection based on what felt natural to me—maximal yet elegant. As both an artist and a beauty queen, balancing these two worlds felt authentic, using my Quezonian culture as the foundation of the work. One of the main challenges in the process was my limited skill in illustration, which made it difficult to initially communicate my ideas. This led me to adopt a work-as-I-go approach, allowing the designs to take shape through construction until the vision became clear to others. While completing the more demanding stages was deeply fulfilling, my favorite part was the finalization process: curating the lookbook, executing the photoshoot, and refining the collection’s narrative from its design foundation to its material and detail choices. The experience was made more meaningful by collaborating with a fully Quezonian team—from sewists and beaders to creatives and models—highlighting the collective talent of the province. Through this collection, I recognized how intentional and symbolic my design approach is, and how my maximalist style naturally creates cohesion across looks. While rooted in Quezonian culture and the celebration of its workforce and agricultural heritage, the collection also honors hand beading as a once-primary livelihood and an enduring symbol of the province’s pageantry tradition, which I aim to carry forward as part of my design identity and brand.