R'Bonney Gabriel at the 78th Emmys. Gabriel/Instagram
For former Miss Universe R'Bonney Gabriel, a closed door is a chance to move to another path.
The Filipino-American fashion designer recently made her debut as a presenter at the 78th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles.
She attended the first night of the annual awards, which celebrates excellence in American television.
"Rejection is redirection," Gabriel declared in an Instagram post as she shared highlights of her Emmys stint.
Her reel included the text: "Went from first eliminated on 'Project Runway' to presenting at the Emmys."
Gabriel was eliminated on the first week of "Project Runway," where she hoped to showcase her creativity as a fashion designer to a wider audience.
Not letting herself get discouraged by the setback, she said in a previous social media post: "I'll forever believe that trying and failing is always better than not trying at all."
"We can so easily talk ourselves out of taking risks because of fear or rejection, embarrassment, failure... but who cares? Life is too short not to go after opportunities," she added.
R'Bonney Gabriel plans to improve denim creation that got her eliminated on 'Project Runway'
Before representing the United States and winning the Miss Universe crown in 2022, Gabriel has been slowly making her mark as a designer of eco-friendly clothing.
In 2024, she designed a collection for Bench Fashion Week, taking inspiration from her Filipino and American roots.