Dubai designer Michael Cinco has slammed the team of Miss Canada Nova Stevens after they accused him of unprofessional behaviour during the recent Miss Universe beauty pageant.
The world-famous Filipino designer shared a lengthy post on Facebook after a comment by MGmode Communications, the team behind Miss Universe Canada, came to light.
According to the comment, which was posted on Instagram and now seems to have been deleted, MGmode said the gowns for Stevens sent by Cinco's team for the Miss Universe pageant arrived late and did not properly fit her.
“We love Michael, but this was inexplicable. At the same time, they had time to custom-make a gown for another delegate … things don’t add up, sadly.” They added a similar incident had occurred last year with candidates from Argentina and Uruguay. "Such a terrible mistake."
In response, Cinco posted photos of Stevens wearing her preliminary gowns and the final dress. "Here she is smiling and happy, then all of a sudden you're spreading rumours that you didn't wear my gown [because] it's ill-fitting," his post reads.
Cinco called the Miss Canada team "ungrateful, vile and professional users".
“I don’t normally respond to unnecessary social media rants or any negative criticisms about my work but this one caught my ire as it seems to put uncalled for blame on my team the week after Miss Universe,” he wrote.
“Firstly, the gowns arrived on time. Or how could you have sent me photos and videos of her wearing them, showing how the gowns perfectly fitted her, days before each event?”
He also alleged the team were “forcing” him to make Nova’s 26-inch waist line “cinched to 23” as “in pageants, comfort doesn’t matter”, something he says he did not heed.
In a separate post, in which he shared an image of the comments by Miguel Martinez, handler of Miss Canada, Cinco wrote: "I messaged him to delete it and not to humiliate me on social media. I talked to him and almost cried and told him I deserve respect. He just told me the truth has to be revealed ... [Nova Stevens] just told me that [her team] are upset because they believed me and my team are trying to sabotage her."
Cinco alleged the Canadian team had been "using" him for the past three consecutive years to dress their candidates without paying him.
“You don’t even pay the courier or any other charges," he wrote. "Next time don’t ask me or any Filipino designers to dress up your candidates. Ask your Canadian designers to showcase their works in world stage. Stop taking advantage of my kindness and stop scamming Filipino designers."
He then recounts hiring a photographer and filmmaker to shoot Stevens in a “world-class location in Dubai”, all of which he says he paid for.
Stevens, who made her Instagram private on Sunday, has since responded to the controversy. "This really hurts me because I have nothing but love for both parties," she said in a video posted on social media.
"The fact that I was able to work with you (Michael Cinco) is a highlight of my career as Miss Universe Canada. That gratitude will never diminish, and I've expressed that gratitude publicly and privately," she said. "It boggles my mind that my gratitude would even be in question.
"I want you to stop fighting, I want this to be taken privately. I don't think you are both deserving of this. It's not fair to all of your hard work. I don't want to question any of your integrities because I stand behind the three of you," she says, referring to Cinco, Martinez and Denis Martin Davila, who is also part of her team.
The National has reached out to Cinco for comment.
The designer has previously spoken to The National about meeting Stevens in Dubai in April to work on her dress for the night.
“She is such an inspiring woman, and her journey as a refugee from Sudan to winning the Miss Canada crown is nothing short of amazing. So we created a dress to celebrate that,” he said. “It’s our message of strength and hope.”
Fellow Filipino fashion designer Rian Fernandez has also spoken out about having a similar experience with the Miss Universe Canada Organisation.
In a post on social media, Fernandez said he made five gowns for candidate Marta Magdalena Stepien for the preliminaries in 2018 that were not worn, nor returned.
“Let this be a lesson to all of us Filipino designers. Never shall we be scammed again by this MUC organisation," Fernandez wrote on Facebook.
"To you Denis and your team, please have some gratitude and a little sense of professionalism when dealing with people who want to help your queen. Please have a little shame. May this be the end of your swindler personality.”
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
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LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
More from Aya Iskandarani
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
Our House, Louise Candlish,
Simon & Schuster
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Price: from Dh498,542
On sale: now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
