Filipino Designer Shines At Paris Runway Sans Creations

LONDON—When airline mishandling left fashion designer Mitch Desunia without her gowns, she turned disaster into defiance, proving that true elegance is how you rise when everything falls apart.

Desunia is no stranger to the international runway. Her designs have stunned fashion stages in Toronto, New York, Tokyo, London, Milan, Budapest, and Paris. But at the recent Paris Fashion Week, she faced a designer’s worst nightmare: her entire collection vanished before showtime.

Upon landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Desunia discovered that her luggage, containing 20 custom couture gowns, handcrafted accessories, and presentation materials, had gone missing.

“Months of preparation and years of dreams were inside that suitcase,” Desunia shared.

“Each gown represented stories of resilience, craftsmanship, and Filipino excellence. But because of one airline’s negligence, that voice was silenced on one of the world’s most important stages,” she added.

Making the Impossible Work

With no collection to present, Desunia refused to withdraw. To meet the minimum requirement of eight looks for participation, she improvised:

• She used three old gowns made for her brand ambassadors.

• Borrowed one gown from a fellow designer.

• Borrowed clothes from stylists that happened to complement her aesthetic.

• Even gave her own coat to a male model to complete the lineup.

“Three of the outfits came from stylists’ personal wardrobes, which I paired with pieces I had gifted them in the past,” she recounted.

Despite the ordeal, Desunia chose composure over anger. She stressed that her appeal extends beyond personal grievance, calling for systemic accountability to protect artists and professionals whose livelihoods depend on their work.

“This isn’t just about a lost bag — it’s about lost opportunity, lost craftsmanship, and lost voices,” she said.

“I hope airlines understand that what we entrust to them are not just belongings, but pieces of our life’s work,” she added.

Scammed Amid the Chaos

As if the loss weren’t enough, Desunia fell victim to a scam when she posted an online plea for help. Posing as the airline representative, con artists tricked her into providing personal information and paying a “processing fee.”

“To be clear, I don’t blame the airline for the debit card issue,” she clarified. “It was my own lapse in judgment — desperation caused by the airline’s mishandled luggage. I lost that ‘presence of mind’ in a moment of panic.”

Rising Above the Setback

Despite everything, Desunia remains undeterred in her mission to showcase Filipino artistry on the global stage.

“True elegance,” she said, “is how you rise, even when everything falls apart.”

A lost baggage claim was immediately filed at the Paris airport, and Desunia has since submitted a formal complaint to the airline’s Baggage Claims Department.

As of press time, she awaits a formal acknowledgment and resolution from the airline.

TFCN has also reached out to the airline in question for comment but has yet to receive a response.

Photos: Mitch Desunia