By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA, Philippines — Many Filipinos are deeply fond of beauty queens and pageants, with some even treating titleholders as modern-day royalty.
At events, gatherings, and public affairs, appearances of pageant winners are often highly anticipated. Some of them later transition into showbiz, capitalizing on their popularity.
Another avenue that has become lucrative for them is product endorsement, while others accept invitations to judge provincial pageants, which also provide a steady source of income.
Take the case of beauty queens-turned-models Desiree “Des” Verdadero-Abesamis and Patty Betita, close friends who have focused on weekly live selling through their online platforms. The items they sell or promote mainly include their own gowns and party outfits, along with store-bought separates.
Patty was crowned Binibining Pilipinas International in 1991 and represented the Philippines at the Miss International pageant in Tokyo the same year, where she finished as a Top 15 semifinalist.
Des, meanwhile, represented the Philippines at the 1984 Miss Universe pageant in Florida, where she placed third runner-up.
Early last month, the two friends launched their first live selling session via their Facebook platform, Closet Queens. At first, it was a struggle to attract viewers, but the duo say they are enjoying this new chapter, which has brought them both success and a chance to share a more personal side of themselves.
“Our name is really ‘Closet Queens at iba pa’ because we also plan to feature home cooking segments and market tours,” Patty shared in a recent interview. “Des is a great cook and really enjoys it, so that’s all in the pipeline.”
For now, Patty and Des are focusing on their weekly live selling sessions, offering gowns and party outfits, as well as store-bought separates such as tops, skirts, pants, and accessories—many of which have been worn only once or twice. They also plan to eventually sell consigned pieces from friends and fashion designers.
“We go online on Monday evenings. We just finished our third live selling session where we sold some of our own pieces made by designer Renee Salud,” Des noted, adding that some items were either made by or purchased from “Mama Renee.”
Salud created the colorful, body-skimming dress Des wore at the 1984 Miss Universe pageant. The same gown later reappeared on the pageant stage when her daughter, Binibining Pilipinas 2019 Grand International Aya Abesamis, wore it during a Binibining Pilipinas event in 2021.
However, that iconic dress is now part of local pageant history and will not be sold anytime soon. Still, in a recent Closet Queens live selling session, Des was able to sell a red organza gown with a full skirt designed by Salud—worn only once—for ₱5,000.
Others, meanwhile, see live selling as a modern way to reach a wider audience. For an hour or two on scheduled days, they go online to showcase and sell fashion items they hope will attract buyers.
Former beauty queen Marina Benipayo has been doing the same. The veteran model and former actress has been active in live selling for some time, offering accessories including Marikina-made bags.
Her clients range from young moms and “titas” to middle-aged women and stylish lolas. Through live selling, many celebrity sellers are able to clear out their closets of items they no longer use and pass them on to buyers who can give them new life.
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