Leyna Bloom (left) and Pia Wurtzbach | Image: Instagram/@leynabloom, @piawurtzbach Filipino-American transgender model Leyna Bloom looked back on the time that she made history as the first Filipina to walk the L’Oréal Paris runway, after Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach made headlines that claimed she was the first Filipina to grace the same stage this year. Bloom took to Instagram on Friday, Sept. 27, to reflect on her journey when she first walked the Paris runway, expressing her pride to have brought honor to the Philippines and the Blaan tribe, one of the indigenous peoples of Southern Mindanao.
“I’m incredibly grateful to [L’Oréal Paris] for inviting me to be part of such a powerful and inspiring show. Reflecting on this journey, it feels surreal that nearly three years have passed since I made history as the first #Filipino [Philippine flag emoji] and #BlaanTribe woman to walk the prestigious L’Oréal Paris runway, right in front of the iconic Eiffel Tower. That moment, shared with [Kat Graham], is etched in my heart as a powerful reminder of how far we’ve come.
We absolutely owned that runway!” she captioned her post. The model-activist remarked that it was a “significant” year for her as she also brought honor to the transgender community in a society that needs diversity, inclusion and empowerment. “That year holds even deeper significance because I had the honor of standing alongside [Ines Rau] as we became the first trans women to ever wal.
