Filipino Tricia Gosingtian tells the world: 'I’m also really influenced by Japanese fashion' (Photo from the blogger's Twitter)

MANILA, Philippines – Filipina blogger Tricia Gosingtian is embroiled in controversy after celebrities and personalities reacted violently to what they think is her disparaging comment about Philippine fashion.

“The difference is that in the Philippines it’s not that fashion-forward. So, like when I post photos there, like, I get lots of attention from it coz, like, people are not used to that kind of fashion. It’s really nice coz I’m also really influenced by Japanese fashion,” Gosingtian said during a breakfast interview at Cipriani that was organized by Tumblr recently for 24 bloggers around the world. The breakfast was also attended by  renowned fashion journalist Nina Garcia.

Tumblr invited the bloggers to attend the New York 2011 Fashion Week.

Celebrities and other personalities took to Twitter to protest Gosingtian’s uncalled for statement.

TV host Bianca contradicted Gosingtian’s assertion.

“There are too many to mention insanely brilliant and talented people in the philippine fashion industry,” Gonzalez tweeted.

Stylist Liz Uy felt “sad when people have a chance to represent the country, and instead of promoting pinas in a good light, the chance goes to waste.”

“I THINK people expect her to be an expert on phil fashion but she doesn't know the industry at all,” Uy said.

While make-up artist Jigs Mayuga understands that “ To be suddenly thrown into the spotlight can be overwhelming”, he feels that “part of it is being responsible w/ every word you utter.”

“If you're a filipino with a chance of making it big or having your voice heard abroad, don't put down your countrymen, be proud to be pinoy,” he tweeted.

TV host Raymond Gutierrez, using his @mondgutierrez Twitter account, asserted that “pacute is not fashion forward either.”

“Given such an amazing opportunity to represent your country on a global scale & thats what you come up with?” Gutierrez tweeted to which model-turned-actress Solenn Huessaff responded, “AGREE MOND!”

A certain @corazonangeles asked, “ Who is she? is she famous? I never heard of her” to which Gutierrez replied, “no she's not famous.”

A seemingly irritated designer Mich Dulce reacted on @jiritajackson’s tweet and said, “Please lang ha. clone lang sha in the universe of topshop and h&m and teen vogue. whats so forward about wearing high street?” she said.

She added that “i didn't mind her before, i met her once. but for her to proclaim that like she's the future of fashion annoys me to death.”

“Kung ang outfit mo mala @jujiin mag proclaim ka, di kita titirahin. Pero te, since 2001 suot na ng london hipsters mga outfit mo, even Cutie mag” she said, adding that ,“Wyl we arent at par w other countries there is talent in PH whch couldve been flaunted instead of a worldwide diss 4 selfglory.”

“God knows i dont think Ph is a fashion mecca,but let it be known that dressing like a Forever21 mannequin isnt fashion forward, its current,” Dulce stressed.

“Funny how some1 i wouldnt even consider fashion forward can make such statements bout Filipinos internationally.”

Probably aware of the various criticisms on her, Tricia also took to Twitter to defend herself.

“Anyhow, I didn't say Filipinos lacked style. I just said we aren't *that* fashion-forward as a country, which I think is true for a lot of reasons since we have limited resources (young designers I know have a hard time finding good textile and materials), have a lot of issues standing out in the crowd because of conservative culture, and our weather doesn't permit us to dress up (hello to lazy clothes and flipflops). It takes ages for trends to reach us, and when they do, it's not like people actually follow them. There were so many things that were asked and so many things I said but videos can only show us so much. It's the same issue when people get interviewed in publications and the writers only quote certain parts of it. I'm no authority in fashion and I never said I was. It's not that I don't support fashion in the Philippines. I was just being completely honest,” the controversial blogger said in her @tgosingtian Twitter account.

In her YouTube interview, Gosingtian expressed gratitude to Tumblr for  her “dream come true” encounter with Garcia.

“I never dreamed of being in the same table with her, like, breathing the same air as her. It’s so overwhelming,” she said in the video.