An award-winning fashion designer will be showcasing her work at a special event – but on this occasion it is to raise funds for vital cancer treatment.
Dr. Gina Frias was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in March 2024, whilst visiting the UK from Malaysia to attend an International Women’s Day event in London, where she spoke about her sustainability and up-cycling fashion designs.
Following the diagnosis it was advised that Gina should not travel home as it could have increased chances of the cancer spreading further.
After the hard decision to remain in the country, Gina was faced with having to pay full medical costs for any treatment as she is a non-UK resident and cannot access NHS services.
Gina is now awaiting a visa application extension to stay in the country under the EU Settlement Scheme so she can receive chemotherapy treatment, but also to be able to earn a living where possible to support this.
“When I came to the UK to speak on International Women’s Day I never imagined things would turn out the way they are,” says Gina.
“It was such a shock to receive the diagnosis and I had nowhere to turn to. It was too much of a risk to return home as the cancer could have spread quite quickly and because of that I have ended up losing my home both in the Philippines and Malaysia as well as all of my fashion collection.
“Now I am trying my best to stay strong and luckily I have some good friends around me, especially HRH Princess Kendal Aminat who had given me a home and trying to help me through all of these trials and tribulations. I have applied for a visa extension under EU Settlement Scheme as I cannot do anything in regards to having an income to pay for anything else. I have used all my funds to pay for my treatment. But time is running out.”
In 2019, Gina was awarded ‘Fashion Designer of the Year’ at the Global Short Film Awards during the highly acclaimed 72nd Cannes Film Festival.
Gina was also the only designer who was selected to represent South East Asia at the Louvre Museum during the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week in 2020, where she received an award for Sustainability ECO Fashion at the UNESCO building after priding all of her work on her fashion ethos and ethics.
Gina is highly respected within the fashion industry and has previously had her designs featured in Melbourne, Malaysia, Philippines, New York, Paris and Monaco Fashion Weeks.
Last year plans for her own show at the Olympics Paris Fashion Week were halted because of the cancer diagnosis but, because of friends in the industry, Gina has now been invited to showcase her ‘haute couture’ collection during London Fashion Week at an event being produced by Love Fashion, hosted by Vanessa Horca, of Amplify London, and supported by Global Super Connector Victoria Beale, of The Elite Crowdmakers.
The event – on Tuesday 25 February – is at the stunning Q Shoreditch, 55-61 Tabernacle Street, London with the Gina Frias ‘Fundraising’ Fashion Show show taking place at 5pm.
“I was devastated when I had to pull out from shows in Paris, Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Kuala Lumpur and Manila – everything was crashing down on me at once,” says Gina.
“I have been designing and up-cycling hats to keep me occupied in recent months so when Victoria and Vanessa approached me about this event I could not believe it.
“I am so grateful and I cannot thank them and everyone else who is supporting me for this event, it means the world to me.”
Vanessa said: “Gina has been through so much and we all want to help her where we can which is why on the 25th February, we will be showing off Gina’s haute couture collections of hats she has created to raise funds towards her vital chemotherapy treatment.”
For more information and tickets about the Gina Frias Fundraiser Fashion event on the 25th February, at Q Shoreditch, please contact Vanessa@amplifyldn.com 07921079199.
