Fashion
Gabbi Garcia Makes Her Own Rules
In an industry obsessed with the idea of “making it,” the 26-year-old Kapuso actress takes the road less traveled, defining her journey for no one else but herself.
by Em Enriquez
Published on Mar 13, 2025
It’s no secret that Gabbi Garcia has dreams of being a beauty queen. For someone with her stature and poise, it makes sense to aspire for a life of sashes and sashays.
The Sparkle GMA artist has given the fantasy much thought. Aside from practicing her introduction countless times, she's also come up with a name for her signature pasarela. “[It would be the] Daluyong Walk,” she tells me during her Preview interview. “It means ‘surge’ or ‘tidal wave.’ Malaking alon, so as Sang’gre Alena [ako roon]. Para mabuhay ang sangkabaklaan.”
A younger version of Gabbi would drop everything and sign up for the next competition as soon as she’s able. However, the Gabbi we have today regards her ambitions with more caution. “I don't want to say no and end up eating my words ‘pag nakita niyo ako on stage one day, right?” she says. “But I also want to take care of [the relationships] I've built throughout the years. I don't want to ruin those. So, I'm not closing my doors, but I have different priorities now.”
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PHOTO BY: Alexis Dave Co.
With age comes maturity, and if we were to go by the 11 years Gabbi has been in show business, she’s definitely ripened. The eager teenager who broke into the scene via Encantadia has become more aware of how the industry works. More importantly, she’s learned how to make it work for her.
For the longest time, she was always touted as the “next big thing”—but at this point in her career, she’s not too concerned anymore about constantly causing a stir. This girl is in it for the long run.
At Crossroads
While Gabbi has yet to strut on stage, she has stood among queens during the Miss Universe-Philippines 2024 coronation night. As one of the pageant’s emcees, the 26-year-old impressed viewers with her abilities on the mic. One hosting gig came after the other, and it became obvious that Gabbi’s speaking prowess and natural candor made her a good fit for the job.
Soon after, as stars would have it, a major gig that came Gabbi’s way was co-hosting the newest iteration of Pinoy Big Brother. Named the Celebrity Collab Edition, this season made a historic move by enlisting participants from former rival networks ABS-CBN and GMA. Representing the Kapuso side as a host, Gabbi keeps up with veterans Bianca Gonzalez and Robi Domingo while also introducing herself to audiences from the other side of the tracks.
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Shop Gabbi's look: Plissé Halter Dress, P285,000
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Belted Safari Jacket, P259,000
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Side Trunk, P215,000
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Keepall Bandoulière 50, P159,000
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Fly Away Square 90, P30,000
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LV Line Cat Eye Sunglasses, P28,400
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Allure Slingback Pump
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She admits that she’s been practicing the “Hello, Philippines, and hello, world!” exclamation ever since she got booked. Being one of this edition’s banner stars is “surreal,” to say the least. “It's still shocking to me how ABS-CBN and GMA are doing a lot of projects together,” she expresses.
In retrospect, being tapped to host such an iconic fixture of Philippine television is a full circle moment for her. Once upon a time, she also hoped to be part of Kuya’s roster of housemates. Years ago, a 12-year-old Gabbi lined up from nine in the morning to 5 a.m. the next day for a shot at being part of Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition 4.
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Shop Gabbi's look: Technical Jersey Color-Block Peplum Top, P122,000
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Chain Detail A-Line Skirt, P156,000
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Slim Trunk, P186,000
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Academy Flat Loafer [archival], SGD 1,880 (approximately P80,874.37)
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Nanogram Cuff, P40,600
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“I remember seeing an ad [for the season] when I was a kid. [It said that] anybody can line up and join. So, I tried my luck,” she recalls of the experience. At the time, she was sending out VTRs (video test reels) and going to modeling go-sees. Her peers were already getting booked, so signing up for PBB seemed like a chance to get her foot in the door.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t. “I got through the first screening. Then, there was a second screening inside Kuya’s house, [which] I didn’t pass, sadly,” Gabbi recounts. She cuts her younger self some slack for the attempt, saying, “I didn’t take it that badly. I was just 12 years old.”
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Fun fact: She had a moniker ready to attach to her name if ever she got in. “The Maarte Kikay ng Pasay City,” it would go. Being “maarte” or “kikay” were evident characteristics of the teenage Gabbi, especially in the perspective of her makeup artist Jason Delos Reyes. “She was ‘yung typical na Paulinian na Inglisera,” he fondly shares of their initial meeting 10 years ago.
Some may not view being “maarte” or “kikay” as good things, though. More so when you’re a celebrity, being high maintenance or having all the frills aren’t positively viewed traits to have. True enough, it came as a warning during Gabbi’s days as an ingenue. “Lagi akong nasasabihan na I had to lessen my pagka-kikay or my kaaretehan, na I had to make myself [more marketable],” she looks back.
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But the girl couldn’t—and shouldn’t—help it. At the onset of her career, Gabbi quickly learned to remain rooted in what feels true to her. “[There were some things about me] I couldn’t change. So, why shouldn’t I embrace those things and work with what I have?”
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Being a full-fledged artista required some push-and-pull from Gabbi. There were things she had to let go of, there were things she had to learn (and unlearn), and there were things she had to keep intact.
Reeling from past instances of insecurity, her morena skin or flat-chested body type became assets of hers. “[I had to figure out] my fortes and weaknesses,” she reflects. “[I had to] accept and fully embrace them.”
A Well-Oiled Machine
The life of a celebrity is undeniably an attractive career path. It’s a job dusted with heaps of glitter. If the agenda for the day means donning pieces from a globally adored luxury fashion house like Louis Vuitton, then you can count on true-blue fashion girls like Gabbi to instantly sign up.
Fashion proves to be a key component of Gabbi’s psyche, particularly with how she perceives herself as an artist. Playing different characters and being exposed to various influences shaped the way she dresses and, in turn, how she expresses herself. There was once a version of Gabbi who achingly needed a pair of red-soled pumps in order for her to officially feel like an artista.
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It’s all part of the fun for Gabbi. However, the more time she spent in the industry, the more she learned to regard herself sans the clothes on her back. In this stage of her life, the things that she considers “nakaka-artista” have gone beyond a fancy pair of shoes.
“Nag-iba na yung mga bagay na ‘nakaka-artista’ para sa akin. [I’m more focused on] investing and really securing my future,” she states in reflection.
Gabbi’s disposition as an artista has shifted, and for the better, it seems. With this redefinition comes a more pragmatic approach to how she tackles her career. Rather than making a big splash, she’s more keen on creating constant ripples. The pressures of being the “next big thing” are beneath her now.
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Shop Gabbi's look: Side Trunk, P228,000
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Westside Flat High Boot [archival], SGD 3,400 (approximately P146,262.15)
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Nanogram Ring, P22,100
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LV Heritage Ring, P28,100
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“Every year na lang, [I’m told that] this is the next big thing, [or] this is the next big project for me. We all want those things, but I'm here for sustainability,” she firmly declares. “Artistas just come and go.”
The actress emphasizes that there are relationships she needs to sustain, either with brands, with collaborators, or with her network, and it’s of utmost importance that she prioritizes them.
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And if naysayers were to downplay her constant efforts, she honestly couldn’t care less. “Lagi na lang may magsasabi na, ‘Sus, every year na lang siya yung next big thing pero wala naman nangyayari,’” she illustrates. “But you know what, I don’t mind. Say what you want, I’m here to sustain my career. I’m not here for anything else.”
In this pursuit of longevity, Gabbi has learned to dip into trades outside of purely acting. Hosting, for one, has always been in her back pocket. It’s a skill she zeroed in on to the point that she went under the tutelage of Tito Boy Abunda. Aside from her on-camera appearances, Gabbi has also become an entrepreneur, launching a number of businesses ranging from food to makeup brands.
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Outside of these ventures, though, Gabbi makes certain not to make her career (or careers) her whole life. She’s only 26, after all, and there are several other lives she has yet to live. “I have so many things on my plate outside of work. I make sure not to cloud myself with the pressures of being an artista ‘cause I know that my life shouldn't revolve around show biz,” she says.
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Riding Until Dawn
If there was ever a rulebook for being an artista, or an artist for that matter, Gabbi would have liberally scribbled on it. She may come off as a near perfect product of celebrification (some might even say, beauty queen-esque), but the Gabbi Garcia we have today is as real as it gets. In reaching this stage in her life, she’s consistently been driven by kindness. It’s a lesson she picked up from her days as the fictional keeper of the brilyante ng tubig.
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Shop Gabbi's look: Broderie Collar Zip-Up Knit Top, P185,000
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Strap Detail Gathered Leather Mini Skirt [archival], SGD 9,650 (approximately P415,126.40)
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Side Trunk, P243,000
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Donna High Boot, P140,000
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“Something I learned from Encantadia that I still carry to this day is [the importance of] being kind. Kindness is a priority in this industry,” she shares. The type of kindness Gabbi pertains to doesn’t just mean facing everyone with a dry smile. It’s kindness that comes hand-in-hand with humility.
“You can be right, but you can also be rude. It's so hard to be kind kapag gusto mo maging tama palagi,” she explains. “Sometimes it's hard, but I always [remind myself that it’s] more important to be kind.” As difficult as it may be, sustaining herself in this job requires her to choose her battles. In her words, “I choose where to put my energy.”
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Shop Gabbi's look: Striped Side-Tie Top, P126,000
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Belted Bottom Hem Balloon Pants, P178,000
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Side Trunk, P257,000
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Blossom Sandal [archival], SGD 1,800 (approximately P77,432.90)
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LV Mix Chain Earrings, P40,100
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In an age where people cling to the idea of “making it,” Gabbi keeps a level head. In a way, she deflects such expectations from herself. “I can never say that I've ‘made it’ because at the end of the day, I'll always be eyeing something new,” she explains.
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This constant hunger has become definitive of Gabbi’s journey within and beyond the screen. For someone as driven as her, the horizon is filled with possibilities left untapped. And how does one maximize such possibilities? With intention, she says.
“You have to choose what you want to do. You have to choose what you say yes or no to. Then you have to ask yourself why you’re saying yes or no to these things. That’s how you sustain yourself, by being intentional,” she articulates.
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On the road she set herself on, Gabbi rides at full throttle. It’s not a race, as there is no competition in her sights. It’s an extended drive where she makes turns as she chooses, where going astray is a detour rather than a mishap. She’s in it for the long haul, and she’s taking in the view while she’s at it.
It’s Gabbi Garcia’s way or the highway.
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Behind-the-Scenes Photos by Atasha Dasoy of Studio Torio
Produced and Styled by the Preview Team
Photographer: Alexis Dave Co
Creative Director: Bacs Arcebal
Editor-in-Chief: Marj Ramos-Clemente
Production: Reg Rodriguez and Isha Fojas
Fashion: Paulina Singh
Beauty Direction: Isha Fojas
Makeup: Jason Delos Reyes, assisted by Racquel Delos Reyes
Hairstyling: Aries Manal, assisted by Julita Daep
Nails: Nailandia
Set and Production Design: Rocketsets
Photographer's Assistants: Kenneth Dingle, Cedie Barrameda, and JR Pancho
Story: Em Enriquez
Video Direction: Jana Jodloman
Videographer: Teddy Garcia Jr. and Greeko Junio
Social Media: Sophia Rosello
BTS Photographer: Atasha Dasoy of Studio Torio
Special thanks to Jeanger Navarro, Francesa Santiago, and Rey Avila of Louis Vuitton Philippines
Em Enriquez is queer and probably daydreaming somewhere. They're an editorial assistant at Preview who can't live without pop music and lemon-tinted sunnies.