Cover BJ Pascual, Michelle Dee and Angie and Joey King in Tiffany & Co HardWear jewellery
BJ Pascual, Michelle Dee and Angie and Joey King in Tiffany & Co HardWear jewellery
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Adorned in Tiffany & Co HardWear pieces, four influential voices in the queer Filipino community reflect on the strength in wearing your truth
Come June, queer people worldwide take to the streets in celebration of enduring love and rebellion. Pride has always been a protest: it is both a celebration of victories won and a powerful reminder that the fight for visibility, rights and freedom is far from over.
The transformative love that fuels this movement is the same kind which runs through the stories of Tiffany & Co. They share the same roots, after all—the foundations of pride can be traced back to the Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village in June 1969, while the American luxury house was founded in 1837 with a store on Broadway.
Read more: The blue box unveiled: check out why Tiffany & Co’s NYC store is truly worth the wait
Tiffany & Co honours its heritage in New York City in one of its most distinctive collections. Inspired by Manhattan’s elegance and grit, HardWear by Tiffany embodies an unshakable confidence, much like the spirit of marches past. With bold, edgy appeal, it perfectly reflects those pushing boundaries and celebrating their identities unapologetically—all of which resonate instinctively with featured voices BJ Pascual, Angie and Joey Mead King and Michelle Dee.
These friends of the house stand as influential figures within the queer Filipino community, using their platforms and creative successes to inspire and empower countless others. Through stories of resilience and self-expression, they show how true strength is something you wear from the inside out.
BJ Pascual
Above BJ Pascual in Tiffany & Co HardWear jewellery
BJ Pascual in Tiffany & Co HardWear jewellery
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Celebrated for his evocative storytelling and creativity, BJ Pascual’s unapologetically queer perspective is inseparable from his work. “I’m very lucky to work in an industry where queerness is generally accepted— celebrated even. But it’s easy to forget that outside our little bubble, it’s still a very different reality for many,” he begins. “[Pride, for me, is] the courage to show up as your truest self, even when the world tells you not to.”
That courage was hard-won from growing up in a conservative environment and masking parts of himself just to get by, to unlearning that shame when he entered the fashion world. “Surrounded by creative individuals who embraced authenticity, I found a space where I could explore and accept who I truly am,” he shares. “I try to send that love by showing up—through my work, my voice and my advocacy.” The renowned photographer has not only used his talent to celebrate queer identities and unseen stories; he’s marched, spoken out and even personally lobbied in the Senate for the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill.
His defiance is as much personal as it is political; once told by a director who’d said “they were fine with gay people as long as they weren’t too effeminate”, Pascual learned to lean into his femininity even more, through fashion, makeup and how he carries himself. Naturally, his affinity with Tiffany & Co is a statement in itself. “There’s something so powerful about wearing something that feels timeless but also rebellious. Tiffany HardWear has that edge—it’s elegant, but there’s grit in it, too. It makes me feel grounded in who I am, but also ready to push boundaries.”
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Angie and Joey Mead King
Above Angie and Joey Mead King in Tiffany & Co HardWear jewellery
Angie and Joey Mead King in Tiffany & Co HardWear jewellery
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A couple who have been in the public eye for over a decade, the Kings’ love story is one of deep, steadfast connection. When Angie publicly came out as a trans woman in 2016, five years after their marriage and ten years after their first meeting, it was crucial to have Joey by her side and vice versa.
When asked about how she defines “pride”, Angie equates it to self-discovery and calls Joey her greatest source of strength. “When I was still beginning to figure myself out, Joey would bring me to the pride events in Los Angeles and Miami,” Angie recounts. “Without her nurture, love and support, I wouldn’t have blossomed into a confident trans woman.”
It’s mutual for Joey, who says: “Angie is inspirational as she lives her truth. It elevates my own, allowing room to shine individually.” Their relationship has only grown stronger through the years, and together, they have become a beacon of hope, not just in the LGBTQIA+ community but for anyone embracing their truth. “My resilience had been tested many a time,” adds Joey, “and my love always prevails.”
Read more: Love & Pride: Angie and Joey Mead King speak about their marriage, acceptance and breaking barriers
And so, for both, pride is not just about celebrating who they are today but recognising the ongoing struggles many face, especially in a country where the SOGIE Equality Bill has yet to pass. This same spirit is mirrored in their relationship with HardWear jewellery. “Wearing Tiffany rekindles loving memories; each time I see my pieces, I feel valued and loved,” Joey muses. Angie echoes the sentiment, calling it a symbol of being “blessed, luxurious and fashionable”. More than jewellery, it’s a reflection of how far they’ve come, and how boldly they continue to live
Michelle Dee
Above Michelle Dee layers Tiffany & Co HardWear pieces in rose, white and yellow gold
Michelle Dee layers Tiffany & Co HardWear pieces in rose, white and yellow gold
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Beauty queen, actress and performer Michelle Dee has long represented elegance and poise, but beneath all the glamour is a woman who has fought to own every part of herself, even those she once felt she had to hide. Her success began not from fitting in, but from finally showing up as her truest self.
Dee defines pride as the freedom to love and express oneself without apology. “Even now, just existing openly, especially in public, can still feel like an act of defiance even if it isn’t. That’s why we keep showing up and why we keep moving with intention [and our] best foot forward,” she adds. When times get tough, as they inevitably do, Dee looks to her “why”—to her mission and advocacy, her loved ones and the people who find strength in her story. Her work, from stage performances to advocacy to music, carries the same intentionality.
Recently, with her songs, she relays what she wishes she’d heard when she was younger—lessons on self-worth, identity and the power of embracing who you are. “They’re honest, sometimes raw, but always rooted in love,” she states. “It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being real.” It’s exactly what wearing Tiffany & Co makes her feel, just elevated. Layering HardWear pieces in different shades of gold, the statuesque star likens this strong, feminine contrast to a visual metaphor for individuality: “how no one shade defines you, and how the beauty is really in the mix.”
In the Philippines, Tiffany & Co has boutiques at Greenbelt 3, The Mall at Nustar and The Shoppes at Solaire Resort & Casino.
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Credits
Photography: Alexis Dave Co, assisted by Prime Production (BJ); Shaira Luna (Angie, Joey and Michelle)
Hair: Dale Mallari (BJ); Jay Wee, assisted by Sasha Tagud (Angie and Joey); Nelly Sebo (Michelle)
Make-Up: Thazzia Falek (BJ and Joey); Justine Navato (Angie); Dave Quiambao (Michelle)
Trained as a student journalist, Mac’s knack for writing was a serendipitous discovery. Years later and she can’t imagine doing anything else. When she isn’t typing away on a story, she revels in being lost in a new city, revisiting a cosy film or sitcom, and idling away with her dogs.
