A post shared by The Business of Fashion (@bof) on Sep 10, 2017 at 4:52am PDT

MANILA -- As part of the exciting New York Fashion Week happenings, the online fashion publication Business of Fashion (BOF) held its annual BOF500 list event, an award given to the biggest players in the global fashion industry. And this year, the Philippine fashion and retail sector is swelling with pride, as another Filipino was added to the esteemed roster.

The addition of Mark “Jappy” Gonzalez officially marks the third Filipino awardee in the BOF 500 list, garnering praise and excitement from local readers.

Gonzalez’s inclusion in the list has sparked plenty of hope for more Filipinos to be acknowledged in the global fashion industry. Rightly so, with three Filipino talents in the award’s list historically, there is no doubt that Philippine fashion has a place in the international stage.

To date, here are the three Filipino awardees who have made the BOF500 list:

1. Mark “Jappy” Gonzalez

Awarded this year, Gonzalez is the founder or the H&F Retail Concepts, which introduced luxury brands such as Balenciaga, Lanvin, Comme des Garçons, Acne, Margiela and many more to the Philippine market. He is the first locally based Filipino to be part of the BOF 500 list. Photo from @hommeetfemme_ph on Instagram

2. Bryan Grey Yambao, “Bryanboy”

Awarded in 2013, Bryanboy is one of the earliest style and celebrity bloggers to have paved his way into the front row of fashion circles. His blog, which was launched in 2004, has since become a style power-platform, with about 1.4 million unique hits monthly. Bryanboy’s video post, titled ‘Leave Marc Jacobs Alone,’ had actually reached the attention of the designer, and he has since been a VIP personality in fashion weeks. Photo from @bryanboycom on Instagram

3. Stephen Gan

Awarded in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, Stephen Gan has been dubbed as “one of the most influential figures in fashion media,” with multiple titles under his stewardship. He is currently the editor-in-chief of V Magazine and VMan, while also serving as creative director to Harper’s Bazaar and the CR Fashion Book. Gan is also co-founder of the Visionaire magazine, a star-studded fashion publication released three times a year. Photo from @vmagazine on Instagram