In the not-so-distant past, women were at home, totally content with perfecting their cookie-cutter creations and not much else.

But times have changed and Pia Wurtzbach is here to remind the modern woman of her multifaceted-ness. It is this kind of versatility that the outfit she rocks for this Metro cover exudes: sexy yet sophisticated, feminine yet strong. Much like the evolution of the modern woman, her accessory, the Gucci Horsebit 1955 top handle bag, is also rich in history. The collection, which has a modern spirit, unifies the details first introduced on the original bag that inspired the line from over six decades ago, highlighting the Horsebit. Part of Gucci's genetic code, the double ring and bar design has been established as one of the most distinctive elements among the House symbols borrowed from the equestrian world.

According to Pia, the operative word in women’s lives today is choice—the choice to decide if she wants to find joy in making a home, climbing the corporate ladder, nurturing her entrepreneurial spirit, running after creative pursuits, or in some cases, all of the above.

One look at Pia’s updated resume proves that she speaks from experience. Since winning the Miss Universe title in 2015, the 34-year-old has also become a Metro Channel host, starred in films, nabbed brand endorsements, become a Mrs., and most recently, launched her debut novel, Queen of the Universe. Though a work of fiction, Pia hopes its story communicates one of the realest life lessons women can learn: that the universe celebrates every kind of woman, no matter how she chooses to live her life. The newly minted author talks to Metro.Style about her first journey as a writer and the secrets behind what she hopes is only the beginning of a career in publishing.

On Pia: Dress, bag, and heels, all by GUCCI Photography by Andrea Beldua

A goal-getter

Intentional is how Pia describes herself. Once people understand this about her, it becomes plain to see that she’s a goal-setting pro. These things have always been the secret ingredient in her successes. She might have made a name for herself as a beauty queen, but what she is overall is a go-getter with a will of steel. If she were otherwise, she wouldn’t have powered through losing Binibining Pilipinas twice before winning on her third try.

The same principle applies to everything she’s pursued after pageantry. Her foray into authorship is a product of years of back-and-forth planning, delays, rewrites, and yes, even procrastination. This has been her toughest goal to reach to date, but her desire to become a published writer was even tougher.

“To some people, this might come out as a surprise. I’ve had (my book) at the back of my head for a while…this is really something we’ve been working on for a long time,” Pia shares. In total, the book has been in production for at least five years.

“Hitting these goals, from Bb. Pilipinas… and now being an author, I’m not going to lie. They were all part of my plan!... I need to always go after something. If I don’t have a goal, if I’m not seeing a goal in the far distance, then I’ll be running in circles,” she continues.

Finally launching her book in September is a personal success for Pia, but it can be shared with other women, too. In a time when women are sometimes still measured by archaic standards—such as their looks, their interests, and the fields in which they thrive—Pia wants them to know that they are above this kind of judgment. Behind a woman’s face, body, and job description are her grit, creativity, and ambition. Even when the world fails to see this, women should bear them like badges of honor.

Pia Wurtzbach combines fashion and heritage in this shoot in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar Quezon City, wearing GUCCI

Story about a storyteller

Many forms of media were available for Pia to explore post-pageant life. But because she’s always been a storyteller, she sought ways to express herself in this manner. It’s why she enjoys the occasional Instagram reel or YouTube video; through these mediums, she shares relatable off-screen experiences and her thoughts on issues that matter to her. For some time, podcasting was also a good avenue for her penchant for stories. But in the end, Pia still yearned to do something more personal.

Writing a book, she thought, was the only way to fulfill this. She decided that doing so would serve two purposes.

One, it would allow her to test her storytelling abilities in a fresh way. She’s told stories via interviews, social media updates, and vicariously through the characters she’s played, but never through a book of her own creation.

Two, it would challenge her like never before. Pia, being a woman unafraid of unexplored territory, was more than excited to jump into the inky unknown of fiction writing. It’s simply always been her style in approaching new endeavors. If something feels a little scary at first, it must be worth the try.

“I really make sure that I think about it. If it’s not a ‘Hell yes’ then it’s not a ‘Yes.’ If it doesn't excite me and make me proud, then I probably won’t do it. Everything that I’m doing, I plan out properly. I make sure it’s really something I put my heart into,” she explains. And so, she picked up a pen, found a favorite writing spot (a cafe, for anyone wondering), and got to work.

Fashion muse Pia Wurtzbach embodies the modern independent woman in this timelessly sexy dress by GUCCI, accessorized with the versatile GUCCI Horsebit 1955 top handle bag

Art imitating life

“Some people at first thought I was going to do an autobiography, that I was going to talk about my life…Maybe I’ll save that for another time. A novel, though, is fun,” she teases.

The novel harks back to major points in Pia’s life, such as Cleo, the protagonist, joining a pageant and going on a journey to find herself in the colorful, complicated world of media. Everything else is fiction. (Part of the fun is in decoding what’s real Pia and what isn’t). As in real life, glitz and glam are part of the storytelling. And Pia did have a lot of fun conceptualizing her story.

Representing her “embellished, spiced-up” take on integrating her own experiences into the narrative is this Gucci silk viscose velvet set (as seen below), which is actually a limited piece from the luxury brand's pre-fall eveningwear. It spotlights refined textures such as smooth velvet, sparkling crystal embroidery, and diaphanous pleats.

Holding up a copy of her book, Pia divulges the inspiration behind the project. “...I was a really big fan of Lauren Conrad’s book L.A. Candy. She had a reality show on MTV called The Hills. I watched all of that. I was obsessed with it and I also read all her books,” Pia reveals.

She adds, “It’s loosely based on her life. It’s also about a girl who joins a reality show and tries to figure out how to make friends and deal with fame. It was amazing because I keep trying to guess which bits are real and which are not.” Pia jokes that the most fun part of writing was being able to make bits of the story as petty as she wanted them to be—something she would never be able to do in real life. Cleo, like Pia, has a group of best friends who play supporting roles in her story. There are also rivalries, surprise turns of events, and life lessons for readers to reflect on.

Queen P is every inch a fashion and beauty muse, looking sweet and feisty at the same time in her black GUCCI ensemble, topped off with an oversized hair bow.

The bigger picture

Pia hopes to achieve something much greater with her writing. She wishes to encourage Filipinos to return to physical books and rediscover the joy of reading. This might be an uphill climb in an era of social media and e-publications, but Pia asserts that the effort is worth it. She herself has been able to learn much about the world and more thanks to her favorite reads, and so wants Filipinos to experience the same.

These reasons are also why Pia chose to delay her book’s release. Though she had the option to do it online over the peak of the pandemic, something about a digital event didn’t feel right. Pia was unwilling to trade the experience of meeting the media and her fans face-to-face for convenience. The book experience, she says, should be savored in person. “I want to do meet and greets, see people’s reactions, and be able to sign books. I want to do book readings if I visit any of the bookstores. I want to interact with people in real-life… As an author, I want to be able to see people’s reactions when they get a copy or if they give me feedback. I feel like it should be an interactive thing,” she says.

Pia also dreams of more contemporary Filipino authors getting the opportunity to bring their ideas to international publishers, and therefore, increases their chances of gaining a wider readership. Her very own book came to fruition with the joint work of ABS-CBN Books and UK-based Tuttle Publishing. Working with them allowed her to fine-tune her story to become more appealing to a global audience while keeping its references to life in the Philippines intact.

“When you read the book, you can imagine being in Metro Manila… Filipino family traditions, the food that we eat—[it’s] all mentioned there. What I wanted was that if a foreigner, or someone who’s not Filipino that’s never been to the Philippines, picks up the book and reads it, they’ll be able to picture being here and really imagine what it’s like to be here in the Philippines,” she describes.

This Miss Universe 2015 titleholder shines anew with her new role as an international author and a fashion muse who recently made rounds at the Paris Fashion Week. Pia wears the GUCCI silk viscose velvet set from the luxury brand's pre-fall eveningwear collection.

An open-ended ending

Queen of the Universe ends with a message of empowerment. As Pia continues to be a role model for young Filipinas working towards their own goals, her book extends this message.

“I would love for people to feel that you determine the kind crown that you wear. You are the queen of your own universe… Some of us are educators, some of us are entrepreneurs. Some of us are homemakers, some of us are in the medical field,” Pia says. “Hopefully that’s the lesson people learn from this book is that being queen of the universe doesn’t necessarily mean winning something grand. It could be a small victory that’s very dear to you.”

After all, Pia’s book is a collection of several small victories rolled into one. When people learn to view their own small successes as parts integral to a larger whole, it’s easier to feel encouraged to keep going and feel proud of what’s already been done.

Just imagine: before a manuscript was completed, there was Pia being unable to write more than 20 percent of her book. Writer’s block and plain laziness were constant problems. Before her first chapter was written, Pia was having crazy conversations with herself out loud in the shower to figure out where the plot should go. And before she even completed whole sentences, all Pia had was a bulleted list of scattered ideas in the pages of her old pageant notebook.

She’s overwhelmed by the fact that she went from daydreaming about her very own book to being told that it will soon be translated for readers in different countries. “I always think that magic happens when opportunity meets preparedness. When you’re prepared and the opportunity comes, that’s when the magic happens. So don’t give up on your goals. Be stubborn with them, hold onto your goals. The time will come when things are going to pay off. It might take a long time, but you know what? It just makes victory even sweeter,” Pia smiles.

Just as Pia’s life continues to go in new and wonderful directions, her stories and ability to inspire will do, too.

On Pia: Top, skirt, and heels, all by GUCCI

Photography by Andrea Beldua

Creative direction by Chookie Cruz

Editor-in-chief: Geolette Esguerra

Sittings editors: Grace Libero-Cruz and Kate Paras-Santiago

Art direction by Raff Colmenar

Videography by CJ Reyes

Shoot coordination: Red Dimaandal

Editorial Assistant: Mika Yusay

Marketing Officer: Alexandra Camus

Makeup by Mickey See, assisted by Angelu Dominguez and Rene Rima

Hairstyling by Renz Pangilinan, assisted by Randolf Cullanay

Styling by Perry Tabora, assisted by Kris De Leon

Photography assistants: Mario Pepito and JR Baylon

Shot on location at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar Quezon City

Special thanks to Anelle Charity Pendang; Andee Que and Tiffy King of Gucci; and Mark Yambot, Kristine Hernandez, and Noella Fonbuena of ABS-CBN Books