Profile Text
Lhuillier in 2008, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Diane Monique Llamas Lhuillier
Place of Birth: Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
Date of Birth: September 15, 1971
Ethnicity: Filipino [Cebuano], one quarter French, one eighth Welsh, some Spanish
Monique Lhuillier is a Filipino fashion designer and creative director.
She is the daughter of Amparito Llamas, a model and society figure, and Michel Jones Lhuillier, a businessperson and diplomat, who owned the M Lhuillier chain of pawnshops. Her father was born in Vietnam, when it was a French colony, to a French father, and to a Filipino mother, who herself was of Welsh and Filipino descent. Monique’s mother is a Filipina, of Filipino and Spanish descent. Her uncle, Philippe Jones Lhuillier, is the Filipino ambassador to Spain. Her cousin, Philippe’s son, is businessperson and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier.
Monique moved to Los Angeles, California, to study at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. She is married to Tom Bugbee, with whom she has two children.
Monique’s paternal grandfather was named Henri/Henry Louis Léon Lhuillier (the son of Léon Octave Lhuillier, and of a woman surnamed Lemaire). Henry was born in Paris, Île-de-France, France, and was a diplomat and businessperson. He founded the Cebuana Lhuillier chain of pawnshops and financial services.
Monique’s paternal grandmother was Angelita Escaño Jones (the daughter of Arthur Watkin Jones and Marciana Faelnar Escaño). Angelita was born in Cebu City, Central Visayas, Philippines. Arthur was born in Neath, Port Talbot, Wales. Monique’s great-grandmother Marciana was born in Cabalian, Leyte, Philippines, the daughter of El Excelentísimo Señor Don Fernando Escaño y Villareal and La Excelentísima Señora Doña Agustina Faelnar y Onting.
Sources: https://www.liveabout.com https://www.famousfashiondesigners.org https://business.inquirer.net
Genealogy of Monique Lhuillier (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com