MJ Lastimosa’s Filipino-designed red gown earns raves

By: Rissa M. Camongol - 10 years ago

Screen grab from MJ Lastimosa’s Instagram account

MANILA, Philippines—Filipino netizens have spoken: MJ Lastimosa could have had a bigger chance of winning had she worn the creations of a Filipino designer to the Miss Universe pageant.

Posting on Instagram a photo of herself in a red gown, Lastimosa on Tuesday earned raves for the dress which was designed by Filipino designer Leo Almodal. The photo has close to 4,000 likes as of posting time.

Instagram user noelninomatias said: “Sana ito na lang isinuot mo.pasok ka sana (You should have worn this. You could have made it to the finals),” while m2vin said: “this is way better than the basura gown from Barraza (way better than the trashy gown from Barraza).”

The sentiment has been echoed in her other photos wearing creations by Almodal.

Screen grab from Leo Almodal’s Instagram account

Lastimosa’s national costume and evening gown have drawn the ire of some Filipinos who found the dresses she wore in the pageant on Jan. 25 lacking. “Stella Marquez Araneta should be blamed for the non inclusion of RP in Ms Universe’s top 5. The gown is tacky, outdated and hideous,” said Twitter user SirMayIGoOut.

Miss Universe delegates from the Philippines have been wearing gowns by Colombian designer Alfredo Barraza since 2001, after Miriam Quiambao donned one of his creations in 1999.

Stella Araneta, chair of Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) which is in charge of sending Philippine candidates to the pageant, said in an interview with TV Patrol on Saturday creations by Filipino designers “were no good” for the Philippine candidates.

The dresses worn by Philippine candidates to the pageant in the past years have since drawn flak from spectators who blamed the lackluster designs as one of the causes why the country has always come close to winning but is still yet to take home the crown.

Barraza also designed the gown of the winning candidate, Miss Colombia Paulina Vega.

Almodal has designed gowns for celebrities and beauty titlists such as former Miss Universe Philippine representatives Janine Tugonon, Shamcey Supsup and Miss World 2013 Megan Young.

Netizens have mentioned names of some Filipino designers whom they thought could do an excellent job in dressing up Philippine delegates such as Francis Libiran, Michael Cinco, Monique Lhuillier, Rajo Laurel and Cary Santiago, among other noted Filipino fashion designers.

Lastimosa, however, said it’s not about the dress. “[I]f it’s your destiny and if you give your all, hindi lang naman yun sa suot mo pero sa puso mo, sa personality na ipapakita mo sa gabing yun (it’s not just the dress you’re wearing, it’s about what’s in your heart, in the personality you will be showing that night),” she said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Balitang America.

Lastimosa on Wednesday posted on Twitter she was homebound after competing in the pageant in Doral City, Florida. “Kumusta na!? Uwi nako maya maya! Yey!” she said.