(From left) Miss USA 2022 R’Bonney Gabriel, Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Cortesi. Images: Instagram/@rbonneynola, Screengrab from Facebook/Miss Universe
The 71st Miss Universe preliminary competition was not only a celebration of women empowerment but also an opportunity for Filipino designers to showcase their most spectacular creations before a global audience.
Armed with grace and poise, some of the delegates of the pageant donned creations by Filipino designers at the preliminary stage in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the US. The pageant also witnessed candidates wearing two shoe designs crafted by Filipino shoemaker Jojo Bragais.
Take a look at how these candidates dazzled the crowd in evening gowns and national costumes that were locally made.
Celeste Cortesi (Philippines)
The Philippines’ own Celeste Cortesi stepped out in a sparkling, sky-blue evening gown by Oliver Tolentino. The intricate gown features a combination of tulle, thousands of handsewn crystals, and lace patterns.
SERVING ELEGANCE. ✨
LOOK: Celeste Cortesi stuns in a light blue dress at the evening gown portion of the 71st Miss Universe preliminary competition. | 📸: Facebook/Miss Universe via @HMallorcaINQ #71stMISSUNIVERSE #MISSUNIVERSE pic.twitter.com/4VhfHpxoe4
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) January 12, 2023
Tolentino also shared close-up glimpses of Cortesi’s gown on his personal Instagram account on Thursday, Jan. 12, which also featured two thigh-slits.
Apart from Cortesi’s evening gown, Tolentino also designed the beauty queen’s national costume that’s reminiscent of Filipina superhero Darna. The costume features the heroine’s signature red knee-high boots, and red-and-gold bikini top, finished with a medallion belt with gold-lined loincloth.
LIPAD, CELESTE! 🔥
LOOK: Celeste Cortesi prances on the 71st Miss Universe preliminary competition stage in her Darna-inspired national costume. (📸: Facebook/Miss Universe) #71stMissUniverse #MissUniverse | @HMallorcaINQ pic.twitter.com/d3p8A5Y7PA
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) January 12, 2023
The Beverly Hills, California-based designer is also known for designing Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach’s red gown that she wore at the pageant’s preliminary competition.
R’Bonney Gabriel (USA)
Despite representing the US, R’Bonney Gabriel paid homage to her Pinay roots when she wore her evening gown and national costume by Filipino designers.
Gabriel dazzled pageant fans with her national costume inspired by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space center in Houston, Texas. The costume, created by Patrick Isorena, is decked out in massive silver stars, thigh-high boots and armor-like finish.
“The purpose of this costume was to inspire women in all spaces across the universe to dream big, shoot for the moon and achieve something out of this world,” Gabriel said in the caption of her post.
The Filipina-American lass also wore a dramatic magenta Rian Fernandez creation, which includes a bedazzled bodice with matching bolero with trumpet sleeves. The Pinoy designer also dressed Gabriel when she represented Texas at the Miss USA pageant in 2022.
“This year’s ‘Viva Magenta’ brave and fearless color truly empowers Queen R’Bonney Gabriel’s @rbonneynola fashion and style in the 71st Miss Universe competition,” Fernandez wrote in his post.
Manita Hang (Cambodia)
Manita Hang stunned the audience with another Rian Fernandez creation, which is described as a gown that pays tribute to the banyan tree, which grows throughout Cambodia.
Fernandez also shared that Hang’s gown represents her “long-wait hunger” for the Miss Universe crown, as seen on the combination of its tailored suit top and sheer flair skirt.
Noky Simbani (Great Britain)
British beauty queen Noky Simbani sent pageant fans in awe as she wore a body-hugging Louis Pangilinan creation in the shade Viva Magenta.
According to the designer, the halter gown was fully encrusted with beads, sequins and premium crystals. The striking creation was inspired by Simbani’s “source of empowerment” which aims to encourage women to “push themselves and seek adventure” in the workplace.
Maxine Formosa Gruppetta (Malta)
Maxine Formosa Gruppetta of Malta also wore a Louis Pangilinan gown during the preliminaries in a striking sunlight yellow hue that complemented her complexion. The dress also allowed the beauty queen to flaunt her curves with its sheer bodice, high slits and crystal patterns.
“[The gown] was inspired from women’s passion and desire that beckons from afar that simply reveals a modern transformational woman,” Pangilinan said.
Evlin Khalifa (Bahrain)
Bahraini stunner Evlin Khalifa took pageant fans’ breath away in a sparkling hijabi creation by Furne One Amato. To recall, Khalifa is also known for being the first cousin of Filipino basketball athlete Dwight Ramos, from her mother’s side.
Khalifa’s sparkly ensemble hugged her curves in the right places, and it also featured a headpiece reminiscent of the hijab—a tribute to Bahrain’s traditional clothing.
Alicia Faubel (Spain)
Simple but elegant, Alicia Faubel of Spain flaunted her curves in a nude off-shoulder creation by Leo Almodal. The nude gown is completely adorned with intricate beadwork and crystals, giving the Spanish beauty queen an illusion of height.
Alexandrine Belle Etoile (Mauritius)
Mauritian Alexandrine Belle Etoile’s gown is among the ensembles that responded to the preliminary’s need for color.
With its sweetheart neckline, pastel purple tone and crystals, the Carl Andrada creation showed off Etoile’s figure at its best. The look was completed by the beauty queen herself, who decided to have her hair in a classic updo.
Gabriella Gonthier (Seychelles)
Another Carl Andrada creation of the night gave Gabrielle Gonthier another nude illusion-inspired look in her preliminary evening gown.
Andrada shared a closer glimpse of the gown on his personal Instagram account, where he was spotted adding more crystals to its bodice. EDV /ra