Ahtisa Manalo is a vision in blue on the Miss Cosmo 2024 stage. Image: Facebook/The Miss Philippines
Ahtisa Manalo may have blended in her background with the flowy blue gown she competed in during the 2024 Miss Cosmo pageant’s “jury night” held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on Thursday night, Oct. 3. But the frock may just bring her luck as it was made by the same designer who created Catriona Gray’s winning dress in the 2018 Miss Universe competition.
“Thank you, Mak Tumang [lotus emoji][blue heart emoji],” the beauty queen posted on social media after the preliminary event, sharing a video of the golden lotus accent perched on the gown’s chest area. He is the same designer who made Gray’s competition gowns in both her Binibining Pilipinas and Miss Universe journeys.
Manalo had previously been dressed by renowned global Filipino designer Michael Cinco, who made the blush pink gown she wore when she finished as first runner-up in the 2018 Miss International pageant, as well as the silver preliminary gown and red finale gown she used in the 2024 Miss Universe Philippines pageant where she was proclaimed as second runner-up.
The gown is called “Golden Lotus on the Water” and featured an A-line silhouette in light and flowy layers of chiffon that moved fluidly as she sashayed down the runway. It may have been in the same hue as the backdrop flashed on the huge LED panels on stage, but she stood out in a sea of beads, sequins, crystals, see-through fabrics, high slits, and cutouts that pageant fans have already seen in countless renditions over the past decades.
The entrepreneur from Quezon Province had just recovered from a sprained ankle a few days before the ceremonies held at the White Palace Vo Van Kiet. She sustained the injury after a stage collapse at the program’s original venue, the Phu Tho Stadium. The event was also moved a day later than the original Oct. 2 schedule because of the incident.
Among the members of the jury panel were 2021 Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu from India, former Miss Universe Organization Pres. Paula Shugart, 2022 Miss Supranational second runner-up Kim Duyen from Vietnam, and Vietnamese beauty queen H’Hen Nie, who competed with Gray in the 2018 Miss Universe pageant where she finished in the Top 5.
The event also saw the delegates competing in the swimsuit round, with the ladies parading in the same swimwear design but of different colors, save for a handful who opted for a more conservative cut. Manalo appeared in a pair of yellow two-piece suit with red accents on the top part, and executed her signature routine that went viral online. Her masterful handling of the cape also contributed to the impactful performance she made on the runway, moving the fabric away from her face so she can still be seen on the cameras.
Another Filipino contender in the race is part-Kiwi Franki Russell, actress and former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate who represents her father’s home country of New Zealand. She opted for a fully beaded green gown with a huge accent on one shoulder, and geometric patterns on the bodice and bottom, made by designer Rian Fernandez.
This is first-ever edition of the Vietnam-based international pageant. Manalo earned her ticket to the global tilt when she was proclaimed as The Miss Philippines-Cosmo after finishing third in the 2024 Miss Universe Philippines pageant in May. She confirmed that the Miss Cosmo pageant was her choice among the list of other competitions offered to the finalists.
The 2024 Miss Cosmo coronation night will be held at the Saigon Riverside Park in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday, Oct. 5. It will have a live telecast on cable channel AXN.