Check out the stories behind the stunning looks
The cobbled streets of Ilocos Sur became the runway for Miss Universe Philippines 2022’s National Costume presentation. This year, the local beauty pageant puts the spotlight on Filipino tapestries with the theme “Habi.”
“The Philippine textile industry is an integral part of our uniquely beautiful history,” the pageant posted on social media. “It represents the rich stories and craftsmanship of different tribes and communities throughout the archipelago. It is part of the fabric of our national identity.”
“Aside from promoting our tourism, the Miss Universe Philippines Organization also aims to promote and put forward Filipino textiles and weavings because these are treasures we can't afford to lose,” it continued. “This is an industry we want to continue and help strengthen.”
For the showcase, the top 32 candidates wore the most stunning ensembles crafted by local fashion designers. Here are the stories behind some of this year’s National Costumes:
Jona Sweett (Aklan)
Designer: Adriano Samar
Miss Aklan Jona Sweett dons an all-black ensemble that is inspired by the Ati-atihan Festival. To achieve that, the piña fabric is hand-dyed using Talisay plants. Completing her look is a headdress that symbolizes the indigenous Ati hut.
Pauline Amelinckx (Bohol)
Designer: Mikee Andrei
Pauline Amelinckx channels her inner sea goddess with Mikee Andrei’s terno creation. “This National Costume is a collaborative effort by Boholano creatives,” the designer posted on Instagram. “What helped us decide to choose the water element in this creation is Typhoon Odette. Water was the first cry for help of the Boholanos when Typhoon Odette hit us. Pauline and I took the initiative to help our fellowmen by starting our own donation drives together with fellow Boholanos in the metropolitan.”
Chantal Elise Legaspi Schmidt (Cebu City)
Designer: Axel Que
Noted costume designer Axel Que makes another jaw-dropping creation, this time, for Cebu City beauty Chantal Elise Legaspi Schmidt. Dubbed “Perla del Mar de Oriente” (Pearl of the Orient Seas), the costume celebrates the “beauty and bounty of the Philippine seas.”
Jeanne Nicci Orcena (Davao del Norte)
Designer: Mark Joseph Sayad
“Musikahan Festival” of Tagum, Davao del Norte is the inspiration behind Mark Joseph Sayad’s costume design for Jeanne Nicci Orcena. According to the designer, the ensemble combines different textiles from different seven tribes of Davao del Norte. While the trumpet is an ode to Davaoeño’s love for music.
Jedidah Korinihona (Davao del Sur)
Designer: Nicky de Asis
Highlighting Bagobo Tagabawa’s culture is Nicky de Asis’s creation for Jedidah Korinihona. Inspired by “Kuda,” a Bagobo Tagabawa word that means “stallion” or “mare,” the costume is adorned with brass bells and the Bagobo tribe’s intricate beading. Completing her look is a Lol'len headdress, a piece made with horsehair and worn by women from a royal family, and a bamboo flute.
Isabel Dalag Luche (Mandaue City)
Designer: Mark Barry Luche
Sabong or cockfighting plays as the inspiration for Mark Barry Luche's design for Isabel Dalag Luche. According to VAMP Model Management, “Mandaue City hopes to shed light on cockfighting as a thriving Filipino culture; that there may be issues surrounding gambling and the event of abduction during the rise of e-sabong but this is not the context of this costume. This is to showcase that there is an elan and elegance in cockfighting. We may give in to luck, but we also put sweat and effort into earning our money the hard way. Sabong has been our avenue to take a break from our rigid tasks and have fun and be merry.”
Gillian Katherine de Mesa (Nueva Vizcaya)
Designer: Michael Barassi
Michael Barassi’s red look for Gillian Katherine de Mesa is an ode to the Legend of Salinas Salt Spring, which centers on the tragic love story of local legend mountain princess Yumina.
Alyssa Georgia Felix (Pampanga)
Designer: Rowell Panlilio; Karo by Darwin Liangco Reyes
Rowell Panlilio and Darwin Liangco Reyes’s “Karo” pays homage to Macabebe, Pampanga’s history, faith, and livelihood
The coronation night of Miss Universe Philippines 2022 will be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on April 30.
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