Here’s what you need to know about her dress
Binibining Pilipinas 2022 may be over but we are still on a fashion high thanks to the Filipino-designed looks the pageant’s contestants and hosts donned on the stage. Among the best dressed of the night was Gabrielle Basiano, the pageant’s crowned Bb. Pilipinas Intercontinental 2022.
Following her last year’s performance, Gabrielle has again brought home the Best in Evening Gown Award. She did that with the help of Filipino design duo Jevin Salaysay and Ken Batino, the creators behind her last year’s winning “Perlas” dress. This time, the beauty queen from Borongan City, Eastern Samar wore a white and gold ensemble called “Raya,” complete with a bedazzled salakot.
According to Ken, the inspiration behind the look was Disney’s first Southeast Asian princess Raya from the 2021 animated film “Raya and the Last Dragon.” “Raya is a headstrong young woman, a very capable person, has a sense of humor, and occasionally shows a bit of playfulness just like Gabrielle’s personality.”
To make the look, Ken and Jevin used a white sequin fabric as the base of the dress. They adorned it with two different sizes of gold chains and finished the design with 200 meters of Swarovski crystals, making it a dress that truly sparkles. By the end of the design, the gown is estimated to weigh around 18 to 20kgs.
Apart from the nod to the Disney film, the dress also signifies the evolution of the P-pop industry. “The overall revelation of this masterpiece represents the industry's transition to modernization and fearless innovation, which also relate to my personality of taking risks, being eccentric, and unconventional,” Gabrielle said during the segment’s voiceover.
While the dress is a true Ken and Jevin creation, Gabrielle also has a part in the piece’s design process. “As designers, we always take consideration of our beauty queen’s personality and, of course, ask them any thoughts on our designs.”
“To be honest, were a bit pressured from our last year’s Best in Long Gown win with the hooded ‘Perla’gown,” But with the help of my partner and co-designer, Jevin, we decided to stay to our core and think of out-of-the-box ideas. The goal is to make her stand out.”
And, yes, Gabrielle did!
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