Beauty pageants are no longer just platforms for women who are on a mission to make a change. In the past years, we’ve seen beauty contests help propel the careers of many fashion designers as candidates wear their creations that mirror their journey and heritage. That case is true for many Filipino fashion designers and at the latest edition of the Miss International pageant with Filipino-made garbs gracing its prestigious stage.
First is the Philippines’s representative Nicole Borromeo. The eventual third runner-up donned an iridescent gown by Dubai-based fashion designer Furne Amato. The look, which was inspired by the Visayan’s sirens, featured a romantic silhouette with intricate details mimicking the bioluminescence of aquatic life and translucent fringe creating the illusion of fins.
Next is Cambodia’s Elina Somnang. She wore a custom piece by Filipino fashion designer Rian Fernandez. The pink evening gown featured hand-embroidered sequins and a dramatic tulle train. According to the designer, the piece’s shades of pink were made to represent femininity and new beginnings.
Last is Pakistan’s Misbah Arsad. For the pageant, she opted to wear a gown crafted by Filipino fashion designer Bessie Besana. Regal and elegant, the gilded gown presented a one-shoulder silhouette with linear beading and a flowy cape.
Miss International 2023 was held last Oct. 26 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. The reigning queen, Jasmin Selberg of Germany, passed her crown to Andrea Rubio of Venezuela.
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