LOOK: Beatrice Luigi Gomez dons national costume inspired by the Bakunawa 'in its final form' at the 70th Miss Universe prelims
Beatrice Luigi Gomez wowed the audience in her Bakunawa-inspired attire at the National Costume Show at the 70th Miss Universe’s preliminary competition.
The country's Miss U bet dazzled in a creation designed by fellow Cebuano Axel Que, who also worked his brilliance in her national costume for the Miss Universe Philippines pageant. At the time, Gomez also wore an outfit inspired by the same Visayan icon in Philippine mythology. What makes this one more remarkable, however, is that she showcased the golden lunar dragon in its final form.
On the prelims stage, she shone from head to toe in shades of blue, gold, and yellow that were somehow softened in subtle cutouts. Adding more oomph were her jeweled headpiece by Manny Halasan and striking knee-high heels. She topped the stunning moment with smoky makeup and a lovely updo.
Almost time for national costumes! #MissUniverse pic.twitter.com/3UtJihpouK
— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) December 10, 2021
"I wanted to continue my narrative of the Bakunawa, and I’m taking my artistic license to a whole new level. The initial version was a bit restrained, it was more of a Drake (video game jargon used for a dragon’s stage of evolution), which is basically mid-life cycle. I wanted to take everyone on this journey of growth and maturity, not just for the costume itself, but also as a metaphor for Bea’s personal evolution," Que wrote in an Instagram post.
"I am proud to present my Bakunawa’s final form: The Golden Lunar Dragon. This is a personal, hypothetical envisioning of what the Bakunawa would look like had it succeeded in devouring the last moon. I chose gold to render the whole piece in because aside from its divine beauty, it is considered as the perfect element (because it’s chemically one of the least reactive), and to hopefully imbue this characteristic to the wearer, much like an enchanted armor," he added.
"I believe that this final rendition of the Bakunawa, will serve as the perfect conclusion to this design chapter in my life. I’ve poured so much of myself into engineering this garment, and I am filled with so much joy to be able to share this project of unbridled artistry and craftsmanship. I couldn’t think of a better punctuation," concluded the fashion designer.
The Miss Universe 2021 preliminaries were held in Eliat, Israel. You can watch it on Lazada Philippines’ official Facebook page and Miss Universe’s official YouTube channel. Tune in to PhilSTAR L!fe for more updates.