Evening gowns that stood out during Miss Universe 2022 preliminaries, according to experts
The recently concluded preliminary competition held on January 12 has allowed 86 beauty queens from around the world to showcase their beauty through the stunning evening gowns. These queens have flawlessly dazzled the stage with their elegance, honor, and confidence, and some of them captured the attention of our pool of Pinoy style experts.
For fashion designer Manny Halasan, queens in their evening gowns should be judged not just by the details and artistry of their dresses, but also by the way she walks on stage.
“Her stage presence and projection should be remarkable, her aura should radiate and transcend whether watching it live or through virtual screening, and she should be more cautious on extra movements and gestures and instead show her Queenly vibe,” Halasan said.
And delegates who passed his “queenly vibe” check for Halasan are Bahrain, Cambodia, Colombia, Curacao, Italy, Malta, Philippines, South Africa, the USA, and Venezuela.
Here are more of their picks:
USA
Jim Ryan Ros, the head makeup artist of Aces and Queens, shared that Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel’s peek-a-boo trumpet dress was able to perfectly pull off the combination of different textures, successfully incorporating the signature beadworks of its Filipino designer Rian Fernandez. He also noted that the choice of color is “very bold and unique.”
Fashion stylist Myrrh Lao To said that the Viva Magenta moment was “embodied in an elegant and sophisticated way” by Miss USA, while Randell Giel, who is a fashion stylist as well, shared that he loved Gabriel’s “very Hollywood glam, noting that her gown is “very edgy and stunning.”
Bahrain
Did you know Filipino designer Furne Amato designed Miss Bahrain Evlin Khalifa's sparkly abaya dress? Ros gave kudos to her as she preserved her country's culture by maintaining a traditional yet modern look.
Thailand
Miss Thailand Anna Suengam-iam stood out in her simple yet sultry dress. Called the “Hidden Precious Diamond Dress,” it is made of a combination of aluminium pull-tabs of drink cans and Swarovski. This look is a tribute to her garbage collector father and street-sweeper mother.
Giel said that he “could not believe her gown is made of recycled materials,” noting its very intricate and meaningful detail. Lao To also loved “the sustainability approach and the story behind the dress.”
Venezuela
Other than passing the Halasan’s “queenly vibe” check, Lao To said Miss Venezuela Amanda Dudamel stood out in her lime green dress, noting “that pop of color was what we needed in a bevy of metallic numbers.”
Philippines
Lastly, Miss Philippines Celeste Cortesi stood out in her sky-blue evening gown created by Oliver Tolentino. Ros shared that her presentation “made the dress more beautiful.” He also complimented her consistency with her branding of “being relaxed, feminine & ethereal.”
Giel also “super liked” the gown, recognizing that Celeste’s signature color blue fits her angelic face “very well”, further exuding her elegance.
More of these glamorous looks are to be watched out for on the final stage of the 71st Miss Universe competition on January 15, 9 a.m. streaming for free through the Lazada app, and via live telecast at A2Z Channel 11, Kapamilya Channel, Metro Channel, and iWantTFC.