The top Miss Universe 2022 national costumes according to style experts
The Miss Universe 2022 preliminary competitions on Jan. 12 recently concluded with a fitting finish through the national costumes round, where the aspiring candidates got to show off their ensembles that are all incorporated with their respective country's diverse cultures and traditions.
While each costume is unique and special in their own right, there were some that stood out more than the others. PhilSTAR L!fe has gathered the opinions of Filipino style experts, such as experienced fashion designers and stylists, on which costume had the winning moment during the show.
Here are their picks:
Puerto Rico
The costume of Puerto Rico's Ashley Cariño made it to one of the top picks of Jim Ryan Ros, the head makeup artist for beauty camp Aces and Queens and the owner of Culture Salon.
The costume took inspiration from the telescope of Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory, the largest one in the world until 2016.
As the costume featured a satellite-like prop with a screen, Ros praised it for ingeniously showcasing famous places and personalities, such as some of the past Miss Universe winners from the country using LED.
Ukraine
With her ensemble of a "warrior of light" that embodies Ukraine's fight for freedom, Viktoriia Apanasenko's costume featuring a pair of mechanical wings and a shining sword also landed on Ros' favorites.
The stunning and powerful costume also represents how the warrior of light protects the country like Archangel Michael, who is a guardian of soldiers and is considered to be a patron of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
"We’ve seen a lot of winged costumes in the past, but this one was very well-executed as she used mechanical wings, which made the presentation very smooth," he said.
Philippines
The costume of the Philippines' very own Celeste Cortesi also took a shine on beauty queen stylist Randell Giel. For the competition, Cortesi transformed into Darna, the classic superhero every Filipino knows and loves.
With her red and gold two-piece attire, headgear, arm cuffs, knee-high boots, and a golden backpiece reminiscent of the Philippine flag's sun, Cortesi brimmed with heroism and hope that the fictional superhero embodies.
Giel raved that they had been looking forward to the Filipina beauty to showcase the brave and strong-willed protector: "Darna is our very own superhero, and Celeste is the perfect queen to do this iconic character."
Trinidad and Tobago
As soon as Trinidad and Tobago's Tya Jane Ramey stepped onto the stage clad in a golden getup that symbolizes the country’s carnival, it reminded Giel of the Philippines' own Higantes festival.
The ensemble comprises an embellished golden gown of layered strips of cloth. According to history, the origins of the carnival began in the 18th century with the French who had colonized the country. African slaves were prohibited from taking part in the festivities so they held their own parties.
Guatemala
With her pyramid- and jaguar-inspired masterpiece that included a portable staircase, it's no wonder that Guatemala's Ivana Batchelor managed to astound the crowd without even breaking a sweat, and that includes celebrity fashion stylist Myrrh Lao To.
The costume is said to honor the iconic elements of the country such as its majestic pyramid "El Gran Jaguar," the Mayan Calendar, as well as the face of a jaguar, an animal that represents power and strength for Guatemala.
Batchelor absolutely admired the costume as "the universal symbol of Mayan culture was presented with so much artistry! I love that Miss Guatemala was so committed to the drama of this look."
Meanwhile, Manny Halasan, one of the Philippines' top crown and jewelry designers, also fell in love with the creativity, historical value, and social impact of the costume.
"Ladies should present their costumes the best way possible, in telling stories about their country and its culture. It should also show some of their personality and how they carry themselves, seamlessly and effortlessly," Halasan said.
USA
USA's R'Bonney Gabriel is reaching new heights with her costume, which symbolizes NASA's Johnson Space Center as shown by the glittering stars surrounding her side and a large backpiece representing the moon to complete her look.
Ros emphasized that the story behind her attire was very strong, saying that "the first landing on the moon is a great story to include in a national costume" while To praised it for being a "breathtaking look paying homage to the NASA space center."
The costume also aims to spread a powerful message that women are now becoming more involved as leaders in helping the US to return to the moon as well as exploring the universe and beyond.
Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic's Andreina Martinez Founier was also a favorite of celebrity fashion designer-turned-businesswoman Chynna Mamawal.
The getup takes inspiration from the country's national bird, the palmchat, as it aims to highlight the great importance of birds in Dominican culture. Because it was handmade with more than 4,000 silk feathers and biodegradable materials, the costume became one of the top picks for Mamawal, who described it as "well thought of and executed properly."
Check out all the national costumes worn by the Miss Universe 2022 delegates here:
