PH’s Miss Universe bet Catriona Gray wows with ‘LuzViMinda’ national costume
By CNN Philippines Staff
Miss Philippines Catriona Gray’s national costume for the Miss Universe 2018 pageant has finally been revealed.
The 24-year-old Filipino-Australian beauty queen showcased the country’s three regions in the national costume she unveiled on Monday.
Catriona stole the show when she walked on the stage wearing her catsuit, and T’boli headdress, along with handmade brass bracelets and belt from South Cotabato in Mindanao. Her embellished bodysuit, made by designer Jearson Demavivas, drew inspiration from the Pintados Festival of Tacloban in Eastern Visayas — turning her into a fierce, modern warrior.
Her custom-made knee-high boots, created by Mindanaoan designer Jojo Bragais, were inspired by different ethno-linguistic groups of the southern region, such as the Manobo, Maguindanao,Yakan, Maranao Bagobo, and T’boli.
Although she struggled a bit, Catriona confidently walked the runway pulling her huge parol piece backdrop on wheels. The inspiration came from the colorful Christmas lanterns of Pampanga in Luzon. It was outlined with brass metal, taking cue from the country’s Baroque churches. On the back of the parol, the country’s national anthem was written in Baybayin, while depicting the country’s festivals, heroes, and national icons.
Gray said her costume, dubbed “The LUZVIMINDA: “Magdiwang (Celebrate). Lumaban (Fight). Pagyamanin (Enrich),” underwent consultations with historians to accurately represent the vibrant culture of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
“Given the chance to represent the culture of the Philippines internationally, authenticity was a really important thing to me, so we consulted different historians,” she said.
