Demonstrating the talent and skills of Filipinos on the Miss Universe stage, Philippines’ bet Michelle Dee glamoured her evening gown inspired by Filipina legend Whang-Od.
Simple yet with a deep meaning, Michelle disclosed the back story of her evening gown, as she wore a black long and backless dress with details on the top.
In her Instagram post, the Filipina beauty queen shared that her evening gown has focused on the works of Filipina traditional tattoo artist and legend Whang-Od, as the details on the top of her gown are in the form of her known tattoo art.
“A tribute to a legendary Filipina who has become an icon, preserving the rich cultural heritage of indigenous tattoo art. She has achieved global recognition and symbolizes timeless beauty, coinciding with Miss Universe lifting its age restrictions, championing inclusivity, and challenging age stereotypes. A true icon and the last of her kind, she is a symbol of bravery, beauty, and inclusivity. Whang Od,” she said.
Making it minimalist yet elegant in the eyes of the audience, Michelle was able to cater to the history and culture of the country through her evening gown, as the works of the legendary Whang-Od have previously been highlighted by other countries.
Following this evening gown, netizens and even personalities applauded her outfit during the competition, hailing her advocacy to show the world the beauty of the country’s culture and the empowerment of Filipino women.
“Your efforts, hard work, tenacity, and fierceness will not go unnoticed. You are a queen on your own merit. We love you and are so proud to be Pinoy,” Miss Grand Philippines 2021 Samantha Panlilio said.
During the competition, the beauty queen fell short of making it through the top 5 finalists but made history during the competition after bagging three notable awards during the competition.
Michelle was recognized as a gold winner for the ‘Voice for Change,’ fan vote winner, and received the ‘Spirit of Carnival’ award, which still served as a win for the country, making Filipinos prouder of the beauty queen.
Photo credit:
https://www.instagram.com/michelledee/
https://www.instagram.com/michelledee/
