
Cary Santiago leads the outcry against using a non-Filipino designer who certainly cannot capture the Filipino soul. All right, all ye beauty pageant lovers and bekis, keep calm. The worst is over. We lost the Miss Universe crown. And with it, our national pride. We couldn’t even win the Best in Gown title. How could we? The public sentiment is that the gown didn’t look Filipino at all. And social netizens say that it wasn’t even nice. “Huhu, parang plain white cake with colorful icings,” said James Ramos. “MJ Lastimosa’s national costume reminded me of my sister’s birthday cake,” posted Raffy Magno. The Bb. Pilipinas-Universe candidate was wearing a gown by a Colombian designer, Alfredo Barraza, who is being tortured now in social media for creating a confectionary mix of red and yellow flowers. Bb. Pilipinas chairperson Stella Marquez-Araneta says it was “inspired by the Panagbenga festival of Baguio.” Maria Stella Marquez Sawadzky won the first Miss International pageant in 1960 held in Long Beach, California. And she also won the heart of Jorge Araneta, head of the esteemed clan that owns Araneta Coliseum, the choice venue of beauty pageants for decades now. “The designs given to us were not good enough for our candidates. That’s the reason I went abroad,” explains the Colombian beauty queen who has adopted the Philippines as her home. She has, in fact, become an iconic figure when it comes to Bb. Pilipinas beauty pageants, which have always lorded it over other beauty contests. Lifestyle Read More …