Time flies so fast!!! Can’t believe that Demi Leigh Nel Peters will be passing on her crown in few hours time. Miss Universe 2018 Preliminary competition took place at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. The 94 contestants paraded in their swimsuit and evening gowns. The competition in the swimsuit portion was neck to neck but it is the evening gown competition that will cause some upsets, because some girls came out of nowhere to perform exceptionally well and some front-runners disappointed. We won’t be talking about the performances in this post but we will simply review the evening gowns. First off kudos to the CHI team they didn’t ruin any contestant’s hair or the makeup. Loved the long ramp glad that they ditched the stairs which made it difficult for many contestants to carry the gowns. This year the whole walk, pose and the smize thing was giving poor man’s Victoria Secret feel but none the less Thailand has been a good host can’t wait to see who will win this edition.
Honourable Mentions:
Miss Universe Philippines, Catriona Gray: We can’t deny the fact that she nailed her performance but the choice of her gown and styling couldn’t create the impact that her team might have envisioned for her. The gown designed by famous Filipino designer Mak Tumang was inspired by a mythical bird called Ibong Adarna and Mikimoto crown the current Miss Universe crown.
Miss Universe Israel, Nikol Reznikov: She ditched those complicated gowns for a simple white pantsuit. Which was a smart and powerful move. I doubt it will increase any chances of her placing but she did create a good and unique impression.
Top 10 Best Evening Gowns from Miss Universe 2018 Preliminary Competition!!
10. Miss Universe Colombia, Valeria Morales: This red number is quite unusual for a Miss Colombia who is known for their sexy and glamorous gowns. This red ball gown made Valeria look like a princess.
09: Miss Universe South Africa, Tamaryn Green: Did she fall off from heaven cause she looked like an angel in that beautiful white gown. She literally looked like a duskier version of Oxana Fedorova, (Miss Universe 2002 from Russia who was dethroned). Loved how she kept things simple and elegant so that the attention stayed on her and not the gown.
08: Miss Universe Russia, Yulia Polyachikhina: Miss Russia looked like a living doll in that beautiful cobalt blue off-shoulder sequined ball gown. Yulia completed her look with some stunning jewellery and an up-do which gave her old school Hollywood glamour vibes.
07: Miss Universe Nicaragua, Adriana Paniagua : Wore a stunning silver full sleeve, Swarovski beaded gown designed by Filipino designer Benj Leguiab which was a stand out for its intricate cut-out. Adriana finished off her look with diamond earrings and a high ponytail which was a good thing as it didn’t make the whole look pageant patty. The gown itself reminded us of Miss Georgia USA’s gown at this year’s Miss USA pageant.
06: Miss Universe Brazil, Mayra Dias: Bringing some red carpet glam to the Miss Universe 2018 stage was Miss Brazil in this unconventional choice. The sheer cascading ruffled pattern gown looked amazing on her and she nailed her presentation.
05: Miss Universe Curacao, Akisha Albert: She was like royalty on stage. Loved the silver beaded gown with side cut outs around the waist area. She screamed Miss Universe from head to toe in that gown.
04: Miss Universe Vietnam,H’Hen Nie: Jeannie Mai we missed you! when Miss Vietnam walked out in that stunning yellow gown. Yellow is a tricky colour to pull off at times it can be overpowering but the way Miss Vietnam enjoyed her self on the runway it was just amazing.
03: Miss Universe Ecuador, Virginia Limongi: Wearing a design by famous Filipino designer Mark Bumgarner ivory/silver beaded gown. The gown itself was manoeuvring near the bridal side but her sleek gelled backed hair and teardrop earrings just saved the day for her.
02: Miss Universe Canada, Marta Magdalena Stępień: If you don’t know we are totally in love with Miss Canada this year. She can easily be mistaken for Victoria’s Secret model for her never-ending. She can literally wear a sack and look a million bucks in it but luckily she opted for a Michael Cinco gown that highlighted her curves and the horizontal sequined lines just made her look even more taller.
01: Miss Universe India, Nehal Chudasama: Call us nationalist but the girl who clearly stood out during the evening gown competition was Miss India. Her gold/nude gown with intricate detailing screamed perfection. Nehal completed her look with a high bun which was once a trademark of Miss India’s at international pageants. Just loved her whole flawless look! Kudos to Swapnil Shinde for creating this master piece for India.
Picture Credits: Miss Universe