Miss Universe 2008 Fashion Review and First Impressions
We are starting with the delegates from Asia and the Pacific. Please note the the gowns shown are not necessarily the gowns that the contestants will be wearing in the preliminaries and in the finals night.
Miss Guam Sierra Robertson looks great in her yellow gown with silver belt which is situated in her waist enough to highlight her curves. The high slit highlights the sex appeal of the design but the additional wrap in her right hand can distract us a little bit but it could add an extra touch of class. Sierra performed well here at Miss Universe 2008 with very good impression given to her during the arrivals. But remember she is the first to arrive so she virtually evaded any comparisons and that made her to stand out. Overall though, Sierra could be disappointed that the sash named "Guam" commands little attention.
Miss Philippines Jennifer Barrientos' flesh gown is geometrically designed to make it appear that everything is held on her hip. That is a brilliant idea because it would emphasize her figure. The rays running upwards and intended downward creases that initially so bold but disappears completely as the skirt flows downward complements the feminine physique. Jennifer is beautiful in her own right but many of her fans don't agree. There is less if not muted support for her from the usually passionate and loud Filipino fans. She is not expected to fare well at Miss Universe 2008.
Miss Australia Laura Dundovic's wardrobes drew flak from her home crowd even days before she arrived in Vietnam. The little experimentation that her National Director is doing seems to be gaining more smirks than nods. In this gown, one would indeed smirk at the overall design. The choice of this shades of brown and khakis is wrong enough. Then the lower part simply reminds us of thousands of stockings hung upside down. Laura had been largely ignored at the start of this pageant but she is being noticed these days. She is indeed a top 15 material and perhaps at any gown she will shine. Will she be the next Jennifer Hawkins?
Miss New Zealand Samantha Powell seems to be patronizing the Maori culture in most of her wardrobes. Of course at National Costume contest it could be alright. But here in this purple gown with faded prints, whether intentional or not, one can be reminded that June is Matakiri month and basically we don't need that. The gown is figure hugging but lacks sex appeal considering how restrictive the upper cut is and the rather tacky hemline that screams banal. Laura is a great girl but she is basically drowned at Miss Universe 2008 by more spectacular women.
Miss India Simran Kaur Mundi is spectacular. I just love her. Any wardrobe can be thrown into her and she would still come out unscathed. These floral prints in khaki background look busy and distracting but Simran comes out still as sexy and appealing. Simran is a top notch delegate and a head turner here at Miss Universe 2008. Watch out for her, she could win that crown!
Miss Sri Lanka Aruni Rajapaksha's sapphire gown is very elegant and I just love it. What worries me however are the gold solid wavy lines that radiate from her right underarm. It could be either a boon or a bane depending on one's perspective. Without it, the gown could be clean and simple but terribly elegant. Aruni is not in anyone's top fifteen list and it is very likely that it will stay the same till July 14th.
Miss Japan Hiroko Mima is very royale in her gown with royal blue floral prints. The cut is very sexy (its breast-revealing) and could turn heads and distract anyone. This gown however is risky for anyone else. The cut is simple and the entire work seems to be plain and if it's not Hiroko who's wearing, it could be a disaster. Hiroko may have a hard time in this pageant. She must shoulder big expectations and its a big shoe to fill. She's no Kurara nor Riyo and that's a problem and no country has ever won the Miss Universe crown twice in a row. Having been crafted under the hands of the legendary National Director Ines Ligron, Hiroko has the style and elegance and she's confident.
Miss Korea Sun Lee is also under the tutelage of Ms. Ligron and her gown speaks that out loud. This is an out of the ordinary piece with a palette that shouts out loud. The gown has basically simple pink canvas overlaid with crimson plus a grey tie on the neck. Sun is also pressured to win because she need to redeem their 2007 performance. But then again she lacks the same aura as that of Honey Lee last year. She could surprise as though because the Ligron magic works.
Miss China Ziya Wei's spice brown accent on a very dark color is a big no-no. It is basically okay but the problem is the restriction by the knee area that makes the gown terribly so yesteryears. Ziya is largely ignored by pageant fans but what is so likable about her is that she looks sweet and demure but of course these are not enough to win the Miss Universe 2008 crown. China landed as 2nd runner-up in 2002 and that's the only record they have so far at Miss Universe. (oh does the special award last year counts?)
Miss Kazakhstan Alfina Nasyrova looks resplendent in her bell blue gown. I love the fact that the color has a minerally effect and its utter simplicity ironically gives an overall touch of class. Alfina has caught the eye of many experts before the delegates arrived in Vietnam. But there are many cases that Alfina failed to satisfy the discerning taste of missosologist. Maybe she's a dark horse that can pull an upset!
Miss Malaysia Levy Li's black gown with silver accent is a fashion faux. The design and cut lacks modernity, taste and inspiration. This gown is a disaster. Levy is not a top 15 material sad to say and Malaysia should take notice to the delegates that they are sending at Miss World. A Miss Universe renaissance is yet to take place in a country that claims to be as truly Asia.
Miss Singapore Shenise Wong looks lovely in her magenta gown. Nothing spectacular with her gown though but Shenise carried it well. She is the most experienced among the Miss Universe 2008 delegates and I think that could be an edge. She will have a hard time to topple the favorites but she has a good chance to make it to the top fifteen. Pity though that Singapore had been sending mediocre delegates for years and that add up as a burden for Shenise.
Miss Israel Shunit Faragi can make waves with this bright red gown if only the right girl is wearing. And also if someone can take the rough texture off the fabric. Red is best on plain and shiny fabrics but could be annoying on rough ones. Shunit has no legion of fans, no sash-factor to boast and probably no chance to be on top 15.
Miss Indonesia Putri Raemawasti looks nice in this gown. The orchid and wine berry colors were used. The high slit oozes with sexiness and the spray of flowers at the start of the slit adds dramatic effect. This is a gown that was brilliantly done but it could be better. Putri has a strong legion of fans and she can charm everybody in some instances. In most instances though, Putri came out as a plain beauty in a sea of spectacular ones.
Miss Thailand's Gavintra Photijak is a beautiful lady that deserves a much better gown than this heavy gown. Flame in color and evokes the shapes of a flower loudly and repeatedly, this gown is an example of disastrous design. As I have said, red deserves smoother fabrics and the heavily pleated hemline went into the other ugly direction. Gavintra is beautiful (just look at her doll-like face) and I think even more beautiful than the recent last three Misses Thailand. But she's more demure while the others are outgoing. And so all the attention that she should get merely gets deflected.
Miss Vietnam Nguyen Thuy Lam looks lovely in this silver gown. Silver gowns are always equated with elegance but there is something wrong with this one. The rays in her hip area seems to be misplaced. No slit or any other geometric shapes complements it. Nguyen Thuy Lam is a celebrity in Vietnam and it is very much likely that the homecrowd will be terribly offended should she be excluded in the top fifteen. She will be there and that is only probably how far she can go.
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