Olivia Culpo’s clothes call

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Former Miss USA and utter stunner Olivia Culpo has been using her Instagram clout to become a beauty influencer, but with the recent launch of her first clothing collection, she’s become a designer in her own right.

“I actually tried to build this collection around my wardrobe must-haves/staples,” Culpo told the Track of her new fashion line, which she’s offering through the online retailer Le Tote.

“You always need a good crisp white button-down, a great maxi dress, a leather skirt and pants and form-fitting bodysuits,” she continued. “Additionally — black, pointed toe pumps, black leather belt with hardware and camel belt and a black, white and camel bag.”

When designing her debut collection, Culpo said she was trying to make the clothes radiate female empowerment and confidence.

“I love the idea of women supporting women,” she said. “The majority of my followers are women and I always try to encourage them to have fun with fashion and beauty. These pieces reflect both femininity through the prints and colors, but also durability and strength through the fabric and silhouettes — kind of like us!”

Her collection aside, Culpo shared other style advice about this season’s must-rock — and must-not — pieces.

“Turbans are in for sure. So are colored and translucent lenses in sunglasses, dramatic sleeves and wrap dresses and wrap skirts,” Culpo said.

“Lace and embroidery are always a great summer go-to,” she continued. “As for what is out — I would say let’s get rid of glitter once and for all! But I will probably go back on this someday and wear a ton of glitter, so don’t hold me to it!”

If you scroll through Culpo’s Instagram pics, you can tell the lady practices what she preaches. She sure hasn’t shied away from billowy, bold sleeves. And not a speck of glitter is to be found — at least for now.

As for what’s up next for Culpo, she’s hoping someday to show off her creations.

“I would love to have a fashion show,” she said. “It would be unreal to see my designs walk down the runway at fashion week.”Read more at:green prom dresses

Designers and stylists tell us what’s in trend for Ramadan this year in India

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While a variety of kaftans, long gowns, tunics, head scarves, and flowy sequined and embroidered maxi dresses are being launched internationally for women during this season, Indians, too, have many options to choose from, say experts.

Talking about what to wear for social gatherings, designers Shantanu and Nikhil say, “Draped anarkalis in matka silks with sharp colour details will look great on women. Men can go for bundies layered with asymmetrical kurtas.”

Stylist Ayesha A.K. suggests to go for light-coloured clothes and fabrics. “Don’t wear tight-fitting clothes. A flowy kurta or a light-coloured blouse and lehenga will look great. There’s a floral lawn collection that’s trending globally, so you can opt for clothes from there,” says Ayesha, adding that embroidered capes can make any outfit stand out. She suggests hijabs in jersey or even silk.

Talking about the accessories, she says, “Go for three pieces at a time. For instance, wear a ring and don’t go for a bracelet. If your blouse is simple, go for a statement necklace. Women can also opt for juttis. Also, if you’re wearing a hijab, your earrings or necklaces may not show. So you can wear big tikkas.”

Designer Vijay Rana, who has designed clothes for Ramadan, says, “Go for drapes, as they look highly sophisticated. I would also suggest women to go for ruffles or coordinated anarkali sets, or see-through long dresses over culotte pants.”

For men, Ayesha says wearing a white or cream kurta is too predictable and they can opt for colours such as jade green and black. “Linen fabrics and handloom kurtas are also in. Don’t go flashy with colours,” she says.

On what would be the most apt clothing for this Ramadan, designer Gaurang Shah says, “One could opt for a traditional anghrakha, or a short anarkali with gharara. One can also choose a kanjeevaram short anarkali with a kota woven dupatta and a gharara.”Read more at:prom dresses uk

How Luxury Came to Love Streetwear Sites

Streetwear sites like Highsnobiety and Hypebeast used to focus on the latest Supreme drops. Now, they work with luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior and Gucci.

Last November, Gucci partnered with Highsnobiety on a shoppable lookbook promoting its graffiti inspired Cruise 2017 collection, created in collaboration with former snowboarder and artist Trevor Andrew, aka GucciGhost. Within the first days of the campaign, the lookbook images, featuring a group of New York skaters, generated over 1 million impressions and drove 2,700 clicks to Gucci's e-commerce site within its first week, according to Highsnobiety.

Highsnobiety currently attracts about 6.5 million unique visitors per month. Hypebeast has about 9 million. But both began as simple streetwear blogs. “It was at a time that there wasn't a lot of choice for someone interested in a creative discipline in fashion outside of fashion design. There was no fit for me in terms of courses offered in Europe,” explains Swiss business student-turned-blogger David Fischer, who in 2005 founded Highsnobiety during his last semester at university. “From the first day, it's always been a website about product, sneaker culture and streetwear. Those were the things I loved.”

That same year, Kevin Ma, a Hong Kong-born student and sneaker enthusiast living in Vancouver, Canada, launched the footwear blog Hypebeast as a side project. “I was collecting sneakers, lining up for them, visiting sneaker forums like Nike Talk to find information about it, but at the time information was very dispersed, so I decided to start documenting my findings,” recalls Ma.

For years, luxury brands kept their distance, even as the sites began to expand their beats and grow their audiences. “People pigeonholed us as a streetwear blog and told us to stay in our lane, but for us our lane was always wide,” says Ma. "We always wanted streetwear and high fashion to be together, we didn't want to differentiate it

Fischer agrees: “It was a strange relationship between perception versus reality. We were still being perceived as a niche [website] but 500 million impressions a month is not a niche.”

But as Hypebeast and Highsnobiety began to scale, the gap between high fashion and streetwear also began to close, culminating in the birth of street-luxe labels like Vetements. The shift began in earnest back in 2006 with the rise of Shayne Oliver’s Hood By Air and could be seen in Riccardo Tisci's streetwear-inspired work for Givenchy. By 2012, everybody from Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga to Alexander Wang had referenced streetwear in some form or another. The same year, Ma featured Dior Homme artistic director Kris Van Assche on the cover of Hypebeast’s inaugural print issue, which explored the synthesis of high and low culture.

Some readers were confused. But luxury labels soon started paying attention, as they slowly recognised not only the rise of streetwear, but the growing influence that streetwear sites like Highsnobiety and Hypebeast had on millennials, one of the largest generations in history about to enter their peak purchasing years. Indeed, Bain expects millennials to boost the value of the personal luxury goods market to €290 billion ($324 billion) over the next three years, with the generation accounting for 45 percent of sales by 2025.

“I think we reached a critical point at the end of the first decade of this century, where brands really started to realise the reach of these publications and the trust their fan bases have,” says Brian Trunzo, senior head of menswear at trend forecasting agency WGSN.

At the same time, the media landscape changed dramatically, compelling brands to shift their marketing spend away from traditional advertising towards sponsored content, something that Hypebeast and Highsnobiety were poised to exploit.

“The ecosystems have changed, particularly where the much-discussed millennials are engaging with fashion, style and culture. For a luxury brand, it's very important to understand how that dynamic is changing as our engagement with the millennial segment is growing quite dramatically,” says Robert Triefus, chief marketing officer at Gucci, who, in the past three seasons, has worked extensively with both Hypebeast and Highsnobiety. “I think that the relationship with the likes of Hypebeast and Highsnobiety is all part of the motion of the changing ecosystem and changing way of engaging by creating content and narratives.”

Jennifer Sey, chief marketing officer of Levi's, which also works with both publications, adds: “What comes from us directly is advertising and the consumer is sceptical of traditional advertising. When it comes from these sites it’s an automatic endorsement.”

“[Luxury and streetwear] are moving closer to one another and I guess we've managed to build a certain authority and stability as a media brand to bridge the gap between those developing movements and mainstream media,” says Fischer. “That combination of being able to package something in a way that we're speaking to this important opinion-leading audience but at the same time doing so at a global scale — that matters.”

In February, both Highsnobiety and Hypebeast launched in-house creative agencies — Highsnobiety+ and Hypemaker, respectively — to capitalise on growing demand for brand partnerships. “Clients understand the second they want to reach a global influential audience, they need to be speaking to a partner like us,” says Fischer.

“There's no questions that this type of content is proving to be engaging and ultimately is delivering a result,” adds Triefus. “It doesn't mean to say that the old partners and systems aren't relevant, it just means that you adapt your ecosystem and deploy your content in a more comprehensive way.”Read more at:evening gowns | red prom dress

These 11 Skincare Tips Will Prep You For Perfect Skin This Summer

The Mummy has inspired us to step up our quest for eternal youth—and if that doesn't quite pan out, we'll take the best skincare we can get. There’s nothing like a change in weather to make us rethink our beauty routine—and in the warmer months especially, we’re all for having a glowing complexion and a smoother canvas for makeup (hello, festival season! We need our makeup to last!) We checked in with the most in-demand skincare and beauty experts to learn their tried-and-true tips for saving face and staying #flawless.

Feed Your Skin

“Think of a grape and a raisin,” says Nigma Talib, ND, skincare whisperer to A-listers like Kate Bosworth, Penélope Cruz, Sienna Miller, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. “A grape is nice and full, and that’s what we want our skin to be.” To achieve this, the HealthyDoc owner recommends a diet incorporating nutrient-rich staples like cucumber and celery (“They actually hydrate your cells,” she notes), and superfruits like antioxidant-packed blueberries, which are packed with polyphenols that combat aging.

Avocado-lovers (aka everyone) are also in luck: The savory fruit “helps you absorb other vitamins and nutrients your skin needs to increase collagen production,” says Talib, who’s also a fan of using the good fat in at-home face masks.

Change Your Mindset

On the other hand, Talib says that some of the hardest-to-give-up kitchen essentials (think gluten, dairy, sugar, and wine) contribute to raisin-like aging. Instead of succumbing to cravings, think about feeding your body—and skin. “When you feed your cells—because your body’s made up of trillions of cells—the right foods, we end up plumping versus wrinkling prematurely,” notes the Younger Skin Starts in the Gut author.

Know (and Love) Your Supplements

While a balanced diet is key, sometimes you have to call in for reinforcements. “Naturally derived supplements can offer concentrated nutrients to keep skin looking its best every day,” says Zea Skin Solutions co-founder and holistic beauty and nutrition expert Paula Simpson. Her go-to? Zeaxanthin, which is naturally found in paprika. Not only does it help even skin tone, but it’s also believed to boost eye health—a win-win when it comes to (literally) looking good!

Hi, Tea!

Herbal hydration has its beauty benefits, Simpson says. “Teas like nettle, ginger, dandelion, cranberry, and burdock root are known to support digestion, liver, [and] kidney function to remove toxins before they reach skin tissue, and stimulate circulation to promote dermal blood flow.”

Protect Yourself

“Serums contain actives to renew, hydrate, and protect skin from daily pollutants and stressors,” says Simpson, who suggests applying a natural-based, antioxidant-infused serum to slightly damp skin (“to encourage absorption,” she notes) morning and night.

Pro tip: How you apply serums can make all the difference. “I always massage upward and use the Hungarian tapping technique to increase stimulation,” says supermodel facialist Ildi Pekar, who treats beauties like Miranda Kerr and Irina Shayk. Bonus: You’ll get a rosy cheek resembling natural blush.

Out with the Old, In with the New

Depending on your skin type, Simpson recommends exfoliating one to three times per week. “Whenever you need to slough away dead skin cells and encourage new, younger looking cells to emerge, you need to exfoliate,” she advises.

And when it comes to resurfacing, Pekar looks for organic botanical enzyme-based home peels. “Even skin texture that is sensitive or rough can benefit from this,” she says of the natural blend. “It is gentle and helps to dissolve sweat, buildup, pollution, and toxins on the skin.”

Sweat it Out

Need another reason to hit the gym? Sweat “helps cleanse toxins from your body and promote dermal circulation,” says Simpson. Translation: There’s a reason why your skin looks fresh and radiant post-workout.

Don’t Overdo It

“Over-washing can be very drying to the skin,” observes Pekar. To avoid this, swap your cleanser for toner in the AM.

Face Forward

Pekar recommends doing a clay or mud mask once a week. Her go-to? Her eponymous Hungarian Thermal Mud mask “to help detoxify and create glowing skin.”

Lock it In

“For longer lasting makeup, I always hydrate my skin with moisturizer,” says Pekar. She swears by her own moisturizer complete with raw honey and hyaluronic acid, which she says “act as humectants to keep moisture within the skin.”

Order is Everything

As for makeup? “It’s all about layering,” says Mai Quynh, who works with ingenues like Kristen Stewart, Amber Heard, and Vanessa Hudgens. Quynh recommends starting with liquids or creams and setting with powder, whether for eyes, base, or blush (“Apply cream blush first, set with powder, and then apply powder blush on top,” she says of the last.)

Kirin Bhatty begins each look with primer. “This creates a nice barrier between the skin and makeup,” says the makeup artist, who works with celebs like Lorde, Jenny Slate, Freida Pinto, and Rosario Dawson. To complete the look, she uses a setting spray like her go-to, Urban Decay All Nighter.Read more at:purple prom dresses | yellow prom dresses

Talbot’s 5th solo is best yet

Back when I hosted “Ceol na nGael” on WFUV, one of my favorite singers to spin on a Sunday was Heidi Talbot. A distinct, signature voice, Talbot added vibrancy and character to any playlist I compiled. Now, in 2017, after a career with Cherish the Ladies and several solo albums, Talbot is making something of a second coming in traditional Irish music. Her most recent release, entitled “Here We Go 1, 2, 3,” has got to be her best yet.

I once thought that Talbot peaked when she sang with Cherish the Ladies. She remains my favorite vocalist the legendary all-female trad band has brought into their circle. During the early 2000s, Talbot sang a number of gorgeous ballads for Cherish, including “Hard Times” and “Sweet Thames Flow Softly” off the album “Woman of the House” (2005). These songs captured Talbot in her element: they cover the range of her voice from whispery notes to powerful choruses. Her career singing traditional ballads for CTL perfected what I see as the Talbot tag: a style that might be called hippy-trad, historical in sound but modern and freeing in her unique inflection. Heidi Talbot’s career with CTL ranked her among the best of Ireland’s female vocalists. From those songs alone, she was grouped—in my mind—with the all stars of traditional Irish singing, including Karan Casey, Cathie Ryan, and Cara Dillon. It was a sad day when Talbot and Cherish amicably parted ways, but she went on to do some great solo work.

Heidi Talbot has released five solo studio albums to date: “Distant Future” (2004), “In Love + Light” (2008), “The Last Star” (2010), “Angels Without Wings” (2013), and last but most certainly not least “Here We Go 1, 2, 3” released last October. Across the oeuvre, Talbot has demonstrated a wide range of influences. She has recorded songs that have been pop, rock, even American country in nature. But of these five, “Here We Go, 1, 2, 3” has quickly and easily become my favorite. In this fifth album, Talbot finally returns to the style she perfected with Cherish the Ladies, what I’m calling this hippie-trad. She sounds like the Joan Baez of traditional Irish music, and it’s just what I’ve been missing of her since her days with CTL and “Woman of the House” in 2005.

Although “Here We Go 1, 2, 3” sounds more Irish than Talbot’s previous four solo albums, don’t expect the same old traditional tunes you grew up with. This is traditional style, but with new songs and lyrics. For instance, Talbot has a new song called “Chelsea Piers” on the album—her New York homage. “The Wedding Day” puts a subtle soulful spin on a traditional folk song. It’s an Irish melody with a touch more rhythm, a touch more jazzy sway. “Time to Rest” is another stand out—the kind of folk song you’d hear at a pub and get so wrapped up that you completely lose track of your surroundings. But the real treasure of this album is the title track. The melody is easy, happy, and truly gorgeous, especially when Talbot hits those high notes and the fiddle follows. If you’re a fan of traditional Irish music, of Cherish the Ladies, or of folk music generally, I guarantee “Here We Go 1, 2, 3” will be a new favorite. We Irish music fans love to hear the same songs we’ve sung all our lives, but there’s nothing like the thrill of a new song, especially when it’s a traditional one—and that’s just what Talbot has provided on this track and on the album as a whole.

I was wrong when I thought Talbot reached her peak in 2005. She’s back with a force and clearly knows her unique take on traditional singing is just what Irish music fans are looking for. I’m filled with nostalgia listening to “Here We Go 1, 2, 3” remembering when I first fell in love with traditional music and with Talbot’s voice as a teenager. Her new album has me reliving that cultural thrill all over again, with the added wisdom to know how and why the music is exceptional. This is an album you shouldn’t miss—so give it a listen, not just once, but two, three times, at least.Read more at:orange prom dresses | grey prom dresses

Swarovski to Sponsor Graduate Fashion Week

The Austrian crystal company, which is also a sponsor of the BFC's Fashion Awards and the CFDA Awards, will sponsor two awards at Graduate Fashion Week on 7th June, including the new Hilary Alexander Trailblazer Award and the International Catwalk Competition.

Alongside the awards, Swarovski will host an interactive hub where students can experiment with crystals, as well as talks with key industry figures.

Swarovski already works with several schools around the world, awarding scholarships and creating application room workshops in leading universities, making the partnership a natural fit, says Martyn Roberts, creative and managing director of Graduate Fashion Week.

“We’ve been admiring the work they’ve been doing to support emerging designers, by working with a number of universities,” he says. “With Graduate Fashion Week being the largest platform for fashion graduates in the world, our profile has been growing internationally over the last five years. It seemed perfect for the partnership.”

“We are pleased to support Graduate Fashion Week with prizes that celebrate some of the most exciting young designers emerging today,” said Nadia Swarovski. “It is a pleasure to be part of their journey.”

This year, Graduate Fashion Weeks International Catwalk Competition is expanding to include 32 fashion schools. Adrien Yakimov Roberts, international trustee for Graduate Fashion Week, believes Swarovski’s sponsorship indicates a shift toward more collaborative attitudes between fashion schools and brands worldwide.

“We’re moving away from the very old-fashioned idea of people seeing other schools as competition, now we see everybody as a collaborative partner,” says Yakimov Roberts. “I think the world has changed and we’re changing with it.”Read more at:evening gowns | cheap prom dresses uk

Beach bumming Indian style

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The Indian woman has never been this open to experimenting with their beachwear, and designers willingly testify to the fact. However, finding the right kind of bikini or even a monokini leaves a lot of beach bums choosing to wear sportswear, like speedos, or even ill-fitting ones.

Noticing there is a market here, Tas Gabaji, proprietor of Nothing Swim says she started to work on making bikinis that are not just high on utility, but don’t sacrifice on the fun factor either. “As far as garments are concerned,” explains Tas, “When you go to the US, the generic type of skinnier woman is a lot squarer than ours. So if you get beachwear from any leading international chain of clothing brand, it doesn’t necessarily cover things you want it to cover. The bottoms will always be those half cut ones, or they sit far lower on the waist. Even the triangle tops are smaller than what I think people here generally want to go for.”

Designer, and creative director of LoveGen, Nandita Mahtani is in agreement with Tas, that the Indian body requires a better, snugger fit. “The Indian body type, when generalising, tends to be curvaceous, even when skinny or thin. In reality, Indian bodies can actually look fabulous while sporting a bikini. However, in India the bikini size is either super-tiny, or super-big, whereas the Indian body is in between — thin, yet curvy. So more than styles, correct sizing is what needs to be available here. Indian bodies have the curves, but the fitting needs to be correct so it doesn’t look vulgar. In recent years the high waisted, ’90s swimsuit is in high-end fashion today.”

Ramp model Shruti Agarwal believes that the times have indeed been changing, with Indian women opening up to the idea that there isn’t really one ideal body type to sport a bikini. “I think bikinis outside are given to have sharper cuts, high waist, or hip cuts. In catering to the Indian market, we have more regular bikinis that cover the bottoms. The market is such because Indian culture doesn’t really allow for people to be comfortable wearing bikinis. But this is changing.”

“The size of the bikini bottom has to be one size larger than the bikini top,” say Aanchal Bubber of Bubber Couture. “Also the bottom of women in India is generally bigger. Most women in India are conscious of their wide hips. Styles, which cover the hips more, are better suited for an Indian body type. The Bikinis from abroad don’t end up covering the bottom, so a wider back has to be made for the bikini bottom.”

Tas continues that the more that women travel and discover cultures beyond their own, the more open they are to sporting different variety of clothes. “Locally, people tend to wear a lot of sportwear, but people who travel more are open to wearing bikinis now. There’s also a massive demand for monokinis, especially from people of medium to large sizes. Here, one wants something that’s in between a full piece, a one piece and a bikini. People are far more comfortable with their bodies, and from a few years ago to now, people are far more open to wearing bikinis.”

“For an Indian body, Halter-neck bikini top and a regular bottom would really suit it and accentuates the curves,” explains designer Seema Khan. “Designers must keep in mind that a lot of Indian women are conservative, and the culture impacts how they design bikinis in India.”

Designer Anupama Dayal believe that for beachwear, accessorising is key too. “Personally I feel that the upper body is beautiful. As a designer, I love to focus on parts of the upper body to make it more attractive. In addition to that, I would love to design a drape type of cloth to add to the sexiness factor,” she says.Read more at:simple prom dresses

New app aims to solve 'what to wear

There are days everyone wishes they had a magic mirror to tell them how they look or to give them the answers to nagging questions like, "Does this hat work with my outfit?" or the age-old question, "Do I look fat in this?" Although life is not a fairy tale and Snow White is only a Disney character, one new app makes it possible to become "the fairest of them all" with the help of your smartphone.

"We wanted to create something that allows people to get an independent person's opinion on their look, instantly," said spokesman for the company David Vasquez, adding, "With Spontana, you can get feedback spontaneously whenever you need it."

To evaluate their success, users can keep a gallery of their previously submitted selfies, allowing them to review the most successful. After extended use, users can learn how to make good fashion choices, like whether to choose sandals instead of boots or an off-the-shoulder top instead of a classic button-up blouse.

Users are also given the chance to compete for spots on best-dressed charts and worldwide leader boards. The boards showcase the most active users with the highest rankings or those who have posted the most selfies, while the top chart displays photos of the most attractive users.

In such an interactive and social environment, users often hit it off. In these cases, Spontana has also included a chat and the opportunity to link app memberships with other social media accounts, creating not only a fashion-friendly community but also an online global family.

"Spontana is not a dating app per se but a way to meet and interact with people you find attractive," said Vasquez, adding, "Our goal is for Spontana to facilitate interactions naturally, which may lead to further, more meaningful connections outside the app."Read more at:cocktail dresses uk | cheap prom dresses uk

Wedding without kanyadan

Delivering a blow to patriarchy, a family in Maharashtra got their daughter married without performing the traditional ritual of kanyadan. At the wedding ceremony of Ashay Sahasrabuddhe, son of BJP vice president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and Shivada, the niece of BJP’s foreign affairs cell head Vijay Chauthaiwale, tradition took a new turn. According to a report by The Hindu, they duly entered wedlock without the kanyadan ceremony. Well, that’s not all… Quite unbelievably, the couple was solemnised by a female priest.

The mother of the groom, Nayana Sahasrabuddhe was particularly adamant that she will have none of the kanyadan rituals. “I believe that a kanya is not a commodity to be given away as daan. The ritual also takes away all sense of agency from the bride and is as though her parents are abdicating custody of her,” she was quoted as saying in the report.

Her firm conviction against the regressive rituals convinced the groom’s uncle to persuade the parents of the groom to give up the ritual. Reportedly, after some mulling over, they agreed. “We do kanya poojan on the one hand and refuse to recognise the rights of a woman on the other,” Chauthaiwale told the newspaper. He added that it is important for people to not encourage such hypocrisies and to completely give up on such mindless rituals.

Moreover, both the families decided to go a step ahead and opted for a priestess to solemnise the wedding because the families wanted to do away with the custom of having a priest to conduct the ceremony. Even though the priestess Padma Kasalikar was a little hesitant to do away with kanyadan, she understood that both the parties were assertive to go for a wedding sans it.Read more at:yellow prom dresses | orange prom dresses

The gowns

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THE fashion gods know that we’ve seen too many ugly gowns on the Binibining Pilipinas stage over the years. But then Filipino designers were welcomed back with open arms in 2014—creating fantastic national costumes, scintillating swimsuits and ravishing eveningwear—and the competition became even more exciting.

At the 2017 Binibining Pilipinas Coronation Night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, there were gowns of every hue, silhouette and weight. Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, as cohost of the pageant, wore three long gowns: a pleated Francis Libiran, a Popo Go fantasy, and an enchanting Patricia Santos.

If the trend holds, the designers who created the winning Binibinis’ gowns would also be the ones to dress them during their international campaigns. That’s more opportunity and prestige for Filipino design talent to be showcased worldwide.

Adriano Samar designed the evening gown of Kristel Guelos, the second runner-up.

“This is a contemporary serpentina made of white soft and nude power tulle with a structural sequence of white appliqués. Swarovski crystals and ceramic stones are sewn in a pattern that accentuates the shapely fit of the entire cut. The total effect is dramatic in a subtly understated way,” the young designer explained.

Pablo Galicia Mendez III created the evening gown for Charmaine Elima, the first runner-up. Like the national costume that he designed for her, Charmaine’s gown was intricate and eye-catching. It’s white satin with silver sequins and one-shoulder sleeve cape for high impact.

Nelda Ibe, Binibining Pilipinas Globe, wore a Paolo Blanco creation: a nude tulle sprinkled with red sequins of coral-like appliques.

The controversial Katarina Rodriguez, the new Binibining Pilipinas Intercontinental who’s a mix of Reham Snow Tago and Alice Dixson, wore a Francis Libiran design: a jewel blue electric-pleated gown in fine Mikado fabric with ombré airbrush details, intricately encrusted with fine crystals.

On her Instagram account,she decried the allegations about her not being grateful for her title: “Hi fam. Never made an announcement to anyone that I’m resigning the crown. It’s been two days since one of the most intense and fun experiences of my life.”

Elizabeth Clenci, Miss Grand International Philippines, bears a striking resemblance to the stunning Armi Barbara Crespo (Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1972). She is this year’s silent killer, nary on anyone’s best-bets list but proving to be deserving of her victory. She wore Jaz Cerezo’s one-shoulder, ivory-caped gown in neoprene. The most charming of this Binibini batch simply stated on her Instagram account : “Hi, I’m Chanel Olive Villamayor Thomas, your Bb Pilipinas 2017-Miss Suprantional!

She wore Odelon Simpao’s fuchsia semi-serpentina gazar silk gown with fully beaded bodice and Swarovski crystals. The incomparable Cary Santiago created the raspberry gown for Maria Angelica de Leon, the outspoken Binibining Pilipinas International. The designer said the piece is completely hand-stitched, no side seams, no darts. He used a moulage on the stupendous dress.

Another world-class designer, Val Taguba created the silk chiffon orange and gold gown for Rachel Peters, our new Miss Universe Philippines who twirled it a la Dayana Mendoza at Miss Universe 2008.Read more at:http://www.marieprom.co.uk/quinceanera-dresses