PART 3; MISS INTERNATIONAL PAGEANT; THE NATIONAL COSTUMES, EVENING GOWN AND CHEONGSAM SECTIONS

kee@fswmag.com
THE NATIONAL COSTUMES, EVENING WEAR AND CHEONGSAM PARADES OF MISS INTERNATIONAL 2010/11

THE 50th EDITION OF MISS INTERNATIONAL WAS HELD ON 7 NOVEMBER 2010 AT SICHUAN PROVINCE GYMNASIUM IN CHINA. A RECOD 70 NATIONS PARTICIPATED AND THE CROWN WENT TO MISS VENEZUELA FOLLOWED BY MISS THAILAND AND MISS CHINA.


Material girls



Miss USA as Wonder Woman and Miss Lebanon had enough fabrics but insufficient glitter.


I can't imagine women in Czech Republic this...


Don't worry, these are only part of their ensemble but when fully assembled, they did not win either.


She looked like a Greek goddess but lacked divine power to negate the Fates who decreed she would not win Best National Costume.

Miss Poland was initially a hot contender to win Miss International

Miss France did not wear Haute Couture. Nor did Miss Mauritius. Both looked like they made these costumes themselves.

I had never seen a hat the size of a side table on a geisha before. At least she had a built-in umbrella...

White on white just would not do

Graceful posture

Miss Japan was protected against unexpected leaks in the ceiling

I think MIss United Kingdom accidentally wore Miss Scotland's highland tartans by mistake.

Miss India abandoned her native saree for this warrior look

The peacock feathers came in too late and too few

I still think turbans look better on men and sarees look prettier on women but this is my opinion only...

Miss Thailand went on to win 1st Runner-up which is better than Best Costume but this version is too pale and insipid and did not do justice to Thailand's colourful culture.

I did not know Vietnamese aodai had metre high headgear like this. At first I thought she was Miss Nicaragua or Miss Guatemala.

Below are overall images of Best National Costumes at the rehearsal and not all contestants are fully garbed yet the impact was so colourful, riveting and thrilling.

Grand finale

Some said Miss Japan, Miss China and Miss Korea were put up front for political reasons.




These were all high impact, showy costumes!

These were more lowkey and strange they were placed together

Colours galore

Feathers too

Oriental drama

Eastern dazzlers doing a dance in harmony

All together now

A last wave

A final wave

The one waving a sword was Miss India

Hooray!


The National Costumes, Evening Wear and Coronation of new Miss International were eagerly awaited and none in the audience was disappointed. The 70 international beauty queens were dressed to the last sequin, pompom, lace, bead, leather and feather in the National Costumes category.

Below are photos taken by me using Leica and CANON cameras during the actual pageant.










All the drama and vibrant colours of National Costumes parade!


Miss Malaysia Chantelle Chuah did Malaysia proud in a magnificent Kelantanese warrior queen ensemble inspired by the state's Che Siti Wan Kembang, the first female ruler who ruled over an entire state in the Malay peninsula. Wan Kembang was so beautiful and formidable yet gracious as a Queen who ruled in her own right and not as wife to a Sultan. The Arab traders were so overwhelmed by her demeanor and regal bearing they conferred the title' Che Siti', the highest honorific title possible. Chantelle's outfit was by Lagenda Couture, the specialist in ball gowns and dazzling costumes.







What an ending, so full of flourish and flamboyance!


I thought Miss Malaysia stood a chance at Best National Costume but when I saw Miss Brazil strutting in a spectacular hybrid costume inspired by bird of paradise, quetzal, macaw and toucan, I knew she would win. She did and she deserved it as her costume put Moulin Rouge and Lido to shame and must have occupied the entire cargo section of Varig or Azul Brazilian Airlines. It was huge, showy and flamboyant and when she flapped her wings, she almost took off.

The South and Central American nations also had an unfair advantage as their national costumes tend to include wings, feathers, lavish head gear and tails that could easily be morphed into gigantic ensembles with towering hair accessories like feathers ala Peking Opera. With dazzling peacock, hummingbird and parrot colours, it is hard to beat them!

Miss Japan looked demure and doll-like in her kimono. Miss America looked like a happy cowgirl cum Wonder Woman. Miss Greece wore a white toga which made her look like a grecian goddess but even with the support of Mount Olympus, she failed to come anywhere near the South Americans. But no one can complain as Miss Brazil simply eclipsed everyone else and that included her as we could hardly see her face for her feathers!

The pageant opened with National Costumes as per tradition as this section occupied the most time and effort! Dressing up in national costumes is usually a time-consuming affair although most could be done these days within 30 minutes due to built in short cuts! In olden days this would be sacrilegious as proper care and rituals had to be adhered. Also most costumes are adaptations or a version or inspired by a local provincial dress.

As the National Costumes opened the pageant, the girls had enough time to dismantle their elaborate outfits to change into cheongsam and evening wear. To be crowned wearing a national costume would be untenable as the headgear would require ages to remove to accommodate the crown!

Below is the Cheongsam parade!

They could lower themselves but not bend forward as the dresses were too short!

Gently does it

This group succeeded in teamwork!

A beauty queen slipped but this was during rehearsal so was OK.

Elegant beauties

Cheongsams were mostly green and gold

Saluting the judges

Standing proud

A Mexican Wave in Chinese costumes!

Short, perky and sexy!

Miss Vietnam looked very European here.


A slight kowtow to the judges

Gosh, this was the first time I saw mini-skirt cheongsams. But leggy, showy and nice!

Even the backdrop went oriental

Not well co-ordinated but never mind.


The Evening Gowns were just as flamboyant but more elegant, glamorous and glittery. All winners were crowned in Evening Gowns though in the olden days they sometimes were in swimwear. Sadly, these are politically correct days and certain powers think the ladies should be wearing gowns instead of swimsuits. Well, I cannot imagine hunky, bulgy body builders clad in skimpy undies be clad in tuxedo when receiving their awards for Mr Universe or Mr Olympia contests! Such double standards!

Below is the Evening Gown parade;













Any red gown with thugh high slit always get my vote!
But this gorgeous blue gown with a million ruffles worn by Miss Ukraine Inna Bechobzuk who also won Miss Garden Hotel is among my top favourites.




I think I will organise a beauty contest limited to swimwear and bikinis only. Also, all participants MUST have done some cosmetic surgery to improve their face and body and MUST produce letters, credit card payments or documentary proof they had undergone the knife to qualify.

THE END