The best Miss Universe 2009 candidates during the swimwear and national costume events

Michelle Malcolm, a broadcast journalist in Bahamas, is joining the 84 candidates competing at Miss Universe 2008 in their daily activities. She is posting her regular updates about the pageant and her comments on the girls at Critical Beauty.

Michele attended the the swimsuit presentation last Sunday and the national costume parade last Monday. She made a lists of the ladies who impressed her both for the swimsuit and the national costume.

I am posting here her list for you to read.

Below are the ladies who caught her eyes during the swimwear presentation in alphabetical order:

Angola – great body, strong catwalk
Australia – fabulous body, beautiful face, good catwalk
Bahamas – the home town girl received a thunderous round of applause for her strong catwalk skills
Brazil – pretty face, great body
Canada – fabulous body! Not an ounce of fat anywhere!
Cayman Islands – great body, strong catwalk
Colombia – great body, sexy catwalk
Czech Republic – very good body, and oh that face!
Dominican Republic – very great body, excellent catwalk
France – good body, very outgoing and sexy on the runway
Great Britain – Loads of personality, good body
Honduras – fabulous body, fabulous catwalk, beautiful face
Hungary – beautiful face, great body, but needs work on the catwalk
Iceland – very good body, great catwalk Jamaica – beautiful face, nice body
Japan – great body, strong catwalk
Mexico – good body, lots of personality, good catwalk
Netherlands – very good body!
Nicaragua – great body, fun to watch on stage
Norway – fabulous body!
Puerto Rico – fabulous body, great catwalk skills
Russia – great body, amazing face, very sexy catwalk
Slovak Republic – good body, very good catwalk
South Africa – great body, legs for days!
Spain – very good body
Sweden – fabulous body, pretty face, catwalk skills could be stronger
USA – fabulous body, arguably the best in swimsuit at this competition!
Venezuela – great body, classic beauty

And below are the ladies who impressed her during the national costume parade in alphabetical order:

Angola, who wore a traditional dress showing scenes of everyday life in Angola
Bahamas, whose costume depicted the sun that covers The Bahamas
Bolivia, inspired by a dance of her country
China, a dramatic warrior
Colombia, a colorful traditional dress
Czech Republic, a gown with a butterfly motif
Ecuador, representing a bountiful harvest
El Salvador
India
Jamaica
Kosovo
Mexico
Namibia
Nicaragua, which represented the fury of a volcano
Panama, representing Diablo in pheasant feathers, glass and crystals
Peru
Philippines, a colorful twist to the traditional Filipiniana
Thailand, a combination of the Thai Hill Tribe and traditional costume
Ukraine
Venezuela, an exquisite costume which reminded me of the film My Fair Lady

She added that there judges presented at the national costume event. They will be the one to pick up the winner of the Best in National Costume. The judges include President of the Senate of Bahamas, Lynn Holowesko; the CEO of Mailboxes Etc. in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, Mr. Gershin Major; Founder of the Bahamas International Film Festival, Leslie Vanderpool; artist John Edward Cox; Junkanooer Kishlane O’brien; entrepreneur Elaine Pinder; and retail executive Rochelle Walker of Solomon’s Mines.

Michelle also added that the candidates who have the biggest fans or supporters in every event are Miss Bahamas Kiara Sherman (of course), Miss Philippines Pamela Bianca Manalo, Miss China Jing Yao Wang and Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez.

Emiri Miyasaka's altered national costume

Now it can be told that Ines Ligron, the controversial director of Miss Japan Universe, gave in to pressure from fans and Japanese people who were offended over Emiri Miyasaka's atrocious national costume showing her crotch.

Last night, Emiri showed in her costume with a little modification. Her pink panty is no longer showing. I guess the Japanese people are now happy with this development.

The original costume

Miss U delegates parade in National Costumes

Last night, Monday, August 10, the 84 contestants of Miss Universe 2009 paraded in their national costumes. As expected, it was an exciting event seeing all the ladies in their colourful costumes. But I just saw them in pictures. I am not in Bahamas. LOL

I was impressed with Miss France Chloe Mortaud, Miss China Jing Yao Wang, Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez, Miss Philippines Pamela Bianca Manalo, Miss Panama Diana Broce, Miss Bahamas Kiara Sherman, Miss Puerto Rico Mayra Matos, Miss Ecuador Sandra Vinces and Miss Egypt Elham Wagdi. They all look fabulous wearing their costumes.

Miss Bahamas in National Costume

Miss China in national costume

 

Miss Ecuador in national costume

  

Miss Egypt in national costume

 

 

Miss France in national costume

  

Miss Philippines in national costume

  

Miss Puerto Rico in national costume

 

The ladies who did not impress me with their national costume are Miss Canada Mariana Valente, Miss USA Kristen Dalton, Miss Germany Martina Lee, Miss Netherlands Avalon-Chanel Weyzig.

Miss Canada in national costume

 

Miss Germany in national costume

  

Miss USA in national costume

 

You can now view the other national costumes in this LINK. I am still looking for the others so keep on visiting here.

Miss Philippines national costume is Flores-de-Mayo inspired

The national costume of Miss Philippines Universe Pamela Bianca Manalo is a Flores-de-Mayo-inspired outfit made by Maestro Alfredo Barraza.

Stone, a Colombian who had the privilege to attend the photo shoot of Pamela with the costume in Bogota posted some of the pictures in a Colombian message board. Thanks to P.E of Philippine Beyond for the heads up.

Stone had only nice words for Pamela who he thinks a Top 5 Miss Universe material. In Spanish, Stone said that Pamela is a beautiful woman with fine features, nice body, porcelain skin, long legs, sexy, well-prepared, intelligent and spiritual.

The dress sleeves are richly embroidered with crystals and filigree tinsel on white and silver lace. The skirt of spiral flowers is in organza ribbons in different colours. A beautiful square umbrella accompanies the sumptuous design and also make glass combs adorn the sophisticated hairstyle.

All the best for Miss Philippines Pamela Bianca Manalo.

 

  

 

Peru and Bolivia are in conflict over Miss Peru Karen Schwarz's national costume

Living in Peru, a Peruvian website, disclosed that Peru and neighbouring Bolivia are in a controversy over a national or traditional costume which was inspired in a typical dance from Puno highlands called “La Diablada” (The Devils' dance).

When Karen Schwarz, Miss Peru Universe 2009, presented the La Diablada-inspired outfit to the media, Bolivian representatives claimed that it is an unfair appropriation of the Bolivian's cultural heritage. They said that the La Diablada “is an emblematic dance from Bolivian folklore.”

The website reports, "Pablo Groux, Bolivian Minister of Culture, has reportedly sent a letter to Peru's National Institute of Culture (INC), expressing Bolivian's concern regarding to this matter."

Peruvian Foreign Minister Jose Garcia Belaunde said: "The Highlands cultures are one. If Miss Schwarz is Peruvian, she has the right to wear the 'Diablada' dress.”

Ricardo Davila, the designer, was surprised too, and said “we have not copied the Bolivian diablada. My costume is based on a dance from Puno.”

INC representatives said that "the dance of diablada is performed during festivities in Peru, Chile and Bolivia as well, since it's a cultural expression from the Andean highlands."

This dance was declared Peruvian's Cultural Heritage by the INC on September 2nd, 2003.

Miss Singapore Rachel Kum Tweets her journey to Bahamas

Miss Singapore Universe 2009 Rachel Kum tweets in her twitter account that Miss Mexico Karla Carillo was her first co-delegate she met in person. She and Karla were on the same flight from Miami to Bahamas. She said that Karla is her first friend in the contest.

Rachel also added that her flight from Singapore to Miami took a grueling 28 hours because of baggage delay.

On the other hand, Miss Guam  Racine Manley is Rachel's roommate in Bahamas.

Meanwhile, below are Rachel's national costume and evening gown. The national costume was chosen by the Singaporean through an online poll. The chosen costume was designed by a second-year fashion student Zhang Xiaoqing.

 

 

Long Gown and National Costumes of Misses Thailand Chutima Durongdej and France Chloe Mortaud

The official long gown and national costume of Miss Thailand Chutima Durongdej to the Miss Universe 2009 in Bahamas were revealed in a Thai show the other day.

The Thai organizers made two gowns of the same design but in two different colours - red and blue. I prefer the red one. Chutima's traditional dress is also fantastic and it may win the Best in National Costume.

 

Miss Thailand Chutima Durongdej's evening gown in red

  

Miss Thailand Chutima Durongdej's evening gown in blue.

 

Miss Thailand Chutima Durongdej's national costume.

On the other hand, here is the national costume of Miss France Whitney Toyloy. It's very Moulin Rouge.

More Long Gowns and National Costumes at Miss Universe 2009

Here are some pictures of long gowns and national costumes of some of the delegates to Miss Universe 2009 in Bahamas. These pictures have been flooding different beauty pageant message boards and forums. But we don't really know yet if these dresses are officials since there are no confirmation yet from the organizers of these countries.

Here are the gowns and costumes from India, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam, Netherlands and Czeck Republic. Just visit this entry every regularly since I will be updating this every now and then.

Miss Brazil Larissa Costa long gown?

Miss India Ekta Choudhary long gown?

Allegedly this is Miss Indonesia Zivanna Letisha Siregar official evening gown.

Allegedly this is Miss Indonesia Zivanna Letisha Siregar official national costume.

Miss Netherlands Avalon-Chanel Weyzig might wear this dress for the long gown competition.

Miss Netherlands Avalon-Chanel Weyzig might wear this dress for the long gown competition.

 Miss Netherlands Avalon-Chanel Weyzig might wear this dress for the long gown competition.

Miss Czeck Republic Iveta Lutovska official long gown?

Miss Czeck Republic Iveta Lutovska official national costume?

Miss Vietnam Vo Hoang Yen national costume.

Miss Japan Universe Emiri Miyasaka's Controversial National Costume

When pictures of Miss Japan Universe 2009 Emiri Miyasaka in her national costume started to circulate in the internet, pageant fans all over the world have only one reaction - Emiri is like a porn star!

Many thought that the costume will kill her chances of making the cut. Obviously, fans including me are disappointed.

But there is one person who is happy about the reactions coming from the fans. This is what she wanted and what she wanted was generated. I am talking about Ines Ligron, the director for Miss Japan Universe.

In her blog, Ines said that the "national costume surely created a big PR buzz around the world."

She admitted that the reaction from fans was the "original concept of her team of designers and stylists". She added that "the plan worked as planned".

That's Ines who loves controversies. It is one of her ways to make her girl a subject of discussions. It is in this way where she can make her candidates so popular so that during the preliminaries of the Miss Universe, Japan will surely be noticed by the fans and the judges.

"The conservative and fashion-dinosaurs are critisizing her costume, meanwhile the fashionistas love it."

"I care only about the movers and shakers in the fashion industry. My vibe is of Junya Watanabe, Yoji Yamamto, Issey Miyake, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Cavalli and Dolce & Gabanna likes. They have created a new area in fashion and they mind works like mine."

"I love fierce versus safe, this is who I am and will always be. I want to bring the image of beauty queens to a level wich matches mine and not stuggle to remain safe and politically correct. I believe that traditional beauty queens are irrelevant in today world, and this is what most of people think and the real reason why TV ratings around the world are dropping and pageant houses have to close down their operations, instead they should reinvent themselves."

Ines also mentioned that Emiri will be flying to Miami, USA tomorrow to get ready for the pageant in Bahamas.

"Emiri is now packing with her team and will fly tomorrow afternoon to Miami where she has a few TV and magazines interviews. She will also prepare slowly her skin for the heat and dramatic sun of the Bahamas and will not burn. She will stay in Miami for a week and will fly by private helicopter to Nassau with her entourage. She will have a dinner at the Japanese Embassy with the Consul while in Miami."

 

  

 

Dayana Mendoza Reveals Her Last Trip as Miss Universe 2008

 

Current Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela blogged her last trip abroad as Miss Universe 2009. It was in Romania.

Dayana went to Romania last week to crown the winner of Miss Romania 2009 which was won by Elena Bianca Constantin. She was also one of the judges.

In her blog at the official site of Miss Universe Organization, Dayana said, "Sadly, I had my last International trip as Miss Universe to Romania this week, and it couldn't have been better. It was the perfect place to close out this opportunity of a life-time. I was so excited about the language because I understood some of the things people were saying. Romanian has the same Latin roots and I figure it would be easy to learn but I had no idea how easy it was to understand! We went to the Miss Universe Romania pageant and I got to be a judge. I can totally say I was very impressed with the show, the music was amazing, the girls were all beautiful and they all did a great job. I visited different TV shows and in one of them I got to wear one of the typical dresses of the country and dance to the typical music, it was a lot of fun. I felt almost like a Romanian! I’m very happy with the opportunity I had to go to such an interesting country, and if I cross my fingers very, very tight, I might come back very soon :)!!!!"

Here's a Youtube video of Dayana wearing the Romanian traditional costume.