Bea Luigi Gomez is definitely stealing the show at Miss Universe 2021 because of her amazing national costume.
The 26-year-old beauty queen wore a gorgeous creation inspired by the Philippines' mythical serpent-like dragon, the Bakunawa. The costume by Cebu-based fashion designer Axel Que consists of a turquoise bodice, an elaborate headpiece with stones and gold accents, as well as striking dragon heads on the sleeves.
In ancient times, shamans or babaylan believed the Bakunawa was responsible for the wind, earthquakes, as well as eclipses. People thought the creature was "swallowing the moon" whenever there would be a lunar eclipse.
"I wanted to continue my narrative of the Bakunawa, and I’m taking my artistic license to a whole new level," said Axel in an IG post featuring photos of the costume. "The initial version was a bit restrained, it was more of a 'Drake' (video game jargon used for a dragon’s stage of evolution), which is basically [a] mid-life cycle."
Axel adds that it was a "journey of growth and maturity," not only for the costume but for Bea as well, whom he says went through a "personal evolution."
"I am proud to present my Bakunawa’s final form: The Golden Lunar Dragon. This is a personal, hypothetical envisioning of what the Bakunawa would look like had it succeeded in devouring the last moon. I chose gold to render the whole piece in because aside from its divine beauty, it is considered as the perfect element (because it’s chemically one of the least reactive), and to hopefully imbue this characteristic to the wearer, much like an enchanted armor."
Bulacan-based designer Manny Halasan, who creates crowns and fashion jewelry, also took to IG to share clips showcasing the details behind the costume's accessories.
"LUNA: The beautiful transitions and different faces of the moon [are] captured in this folklore-inspired headpiece," Manny explained in the caption.
So stunning. Best of luck, Bea! We can't wait to watch the coronation night and get a glimpse of Marian Rivera, who's also one of the competition's judges! Catch the pageant live from Eilat, Israel on Monday, December 13, on A2Z channel 11, at 7:30 am.