Celeste Cortesi sure knows how to make an entrance! The Philippines' bet just wowed everyone with her Darna-inspired national costume at the preliminary competition of the 71st Miss Universe competition, which is being held in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Filipina-Italian beauty transformed into the iconic superhero, wearing a hot-red two-piece ensemble by Oliver Tolentino with a golden headpiece by Jerome Navarro.
"Have no fear because Darna is here," the host announced. "Darna is the ultimate Filipina superhero and part of this country's pop culture. She transforms from an ordinary woman with the help of a white stone, standing up for those who cannot defend themselves."
On Twitter, Filipino netizens couldn't help but gush about her national costume:
Celeste wore a meaningful piece during the swimsuit portion of the preliminary competition, too! The 25-year-old beauty queen's white cape featured the hand prints of the children she met during the Save the Children Philippines' outreach in Marawi.
"In amplifying the voices of the children who need our help, I wanted to bring them with me on the Miss Universe stage," she shared in an Instagram post. "The imprints all over the cape remind me that having a title means to have a purpose beyond myself. Having talked to some of the mothers of the children beneficiaries, I was reminded of my own Mother who struggled to provide for my sister and I. Unfortunately, there are millions of children who live in poverty, amidst crisis. I hope that it inspires people to donate to Save the Children Philippines. There’s much work to be done and every single person’s help matters."
Way to go, Celeste!