SASHES AND TIARAS.....Binibining Pilipinas/Miss Universe Philippines 2017 National Costumes My Top 15!

It's a big week in the FABULOUS Filipino Pageant World...Indeed this Sunday April 30th will mark the Grand Coronation Night--or Finals--of the 54th edition of Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant. The winner of 2017 Binibining Pilipinas will be the next representative in the Miss Universe 2017 pageant and the finalists will also go on to represent the Philippines in Miss International, Miss Intercontinental, Miss Supranational, Miss Grand International, as well as several other important international beauty pageants.

Tribal, Terno and Red Carpet Runway Couture: Contestants in the 2017 Binibining Pilipnas 2017 Beauty Pageant in their National Costumes

This past Monday, the very important National Costume Competition was held, where all the 40 beautiful contestants vying for the top crown modeled their very best in Filipino National Costume style in categories including Red Carpet Showstoppers, Bridal Fantasies, Flore de Mayo Fashions, Traditional Costumes, and Filipiniana Fantasies. The Costume Couture showcased the creativity of veteran as well as young up-and-coming Filipino designers from all over the country. During Monday's "National Costume Competition", the Top 10 costume designs were chosen by a panel of judges and the winner will be announced on the Final Grand Coronation Night...but naturally, I wanted to offer MY TOP 15! So...here are MY TOP BEST NATIONAL COSTUMES of Binibining Pilipinas 2017:

All photos courtesy of Binibing Pilipinas Facebook and Photographer Raymond Saldaña

No. 1:

Contestant #32 Charmaine Elima: Charmaine is wearing my TOP FAVORITE design in these National Costumes of Binibinig Pilipinas 2017 National Costumes Competition. The “La Reina Emperatiz” creation is from designer Pablo Galicia Mendez III and it is just EXQUISTE, fabulous and costume-exciting! The entire look is giving me FASHION Couture, Runway Fab, as well as being National Costume spectacular. She looks like a Catholic Virgin/Icon and Filipina Diva...all in one!

No. 2:

Contestant #15 Maria Angelica de Leon: de Leon is wearing this Filipiniana Terno design from Cary Santiago. The nude/blush with white applique design is beautiful, elegant and impacting. I love the headdress and the fans. It may be simple (for Binibining Pilipinas Pageant standards) but...it was chic and runway fab and still had that "National Costume" essence.

No. 3:

Contestant #28 Juliana Kapeundl: Juliana's ballgown design was created by Chico Estiva and I loved it. It was very "Carnival Queen" with elements of a Dior gown form the early 50's. I liked the silver organza with white scroll-like applique as well as the exaggerated peplum and neck/collar design.

No. 4:

Contestant #4 Jessica Ramirez: Jessica's blush-pink design was my No. 4 of top favorite National Costumes. I thought this Terno was elegant, Couture-like in its fabrication and simple details and I especially liked the gold sequined embellishments. She looked like the girlfriend--or wife--of a VERY RICH--Filipino businessman (or Ambassador)...who lived in Switzerland!

 No. 5:

Contestant #9 Vanessa Saliba: This silver mermaid-style Terno costume was one of the best. In fact, I put her in my Top Five! The amount of technical, pattern and design work alone...should give this design an award! I loved the fit, the silhouette and the layers upon layers of iridescent organza volants/ruffles on the gown-skirt. From head to toe, this was pretty stunning!

No. 6:

Contestant #16 Larah Grace Lacap: Larah Grace is wearing a very traditional design featuring a pañuelo (or scarf/shawl in English) by Adriano Samar. I loved this costume design because it reminded me of those old vintage photos of gorgeous Filipina beauties from the 30's/40's--if not earlier. The entire costume was Vintage Couture but still fresh and fab.

No. 7:

Contestant #31 Katarina Sonja Rodriguez: Katarina wore this design by Filipino wedding gown designer-of-the-moment Francis Libiran. This gown featured a blush/nude organza base with exquisite emerald blue sequined applique.  I LOVED the cascade back overskirt as well as Haute Couture-like embellishment/trim. This was like if an early 1980's Miss Venezuela Guy Meliet-designed Gown ...married a Chanel Couture gown. Simply Gorgeous!

No. 8:

Contestant #22 Chanel Olive Thomas: Chanel is one of the only designs I included which would fall into the "Indigenous/Tribal"-like Category (since most of the ones I chose were more Traditional Ternos). I thought this Muslim-inspired Edwin Uy design was quite impacting. I loved the gold and red coloring and fabrication in this beautiful Maranao princess costume. Besides the main gown, the accessories--headdress and fans--were FANTASTIC! Chanel truly was a Marano DIVA!

No. 9:

Contestant #10 Jehza Mae Huelar: Jehza was very impacting in this Erich Miñoza mascota design, inspired by the Philippine eagle. I loved the entire design and especially how the pañuelo around her shoulders/arms mimicked the wings of an eagle. The headdress symbolized the head of the eagle and notice the feather-like applique on the edges of the pañuelo. I just wished that same feather-like accent would have been carried onto the lower portion of the gown. 

No. 11:

Contestant #39 Elizabeth Durado Clenci: This design was in the "Bridal Fantasies" category. And it was one of my top favorites of that group. I thought it was modern, runway-fab and on-trend. I liked the 40's-like peplum silhouette as well as incorporation of the beaded Terno "butterfly" sleeves and bodice. The tulle cape and up-do hairstyle added the right amount of stage drama.

No. 11:

Contestant #40 Kristel Guelos: Simple, elegant, chic. I liked this golden/nude colored gown worn by Kristel. The sequined applique detail was beautiful and I loved the fit as well as back overskirt. The golden crown/headdress was also quite regal.

No. 12:

Contestant #12 Angelique Celine De Leon: I swear it was a complete accident that Contestant #12 ended up in my twelfth spot for Top 15 Favorite National Costumes. I thought this was a GORGEOUS design--worthy of a runway show, as well as red carpet--and even a wedding. Oh, and yes, it was a very nice Filipino National Costume! This Val Taguba design was perfect enough to be reproduced for a Binibining Pilipinas Barbie Doll!

No. 13:

Contestant #17 Camille Manalo: This design combined the costume with a bit of religious campiness and even, a little bit of fashion! I liked the dramatic reveal of the Patron Saint Our Lady of Candelabria and the delicate lace applique trim and pañuelo-accented ballgown design. The "Virgin"-like headdress/crown was quite exquisite as well!

No. 14:

Contestant #26 Ruffa Nava: John Cliff designed this gown which featured a mermaid-like silhouette and also resembled a Phoenix rising from the ashes...of Terno Fabulousness! I loved the ombre-like sequin work that went from black to fire red at the bottom. It was very Spanish Sevillana and yet still Filipiniana Terno Queen-like. If there was any criticism, it wold be the odd canoe-shaped bottom details. I almost wanted to put rolls of sushi...or lumpia in them---and serve them as Gown Couture appetizers!

Finally...No. 15:

Contestant #13 Sirene Sutton: First of all: Sirene is ESSSSTUNNEEEENG!!!! Hello! OK, now that I have gotten that of the way, it's time to discuss her "National Costume". It was "original to say the least. And I liked it enough to place her as my No. 15 in my Top 15! Designer Roland Alzete created this one shoulder asymmetrical design and it was just right for this supermodel beauty. In all honesty, I loved the "Official Portrait" (lower photo above) more than how she showed it on the National Costume Competition runway. I also wasn't really a fan of her shoes. But...I loved the sequin fish-and-angels watercolor illustrations in the gown and I appreciated how this designer stepped out of the "National Costume" design box.

Which Binibining Pilipinas 2017 National Costumes were YOUR favorites??? Let me know by leaving your comments here after my blog!