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This is how much Catriona Gray's gowns cost, plus other details from designer Mak Tumang
Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray's gown designer Mak Tumang said her gowns cost over a million pesos each.
"About isa, hindi bababa sa isa," Mak told Kara David in an interview on News To Go, when asked about the price of each of Catriona's gown.
He said the materials alone reached P1 million without labor and other miscellaneous expenses.
"Pero sa materials n'ong na-compute namin na P1 million na kami for the materials pa lang. Wala pang labor and ibang ginastos pa d'on," Mak shared.
According to Mak, they have been conceptualizing her gown for the Miss Universe pageant as early as March.
"Right after niyang manalo ng Binibini [at] gusto niya talagang magsuot ng red na gown," Mak said.
At the press conference immediately after becoming Miss Universe, Catriona revealed why she wanted to wear a red dress.
“When I was 13, my mother told me, ‘I had a dream and you were in the Miss Universe and you won in a red dress’,” Cat narrated.
READ: Catriona Gray shares the significance of her red dress
Mak said he first had a total of seven sketches, five of which were his designs. The other two were Catriona's idea.
He said Catriona chose two of Mak's proposals which includes the red dress called Mayon and the orange gown she wore to the preliminary competition, called Adarna.
Mak thought Mayon Volcano best represented Catriona, since it's one of her hometown's iconic spots. It is also associated with the fire element which is the closest to red.
"'Yon 'yong naisip ko, she's from Bicol and the home of the iconic Mayon volcano and parang pinaka-malapit na element d'on sa red is fire 'di ba?"
Meanwhile for her the Adarna gown, which Catriona wore to the preliminary competition, Mak revealed that it was originally supposed to be red but, they decided to go with orange to achieve a better "phoenix" look.
"Kaya Ibong Adarna parang kasing in-associate ko rin sa fire...original color dapat ng Adarna gown is red talaga, pero inisip namin na gawin na lang orange to achieve the phoenix look," Mak narrated.
Mak said Catriona is proud of her roots and she is both passionate and eager to showcase the Filipino culture to the whole universe.
"Si Catriona kasi is very proud sa roots niya and she is very passionate gusto niya talagang i-showcase kung ano meron sa kultura natin sa buong mundo," he said.
Mak continued and said that Catriona wanted a designer with whom she is comfortable "para masabi niya 'yong vision niya, 'yong gusto niya. Gusto niya 'yong designer, maintindihan nang buong buo kung ano 'yong gusto niyang mangyari."
Mak and Catriona had already worked together in 2016, during Catriona's Miss World stint. Then, Mak also designed a few of the beauty queen's gowns.
The designer said that from the very beginning, their goal was to be unique which led them to look at Philippine art and literature for inspiration.
"Dapat maging unique. 'Yon 'yong pinaka-goal namin. Kaya ganon namin naisip na Philippine art and literature as inspiration sa lahat ng mga isusuot niya," he said.
Mak said Catriona's homecoming dress is still in the works, but he reassured that it will have a Pinoy element in it.
"For the homecoming, pag-uusapan pa lang namin kung ano pero nabanggit niya na Philippine ano, or something Filipino."
Catriona is Philippines' fourth beauty queen to be crowned as Miss Universe after Pia Wurtzbach (2015), Gloria Diaz (1969) and Margarita Moran (1973). — LA, GMA News
