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The patterns on Michelle Dee's Apo Whang-Od evening gown, explained
Philippine bet Michelle Dee may not have brought home the crown, but her performance in the Miss Universe 2023 pageant was truly one for the books.
Her final black evening gown designed by Filipino fashion designer Mark Bumgarner and inspired by Apo Whang-Od, the oldest mambabatok of the Philippines, made rounds on social media for its uniqueness and cultural representation.
On Instagram, the Miss Universe Philippines shared a much closer look at Michelle's evening gown, revealing the significant meaning of its intricate details.
According to the post, Michelle's gown has three intricate patterns: the hourglass or the rice mortar pattern, the fern, and snakeskin, all of which have significant meaning in the Kalinga culture.
The hourglass or the rice mortar symbolizes spiritual shield, creation, fertility, and sustenance. Meanwhile, the fern means fertility, strength, health, and safe passage to the land of the dead. Lastly, the snakeskin pattern symbolizes safety, protection, health, shield, and strength.
In the comments, Mark said there are more patterns in the evening gown.
"There's also a symbol that means day and night, the diagonal black and white line in the abdominal area, and coiled snake symbol on the shoulders," he said.
On Instagram, Sunday, Michelle said that her gown was a tribute to a "legendary Filipina who has become an icon, preserving the rich cultural heritage of indigenous tattoo art."
Michelle said that Apo Whang-Od has achieved global recognition and symbolizes timeless beauty, coinciding with the recent Miss Universe changes, including lifting age restrictions, championing inclusivity, and challenging age stereotypes.
"This evening gown draws inspiration from the icon, with every stitch crafted passionately and proudly dedicated to our country," she wrote.
It also caught the eye of Harper's Bazaar Arabia, saying that it was among the 10 best fashion moments of the pageant, just behind the winner, Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios' white and blue number.
Michelle ended her Miss Universe 2023 journey in the Top 10. She also took home three special awards, including the pageant's "Voice for Change" video competition with her advocacy for autism awareness.
—Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA Integrated News
