A Filipino beauty queen was lauded by the pageant community for her “LuzViMinda” national costume.
Philippines’ Micca Rosal wore a colorful ensemble that represented the three major islands of the country for her national costume in the “Miss Aura International 2022” in Turkey.
Miss Aura International is an international pageant that was launched in 2006 in Turkey. It was previously known as Miss Kremer International.
Rosal discussed the different symbolisms in her costume on Facebook on September 22.
“This national costume is drawing inspiration from a portmanteau of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the names of the three major island groups of the Philippines,” she said.
LUZON. The Bahag silhouette in her attire is common clothing of some indigenous tribes, particularly those in Cordillera in Northern Luzon. It symbolizes “protection, power and valor.”
VISAYAS. Her ensemble also honors the Ati-Atihan Festival, which was considered a national cultural heritage.
The festival celebrates the “Atis” or “Aetas”, whom historians believed to be the first inhabitants of the Philippines. It also honors the Sto. Niño or the Child Jesus. It is celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January.
RELATED: Filipinos raise importance of Ati-Atihan fest after being accused of cultural appropriation
“This costume mimics the festival representation of optimism, resilience, and the joy of our people by using festive patterns and materials with bright colors,” Rosal said.
MINDANAO. Her headpiece is a homage to the elegant Muslim princess of the Maranaos, who are known as “The People of the Lake.” It also “commemorates their efforts for culture and heritage preservation.”
Elements of the Philippine flag. Her look also employs the colors of the Philippine flag. The three circles in her backdrop represent the stars in the flag while her fans reference the sun.
“𝐋𝐮𝐳𝐕𝐢𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 is a perfect representation of the Philippines with cultural differences and individualism but tied as a one united and progressive nation,” Rosal said.
Her national costume quickly earned buzz on pageant pages on Facebook.
Moreover, Rosal’s photo on Missosology, a long-running pageant website with one million followers, gained the most traction among the candidates.
As of writing, it has 7,800 reactions, 244 comments and 178 shares.
Preliminary activities of the 17th edition of Miss Aura International 2022 are currently being held in Antalya province in Turkey.
Rosal is eyeing to snag a back-to-back victory for the Philippines following Alexandra Faith Garcia’s win as the first Filipino winner in the previous edition of the competition.
Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray also wore a stunning “LuzViMinda” ensemble when she joined the prestigious pageant.
READ: How the stunning Miss Universe costume of Catriona Gray came to be
Catriona’s runway performance and outfit at that time left a significant mark on the pageant community.
