Chelsea Manalo embraced her princess dream at the Miss Universe 2024 preliminary pageant.
On Thursday, November 14, 2024 (November 15 in the Philippines), she, along with 125 other candidates at the 73rd edition of the pageant, showcased their evening gowns at Arena CDMX in Mexico.
Read: Details of Chelsea Manalo's Miss Universe 2024 national costume
Amid a dazzling display of crystals, sparkles, and column gowns, Chelsea stood out, channeling her inner Cinderella in a custom-made blue ballgown by Filipino fashion designer Manny Halasan.
On Miss Universe Philippines' official Facebook page, Manny shared insights into his creation for Chelsea, envisioning her as "a royalty dancing with the waves of the sea.”
He revealed the deeper meaning behind the gown, expressing, “This simple gown aims to show that a little girl’s dreams can indeed come true."
Manny continued (published as is), "To walk on the stage as a Queen in Miss Universe proves that faith, simplicity, and authenticity are keys to having fun. She is graceful, she is calm, and she is savoring every moment."
CHELSEA MANALO: LIVING THE DREAM
In preparation for the competition, Chelsea worked alongside fashion photographer Seven Barretto and art director Erwin Botin to create a photo shoot focused on her national costume. They were assisted by Claude Villahermosa and Dariel Miraflor.
Paris Roxas did the styling, while Kenneth Marcelino was responsible for her makeup. Her hairstylists were Jerry Buanjavier and Angelu Dominguez.
Chelsea took to her Instagram account to share the photos from their shoot, expressing her gratitude to Manny in the caption.
She wrote (published as is), "Living in the moment, living the dream. [emojis] Forever grateful to sir Manny Halasan for making me live this unforgettable moment, for being one of the many people who’s helped make my dreams come true. [emojis]"
This year's evening gown presentation was not part of the preliminaries, but instead served as a stunning showcase of the exquisite gowns crafted for the candidates.
Before the evening gown segment, Chelsea donned her "Hiraya" national costume, also designed by Manny Halasan, for the pageant's national costume show.
Following the preliminary competition, 30 candidates will progress to the semi-finals during the grand coronation night, where Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua will crown her successor with the new Miss Universe crown, the Light of Infinity crown by Jewelmer.
The event is set to take place at the same venue on Saturday, November 16, 2024 (November 17 in the Philippines).
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