Michelle Dee, the newly crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2023, made headlines during the pageant's coronation night after winning the Best in Evening Gown title.
The beauty queen attributed her success to the Mark Bumgarner-designed gown she wore, which helped her stand out among the other candidates.
Michelle took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the gown, saying that it symbolizes the importance of staying true to oneself despite societal expectations.
She wrote, "To me, this gown symbolizes that in this life, it's not about always being what everyone expects you to be. It's about having restraint and choosing to stay true to yourself even if it's so much easier to just follow what everyone wants you to be."
View this post on Instagram
She further added that by being true to oneself, one can find people who believe in and see their potential, and that choosing to be oneself can provide enough strength and power to achieve anything one sets their mind to.
Michelle revealed that she and Mark Bumgarner had a unique vision for the evening gown.
They wanted to avoid the typical "pageant patty" route and instead create an iconic masterpiece that brought out Michelle's best assets while staying true to her personality.
The gown, a minimalist black dress with a cutout, drape, and high slit, accentuated with a silver strap, perfectly embodied Michelle's daring, elegant, and fierce personality.
The designer was thrilled with the outcome of the gown and the pageant, describing his craft a "risk, in the sea of blings."
View this post on Instagram
