Michelle Dee's victory at the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 pageant was nothing short of a remarkable feat. Her comeback to the pageant stage proved to be her biggest break, as she finally clinched the coveted crown and title. Aside from this, she also became a back-to-back winner for the Best in Evening Gown award, which was well-deserved given her uniquely mesmerizing walk.
The person responsible for helping perfect the pasarela was none other than Ian Mendajar, a pageant coach whom the beauty queen has worked with for two years now. In an Instagram post, Ian reveals that Michelle's winning strut was actually inspired by her very own mother, Miss International 1979 Melanie Marquez.
Melanie's signature "S" walk was incorporated into the routine and was meshed together with the characteristics of Michelle's on-screen personas Serpenta (Agimat ng Agila) and Freya (Mga Lihim ni Urduja). "We needed Michelle's personality and presence to shine, ensuring that her performance was nothing short of who she really is," Ian wrote.
The very gown the newly-crowned queen walked in also reflected her personality and inate classiness. Designer Mark Bumgarner shares that it was an intensive collaboration between him and his muse. His one rule: No sparkle.
"In a sea of beads and crystals, she came out in my simple black dress with [a] cut-out, a beautiful drape, [a] high slit, and [a] silver strap as [an] accent. An evening gown with restraint. It was so simple that Michelle was able to shine," Mark shared on Instagram.
What a stellar performance that was, Michelle! Congratulations again!
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