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The 71st Miss Universe pageant has officially commenced! During the preliminary stages of the competition, we were finally able to see all 84 delegates sharing one stage. And since then, we've had our eyes on several Miss Universe hopefuls we're betting on for the semi-finals. One of our faves—aside from our very own Miss Philippines Celeste Cortesi, of course—is Miss Universe Thailand, Anna Sueangam-iam.
So far, Anna has wowed the audience with her orange cut-out maillot and her Songkran festival-inspired national costume, but what really took the cake was her evening gown with an empowering backstory.
Called the Hidden Precious Diamond Dress, at first glance, it may look like nothing out of the ordinary. But upon closer inspection, the gown is actually made out of recycled aluminum pull-out tabs from drink cans bedazzled with Swarovski crystals—and it holds a deeper meaning for Anna.
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The dress is a tribute to her parents, specifically her dad who was a garbage collector and her mom who was a street sweeper. Fact: To pay off her student loans, she also had to collect garbage herself. Because of this, she has been dubbed by some as the "Garbage Beauty Queen." But she never let that stop her from getting to the Miss Universe stage.
“You must not get stuck with murky surroundings you were born into, but do believe you have the power to change your own life for the better,” she said.
Upon learning about Anna’s empowering life story, netizens have been sharing their love and support for the beauty queen all over social media.
We're rooting for you, Anna!
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