Rating the Gowns at the "World Designer Awards and Fashion Show" at Miss World 2009
The 59Th annual
Miss World beauty pageant--the "biggest one of them all" , at least in amount of contestants: 112 !!! (
Miss Universe had "only" 84)--is occurring in Johannesburg, South Africa. The final live telecast is not until December 12Th but already lots of pre-final events are happening as we speak (or as I type), including the
Miss World Sports (who's the best in sports),
Miss World Talent (who performs the best),
Miss World Beach Beauty (who looks best in swimsuit) and
Miss World Top Model (who best models on the runway). That is a lot of Pageant Craziness!!!
In addition to these, there was also a
World Dress Designer Fashion Show and Award which happened last week in Turbine Hall, Johannesburg.
Miss Sierra Leone (and her gown) took the Grand Prize--followed by
Miss South Africa and
Miss Jamaica (see above). After looking at some of these gowns, you KNOW
"Pageant Nicky" had to give his two cents:
The Winner (of the World Designer Award") was...
Miss Sierra Leone, with an interesting fitted gown which was one of my favorites. It fit beautifully, looked well-made, modern, elegant and had DRAMA. But yet, I couldn't help but think "Gosh, it reminds me so much of....
Rami Kashou's gown from his
Project Runway Finale Collection". It was very similar: The shape and especially, the ruffled shoulder Caplet piece. I'm not implying that it was a copy, I just found the similarities interesting. Miss Sierra Leone deserved the win and I thought it was a great dress.
Now that wasn't the only similarity I noticed from the photos of this
Miss World Dress Designer Award Fashion Show:
Miss Japan wore a royal blue gown that looked a lot like the one...
worn by last year's
Miss World,
Ksenia Sukhinova from Russia. The same bust and torso shirring, beaded halter neck detail and the same cheesy "car wash" effect. I love the color and the be-jeweled neck accent but THAT car-wash bottom part is SO 1994!
Besides the above "copy cat", there were some beautiful gowns at the
Miss World Designer Award and Fashion Show. One of my favorites was this Grecian Goddess (
quelle surprise!) apple green gown (above) worn by
Miss New Zealand. I was just happy that she wasn't showing distracting cleavage, a high (I shaved my ENTIRE leg) slit or wearing those
AWFUL clear Lucite Stripper Heels.
Another stunner was
Miss Guatemala, who wore an elegant, red carpet worthy tulle, organza and gold strapless gown down the runway. She looked perfect. Her hair was clean and modern and her accessories were simple yet chic. Somebody is coaching her right! Loved her!
Peacock Crazy: For some reason, there were lots of peacock feathers at this Miss World Dress Designer runway show. Case in point: Above, we see
Miss Cote D'Ivoire (that's Ivory Coast for non-
francophiles) and she wasn't the only one...
Miss Guyana was also featuring some peacock feathers worthy of a
Shirin-from-Season-Six-Project-Runway dress. I didn't know that there was a
Michaels Arts and Crafts store in Guyana?! Now I do.
Boobies and a High Slit: A Big No-No, in my book.
Miss Angola is very beautiful but really? I can just hear the designer now: "It's going to be PLUNGING up
there and OPEN down
here!" This is not the red carpet for the
Las Vegas Stripper Convention, it's Miss World! Time to add a little bit of class. Is that too much to ask?
Another mess was
Miss Latvia. You gotta love those girls from Eastern Europe. Why do I just feel like they would be great girlfriends to bring to a Gay Bar? They always bring some of the "Gown Crazy" at these international pageants. This canary yellow polyester satin (the puckering in those seams tell me that is NOT silk!) gown with "peek-a-boo" black bust cups is just...well, best left for the
Best Drag Queen in Latvia Pageant. And I'm sure it would be FABULOUS!!!
But the winner of the worst dress at the Miss World Designer Dress Fashion Show was this pouffy gown seen here on
Miss Germany. Bless her heart. She either A) Has no fashion sense. Or B) made her designer really mad! She's so cute and demure but this is a HOT PROM MESS. I would have rather seen her in an
Oktoberfest Dirndl!
Heidi Klum: We need you!Until next time kiddies... "Pageant Nick" will continue to be on the lookout for all the Best and WORST Pageant Fashion!
Cute Couple: Nick Verreos with model Lisa Blades in one of his FIDM classes
Bryant Park Lisa: Lisa Blades models Carol Hannah Whitfield's gown at the NY Fashion Week Project Runway Season 6 Finale
Take Notes Kids: Lisa Blades in a NIKOLAKI muslin strapless gown, and Instructor Nick
We Love Lisa: Elements of Fit Class Fit Model session, Instructor Nick Verreos, Lisa Blades and student Earl Alcantara
