Last year's 70th Miss Universe 2021 Best In National Costume Winner - Maristella Okpala, Nigeria designed by a young Filipino design student
Last year's Miss Universe 2021 voted as Best in National Costume was Nigeria's Maristella Okpala's national costume which featured an ethnic tribal ensemble of an embroidered leotard and a traditional mask behind. Which of the 71st Miss Universe 2022 national costumes do you think best represents their own country? Watchful Eyes Of A Silhouette pick the countries which definitively portray and tell a beautiful story of their countries or give a powerful statement through a colorful display of costumes and dresses. Here are Watchful Eyes' favorite Miss Universe 2022 national costumes:
Angola - Swelia Silva Antonio
Angola's fierce and feisty female tribal warrior
Argentina - Barbara Cabrera
Argentina's sky-high costume and headdress are inspired by the Iguazu Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Cabrera is wearing a sparkling bodysuit with sheer panels and rainbow details arranged in a design that resembles peacock feathers. She paired the look with white, knee-high boots that matches the fringe cascading around her like Argentina's famous waterfall.
Aruba - Kiara Arends
Aruba's Kiara Arends' colorful costume was inspired by her nation's return to the Carnival. She is wearing a bright skirt of orange, green, and purple ruffles as well as a blue and orange bikini top decorated with starfish. She finished the look with a large gold sun hat. During the national costume show, the description says that this Outfit was made from recycled materials that had been used in Aruba's Grand Carnival Parade.
Belize - Ashley Lightburn
Belize's costume brought the thick foliage of her nation's rainforest to the universe. Lightburn's national costume paid tribute to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in Belize, which is the first and only jaguar reserve in the world. Her outfit featured a glittering green bodysuit with a flowing jaguar-print train that matched her knee-high jaguar-print boots. Attached to the back of Ashley's feisty ensemble is a beautiful burst of tropical palm fronds and birds of paradise flowers.
Bhutan - Tashi Choden
Bhutan is a kingdom steeped in history with a gaze fixed on the future - this is Bhutan's moment of evolution. The country sees a bright future and believes in its ability to shine as a beacon of possibility in the world.
Bolivia - Camila Sanabria
Bolivia's Maria Camila Sanabria sparkled in a costume that was covered in silver and gold. Her costume was made up of a flowing cape decorated with glittering silver coins and embellishments, and a dress that resembled strands of gold. It was inspired by the Bolivian city of Potosi, which is the home to the world's largest silver deposit.
Cambodia - Manita Hang
Manita Hang's national costume was inspired by a goddess who educates people to love humans, animals, and nature. Hang's ensemble featured a green skirt decorated with the same print that adorned her crop top. She accessorized the look with a crown of flowers and sparkling green and red bangles that covered her arms. Hang's costume was partially inspired by the prehistoric art of the Funan era in Cambodia.
Cameroon - Monalisa Mouketey
Cameroon's Monalisa Mouketey's national costume is fully packed with special details that paid tribute to her nation. The basket affixed to the back of Cameroon's costume, which was decorated with beads in the red, green, and yellow colors seen on Cameroon's flag - represented her country's agricultural movement. Mouketey also wore a flowing gold skirt and an off-the-shoulder crop top that were both decorated with shells. Her crown featured a map of Cameroon adornment with their nation's flag colors surrounded by a sparkling heart.
Colombia - Maria Fernanda Aritizabal
Colombia's Maria Fernanda Aristizabal is wearing a Phoenix Queen costume which included a pair of spectacular wings. Colombia's outfit was made up of a fiery red bodysuit, shimmering tights, and dramatic feathered wings in shades of red, orange, yellow, and gold. Aristizabal's ensemble was adorned with 1,100 Swarovski crystals.
Curacao - Gabriëla Dos Santos
Curacao's Gabriëla Dos Santos celebrated the wives of fishermen with this sparkling blue costume. Dos Santos wore a blue catsuit adorned with sheer panels and plenty of fringes. Her ensemble features a dramatic train with ruffles in different shades of blue to represent the ocean, and she carried a basket filled with glittering fish symbolizing the fresh catch of the day. The fishermen's wives play a key role in Curacao's fishing industry. The wives help prepare the fishing nets, clean the catch, and help sell the fish as well.
El Salvador - Alejandra Guajardo
Alejandra Guajardo's gold outfit embodies the history of her nation's currency. Guajardo's backpiece was designed to look like her country's old currency, the colon, and it was framed by cocoa beans, which is an even more ancient currency. Alejandra's gold bodysuit and boots matched the back piece. She also carried a scepter with a B inscribed on it to signify Bitcoin, as El Salvador is the first country in the world to make Bitcoin a legal currency.
Greece - Korina Emmanouilidou
Greece's Korina Emmanouilidou dressed as the Greek goddess Hera, with her bodice glowing to depict Hera's otherworldliness. Emmanouilidou carried a staff and had a faux peacock resting on her shoulder, as the birds were the goddess' sacred animal.
Guatemala - Ivana Batchelor
Guatemala's Ivana Batchelor showcased her own interpretation of the pyramid Tikal also known as the Temple of the Jaguar. Batchelor honors Guatemalan culture with her dazzling bodysuit, crown, and elaborate accessories which included a Mayan calendar. The back of the outfit also features a jaguar's face which is meant to symbolize the Mayan culture.
Honduras - Rebeca Rodriguez
This costume is an ode to Francisco Marazan in the 1800s whose objective was to keep all Central American countries united. This suit represents strength and empowerment.
Indonesia - Laksmi De-Neefe Suardana
Laksmi De Neefe Suardana's costume was designed to look like a ship. Suardana paired a shiny, gold bodysuit with an oversized backpiece that looks like a sailboat. A pale blue train extended from the outfit completing the illusion of a boat at sea that nodded to the Indonesians as the world's first sailors.
Italy - Virginia Stablum
Italy's Virginia Stablum wore a costume for the Carnival of Venice. Stablum's look honors the mask event, which allows the people to be whoever they want to be for an evening with no judgment. She paired a red jacket and pants with a sailor's hat and a gold mask.
Kosovo - Roksana Ibrahimi
This costume is called the Red Kerchief. In Kosovan culture when a woman gets married a sad house is left behind. No food is prepared for three days, sad songs are being played and a red handkerchief is placed on the daughter's face.
Laos - Payengxa Lor
Payengxa Lor's ensemble popped with pink tassels, a pink headdress, and a bamboo backpiece. Lor's outfit was specifically designed to represent the blending of different cultures in Laos, creating unity among the country's people. The Laos flag was embroidered into the center of the outfit, which also featured tribal fabrics from the country.
Mexico - Irma Miranda
Irma Miranda's black dress was embroidered with statement buttons and bright florals, which coordinated with her wide-brimmed hat and covered in sequins. Serenada Mexicana was inspired by the Jaro suit a style of dress that originates in Mexico. The costume is a mermaid cut made of Chantilly black embroidered sequins a wide-rimmed hat called a sombrero and a short jacket to complete the look.
Nepal - Sophiya Bhujel
Sophiya Bhujel personified the divine feminine principle Shakti. Bhujel is wearing a gold top with a red skirt and scarf. She carried a large, gold trident, and an eye was painted onto her forehead.
Netherlands - Ona Moody
Netherlands' Ona Moody became the stroopwafel for the national costume show. This cookie with caramel is very popular in the Netherlands. The hat is a cup of tea which helps the Stroop waffle melt making it even more delicious and the cookies on her waist becomes her skirt.
Nicaragua - Norma Huembes
Nicaragua is garbed in a crystal-covered pantsuit and floral headdress. The blue shade of her outfit matched the color of the Nicaraguan flag, while the floral adornments represented Nicaragua's national flower: the sacuanjoche. Her bodysuit, which was a semi-sheer with a long train, was also designed to represent womanhood and female empowerment.
Panama - Solaris Barba
Solaris Barba's outfit called "Bridge of the World, Heart of the Universe" puts up a sparkling twist on the indigenous practice of body painting. It is covered in intricate beads and rhinestones that look like traditional art, with a metallic headpiece and gloves that match. When she turned around, there was also a giant heart attached to her back, which represents her love for people who visit her home country.
Paraguay - Lia Ashmore
Lia Ashmore sported a blue bra with cutouts, sparkling underwear, an attached train, and strappy heels that almost reached her knees. Her ensemble is so designed to reflect the Paraguayan flag, with a star in front to represent hope and a lion's head in the back to symbolize bravery.
Peru - Alessia Rovegno
Peru's red outfit was inspired by the sunrises over the Amazon. Alessia Rovegno's outfit, which included a bejeweled bra, miniskirt, and cape-style backpiece also honored the beauty and brightness of women. It is also made from recycled materials.
Philippines - Celeste Cortesi
Celeste Cortesi pays homage to the famous Filipino pop culture icon - Darna. In the Filipino version of Wonder Woman which first appeared in Filipino comics in 1950, Darna transforms from being a simple, innocent, vulnerable, and feeble young woman named Narda into a feisty combative woman with superpower and great strength by just swallowing a small special stone shouting the name "DARNA". Her red and gold look featured a sparkling bra, matching gloves, and knee-high boots. She also wore a gold wing headpiece or crown that matches the stars and sun rays on her back symbols which can be found on the Philippine flag. The concept represents her mission of defending people in need and also the dramatic transformations in her life.
Puerto Rico - Ashley Cariño
Puerto Rico's Ashley Cariño wore a futuristic two-piece ensemble inspired by a satellite and telescope in Arecibo observatory and also her interest in outer space. In the front, she is wearing a white crop top, cutout pants, and body sparkle while her backpiece is a monitor screen displaying a montage of inspirational videos which celebrate Puerto Rico's achievements in various fields including the Miss Universe beauty pageant by showing their winners' crowning moments reactions.
Russia - Anna Linnikova
Russia's Anna Linnikova portrays the royal members of her country's history with a minidress covered in precious stones and pearls. Atop the white garment, she also wore a red velvet gown with short balloon sleeves. For accessories, she chose matching red heels and a crown from the Russian empire. It was created with the help of the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
South Africa - Ndavi Nokeri
Ndavi Nokeri wore a colorful dress with a floral print and two cutouts of the African continent on her back with flags of African countries in front and back side of his backpiece. Her outfit focuses on her heritage, South Africa's vibrancy, and the rest rise of African women across the world.
Saint Lucia - Sheris Paul
We are witnessing a modern-day Queen of the Margaret Flower Festival. This costume made of pellet and sparkly sheer has beadwork throughout a modern corset and a bag decorated with flowers completes the look.
Switzerland - Alia Guindi
Alia Guindi's train was decorated with embellishments designed to look like chocolates. Guindi's outfit paid tribute to chocolate in so many ways. In addition to the train, the outfit's colorful skirt and top were made to look like fruit, while its off-the-shoulder sleeves nodded to cacao leaves. Her backpiece also looked like a cacao leaf.
Trinidad and Tobago - Tya Jane Ramey
Trinidad and Tobago's giant puppet costume pays homage to the rich history of Carnival in her country. A dress made of strips of gold fabric with rainbow polka dots acted as the base of Ramey's outfit but the showstopping part of her costume is the oversized headdress which looks like a giant-size puppet. It was designed to look like a Carnival jester and it was dressed in the same dress as Ramey.
Ukraine - Viktoria Apanasenko
Ukraine's Viktoria Apanasenko's "Warrior of Light" costume was inspired by Archangel Michael, who conquers evil. It consisted of a white dress with a gold bodice and a blue backpiece with feathers designed to look like wings that extended during her time on the catwalk. She made the concept for the costume as she personally witnessed the war in Ukraine and it was made over the course of four months with limited supplies and candlelight. The statue of Archangel Michael is prominently found in the center of Independence Square in the nation's capital Kyiv as Saint Michael is the patron saint of Kyiv. Apanasenko said the following to Insider.com "I see a lot of broken lives. Some people lose their homes. Some people lost their land. Some people lost their parents or children," she said of Ukraine. "But every time I see strong power inside of people. That's why I choose a warrior because it shows how Ukrainians fight right now for the future, for their freedom, for their independence, for every inch of our land, and for our history."
