Philippine’s Michelle Marquez Dee won the National Costume award a week after the Miss Universe 2023 coronation.
Dee earned this accolade by securing the highest fan votes, marking her fourth special prize, including the fan vote, ‘Voice for Change’ challenge gold award, and the Spirit Carnival award. This marks the third time that the Philippines has won this special award, following Gazini Ganados in 2019 and Charlene Gonzales in 1994.
Dee’s aviator-inspired national costume, created by Michael Barassi, pays tribute to her role as an Air Force Reservist and aims to promote the country’s “I Love the Philippines” tourism campaign slogan. Barassi mentioned that Michelle contributed to conceptualizing the costume, made of Cordilleran woven fabric with a ‘solihiya’ pattern, which was finished in a month.
During the national costume show, as Dee paraded, the host narrated, “It’s a bird, it’s a plane… it’s Philippines! Crowned with a captain’s hat, this costume is a salute to the delegate’s role as an Air Force reservist.
The look is representative of her country – resilient and radiant. There’s no denying, she’s the queen of flying … in the PHILIPPINES.”
Dee is scheduled to return to Manila at 6:55 tonight at NAIAA Terminal 1. Before her homecoming, Dee attended a gala event in Mexico City with other Miss Universe 2023 delegates, led by Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios, to promote Mexico as the host of the 73rd Miss Universe pageant.