Philippine bet Elizabeth Clenci chose to represent Mindanao during the national costume competition of Miss Grand International 2017 in Vietnam.
The beauty queen wore a fully beaded gown and headdress by local designer Jearson Demavivas.
The costume was inspired by the T’boli tribe in southern Philippines.
“Not many people know much about Mindanao. Now, if they do, they see images of war and conflict. I wanted to pay tribute to the true beauty and representation of just one of the many beautiful cultures in Mindanao,” Clenci wrote in an Instagram post on Friday.
Here’s a closer look at Clenci’s during national costume competition of Miss Grand International 2017 held Thursday:
Miss Grand International is letting netizens vote for their 15 favorite candidates in the national costume competition on its Facebook page until October 15.
From here, the judges will select another ten candidates.
A second round of online voting will be held for the Top 25 candidates from October 16 to 25 to select the ten finalists in the national costume competition.
The winner will be chosen by judges and will be announced during the coronation night on October 25.
Last year’s Philippine representative, Nicole Cordoves, made it to the Top 10 of the national costume competition of Miss Grand International. She finished first runner-up in the pageant.
Cordoves will co-host Miss Grand International along with actor-singer Xian Lim.
The Philippines has yet to win the Miss Grand International crown.