As a judge in this year’s Miss Universe pageant, Marian Rivera made the country proud. Here’s how Francis Libiran designed her stunning gown.

I have always admired Marian Rivera’s work as an artist. She has shown immense prowess in acting, modeling, and hosting. Likewise, it is a pleasure for me to work with her—especially since she was chosen to be a member of the board of judges for the 70th Miss Universe pageant in Israel.

How it All Began

Several media outlets reported that the Miss Universe organization reached out to Marian’s camp and invited her for the prestigious role in the pageant. Of course, she agreed! And so, here we are—officially dressing her up for the coronation night!

Marian’s team then reached out to us to see if we could collaborate on a custom creation. Naturally, the answer is yes! We got to work right away to envision a gown that would best fit her figure.

Personality-wise, Marian keeps everything real every time. She is always upfront about what she feels. When she has a goal, she does everything she can to reach it and grasps the many opportunities that come her way. At the same time, she is also one of the kindest and heartwarming personalities. And I wanted to showcase all this in her gown.

Designing Marian Rivera’s Gown

Marian has always been beautiful. Her features are well-defined and she rightfully deserves the title of being one of the country’s sexiest women. Thus, I figured, dressing her up won’t be a challenge because she can look beautiful and sultry in any style.

While we were discussing her gown, I already knew that she would be very easy to work with. Marian has minimal requirements on what she wants, and best of all, she was really straight to the point. She visualized how she perceived the gown to be and thankfully, we were both on the same page.

Marian said that she wanted an off-shoulder dress. She left the rest up to me, saying that she can work with any style. I told her that we would really show off her best assets because as a judge, she would be sitting down most of the time. Thus, the television camera angles would focus on her upper body only.

Pretty in Pink

For Marian, I designed a long gown that comes in beautiful shades of pink. Moreover, the piece came encrusted with sparkling beads and crystals for a delicate but splendid appearance.

One might think, why pink? Pink is the color of femininity, love, and kindness—the ultimate representation of the Miss Universe journey. After all, in this pageant, women get to highlight their innate beauty, impart their beliefs, and choose an advocacy where they could share love and kindness.

This is also why I chose pink for Marian. As a judge in this pageant, she has the power to decide on the reigning queen. And to help her make a good impact on the world through her advocacy.

Moreover, Marian becoming a Miss Universe judge is a true honor—a sign that the world is recognizing the beauty, brains, and talent of Filipinas out there.

I have to say—dressing Marian Rivera for this project has been such a wonderful creative rush. The resulting gown is beautiful because of her confidence and innate beauty. Likewise, I am honored to be part of this #PinoyPride Miss Universe journey!

RELATED STORIES:

An Iconic Dress for a Queen: Miss Universe Philippines Beatrice Luigi Gomez’s Pintados-inspired Gown

A Queen in Dignified Elegance: Rabiya Mateo’s Final Walk as Miss Universe 2020

A Happy, Dreamy Wedding: The Francis Libiran Bridal 2022 Collection