Miss Kenya Mary Esther Were, 27, will be the first representative from her country to win Miss Universe if she becomes Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach's successor. Prior to the coronation night, the Nairobi-based model and CNBC Africa and Forbes Africa marketing administrator got tangled in a gown controversy in the Philippines.
On Jan. 23, Were and 85 other Miss Universe 2016 candidates showcased the designs of 86 Filipino designers in the Miss Universe 2016 National Gift Auction charity event.at Conrad Manila. Miss Kenya was expected to wear a blue-woven gown by fashion designer Kristel Yulo but ended up with a gown by Mikee Andrei when she walked the runway during the event.
Yulo was later on informed that the dress she designed for Miss Kenya was too big and the event's point person sent her an apology. Still, the designer felt bad that the organizers knew Were would not be coming out on stage with her design but did not inform her immediately.
"They had enough time to change the name of the designer for her walk, so they should have had enough time to notify me," Yulo told Preview. "That would have been the decent thing to do at this point, instead of me having to watch her come out in a different gown in the company of my peers."
Whether or not the gown controversy brings bad luck to Were in her journey to becoming the first Miss Kenya to win Miss Universe has yet to be seen. On Jan. 30, Monday, Wurtzbach will crown her successor at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines.
The musical performers during the coronation night are Flo Rida and Boys II Men with Steve Harvey as the host and "America's Next Top Model" judge Ashley Graham as the backstage host. The judging panel includes Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres from Puerto Rico, Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen from India, Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes from Angola, TV and film producer Francine LeFrak, Paper Magazine editorial director Mickey Boardman and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Cynthia Bailey.
On Jan. 18, Wurtzbach participated in a dinner program in Baguio City, Philippines, which was hosted by Miss Universe 2011 third runner-up Shamcey Supsup. Distinguished people of the city welcomed them along with Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart, Filipino tycoon Chavit Singson, a major sponsor, and some Miss Universe 2016 candidates including Were.
Before the dinner party, the candidates toured the city. Were was impressed by the portrait of Wurtzbach created by Baguio-based artist Jordan Mang-osan by burning the image on wooden board using a special magnifying glass.
"I've never seen anything like it," Inquirer quoted Were as saying. "Using the sunlight to draw is creative artistry."
Have a glimpse of the Miss Universe 2016 event in Baguio here: