PHOTOS: The Touching Story Behind Miss Universe Thailand 2022’s Upcycled Gown Made With Pull-Tabs

By Lara Lindemann  •  13 Jan 2023 in News

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During the Miss Universe 2022 preliminary round on Thursday, Thailand’s Anna Sueangam-iam quite literally dazzled the audience with her recycled dress fashioned from aluminium pull-tabs.

It is officially known as the “Hidden Precious Diamond Dress” and also incorporates Swarovski diamonds attached to pull-tabs from can drinks.

Besides its stunning appearance, the gown also holds a certain sentimental value, and was a way for Anna to pay homage to her parents. The candidate’s father is a garbage collector, whilst her mother works as a street sweeper.

 

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Clad in the fine piece crafted by MANIRAT, Anna remarked on Instagram, “You shouldn’t let the troubled circumstances you were born into hold you back; instead, feel that you have the ability to improve the quality of your own life.”

To go into detail, the 24-year-old was born in Bangkok, where her mother and father worked as garbage collectors for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, hence she spent her childhood living in a garbage dump.

Later on, she resided with her great-grandmother, a Buddhist nun, until she received her college degree because her parents were so busy. She received a first-class honours diploma from Kasetsart University’s faculty of liberal arts and sciences.

She is the sixth Miss Universe Thailand winner in a row to be of Eurasian ancestry in the last seven years due to her one-fourth German background.

Through this, the candidate, also called Anna the Thaiger, received the unofficial title of “the garbage beauty queen” across social media platforms- which may seem like an insult, but is far from it.

Here are more pictures of Anna in the gown, as seen on Instagram:

Miss Universe Philippines 2022’s  sky blue gown worn by Celeste Cortesi also held a unique significance, given that the name Celeste, chosen by her father, means “heavenly” and “sky blue” in Italian. Celeste is of Italian-Filipino descent.

Celeste also donned a separate outfit with a cape with colourful hand prints made with paint on it to symbolise children who needed support, bringing attention to social concerns that are crucial to her through fashion.

In preparation for the swimsuit contest, she sported the poignant cape with a hot pink bikini, pulling an equally positive response from viewers.

That’s what we call slaying with a cause.