Ladies in Red

CEBU, Philippines — Elementally simple, stunningly sleek and stylishly sharp. These terms aptly describe the crimson dress worn by the candidates of this year’s Binibining Cebu candidates during their formal press presentation on August 24.

Designed by master couturier Cary Santiago, the Venus-cut design glowed without dulling the shine of their wears – which not many “uniform dress” design conventions can lay a claim to.

In a heady-hued tone that rendered the allure of the color’s sensual shades on its wearers, Santiago gave the design an extra zing in picking red as its tone – bringing to mind Chris de Burgh’s hit 1986 love song “The Lady in Red.”

It’s long been proven that not every lady looks good in a tube dress, a halter-top type dress or a serpentina-cut gown, Santiago evidently drew on the all-inclusive form-flattering qualities of the Venus-cut dress the 54 ladies who are competing in this year’s Binibining Cebu for last Friday’s press presentation.

In a way, the all-inclusive design aspect of the dress serves as a symbolic attire for the pageant this year.

After all, the pageant welcomed single mothers to take part in the annual beauty tilt this year, invariably saying that it (to borrow a phrase said by Binibining Cebu 2018 candidate Vanessa Ammann during the candidates’ press presentation) knows that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes – with the dress’ all-inclusive design symbolizing this.