Miss SA 2018: behind the seams of the Top 5's designer gowns

28 May 2018 - 17:05 By Jessica Brodie
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Tamaryn Green, Miss SA 2018.
Tamaryn Green, Miss SA 2018.
Image: Masi Losi

Last night Tamaryn Green, a medical student from Paarl, was named Miss South Africa 2018. Wearing a bespoke Galluzzi e Gini gown with beaded embellishments, she shimmered like the silver crown she was about to don for the first time. 

This year, the Miss SA finalists were given the chance to show off their individual style by collaborating with one of six fashion labels to create a custom evening dress to wear during the pageant's glamorous finale. 

The idea behind this couture collaboration was to allow each contestant to "reflect her personality" through her fashion choice and to "really show South Africa who she is," explains Miss SA creative director Werner Wessel on the pageant's website

Here's a closer look at the Top 5's one-off gowns:

TAMARYN GREEN

With sexy cutouts, a sheer flowing cape and beaded fringe detailing around the neckline, the new Miss SA's white gown certainly had stage presence.

"[It's] full of movement and shine," say the designers Cristian Galluzzi and Alessio Gini of Galluzzi e Gini on the Miss SA website.

THULISA KEYI

On the Miss SA website, designer Salomie du Plooy says that pageant gowns need to be "extravagant", "visually striking" and "show off a contestant's figure to perfection".

All of which makes sense when you see the high-necked, bling-covered dress she designed for finalist Thulisa Keyi.

NOXOLO NDEBELE

An underwater photograph designer Warrick Gautier took while in Mauritius sparked the idea for Noxolo Ndebele's elegant gown, which had a bit of a vintage feel.

In the snap, the ocean has "magnificent colour and light," explains Gautier on the Miss SA website.  

KARISHMA RAMDEV

Karishma Ramdev donned a daring sheer bejeweled mini dress with a red overskirt for the pageant's finale.

The gown was mainly inspired by Ramdev's shining personality and strength, both as a person and as a competitor, explains designer Anél Botha on the Miss SA website.

THANDOKAZI MFUNDISI

It's fitting that finalist Thandokazi Mfundisi's pastel pink off-the-shoulder gown had a bit of a princess vibe as it's a continuation of designer Orapeleng Modutle's latest collection, called Princesses Beyond The Grave

On the Miss SA website, Modutle explains that this collection was inspired by the world's late, great fashion icons.


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