Miss Namibia worked with Martin Bautista and Maxine Medina with Rhett Eala. With a day left before the coronation, we focus on Miss Great Britain Jaime-Lee Faulkner’s gown designer Leo Almodal.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP0Asyhgbti/?taken-by=jaimeleefaulkner
Leo has been creating gowns for Jaime ever since she won Miss Universe Great Britain last year. You got a glance of Jaime’s gown during the preliminaries, now we find out the details behind it—down to the last Swarovski crystal.
How did Miss Great Britain Jaime-Lee Faulkner get in touch with you?
Miss Scuba International 2015 Cindy Madduma introduced Jaime-Lee to my creations.
What stood out to you the most when you saw Jaime?
The expressive eyes and the way she communicated. She sounded smart and she had a warm personality.
Did you meet her before she flew to Manila for fittings?
We met last July 2016. She went here to the Philippines to fetch her ordered gown for the Miss Great Britain Universe finals. We also had a photo shoot with her to maximize her stay.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPC0nj_gUw7/?taken-by=jaimeleefaulkner&hl=en
Did she ask you to do anything specific for her gown?
Yes, she did. Jaime-Lee specified that she wanted her gown to have rich crystal details and a specific cut that would complement her body type and structure which is halter top and serpentine cut. I am always open with client suggestions as I wanted to know what they have in mind. Basically it is a group effort in conceptualizing each gown orders. It is very important for me that everything is clear before I even start the sketch for them.
Can you tell us something about the gown—the material, the color, and how you embellished it?
Jaime-lee chose a White gown to achieve a youthful, angelic look. To attain a majestic appearance, I incorporated crystallized detailing on the bodice and intricately beaded embroidery at the lower part of the gown.
What is your signature style and how did you incorporate it to her gown?
Crystallized and intricate detailing is my style. I always incorporate Swarovski crystals in each gown I create. It should look luxurious, sophisticated and elegant at the same time. Most importantly, it should fit well with her body making it look specifically made for her.
How is this gown different from your other creations?
If you see one of my dress on the crowd, you could specifically know that it’s an Almodal masterpiece because of the distinct style and aesthetics. What makes miss Great Britain’s gown different from my other design is that it is personalized and customized. It is a team effort of ideas between me and Jaime-lee.
What’s one thing that people will focus on when they see the gown?
It is important that the focus is Jaime-lee, her overall look. Not on the gown or specific part of it but miss Great Britain herself. She should be the focal point, whoever she is with on or off stage. The plan is to make her look stunning and the apple of the eye. The purpose of the gown is to bring out the best of Jaime-lee, to compliment her and make her feel more confident.
Did you design gowns for other Miss Universe candidates also? How did it go?
I created a gown for Miss US Virgin Islands and she specifically said that she will use it on one of her events as she already have gowns for the preliminaries and finals from her sponsors.
What’s your favorite part about creating their gowns?
Every part of it! I loved and enjoyed the whole process and at same time knowing the person in a deeper level and established genuine friendship not just with Jaime but to the rest of her family.
Which is more challenging: pageant or bridal?
Evening gown is more challenging because for a bridal gown, most of the time we would only play with shades of white. For evening gowns, you would consider the specific color the client would want and match it to the materials needed in creating the gown. A keen eye is needed for every shades of materials used in each gown to compliment with each other.
Will you be watching? What’s your favorite part about the Miss Universe pageant?
I prefer to wake up, turn on the TV screen and watch it there with my pajamas on. My favorite part is the evening gown [portion] and Q&A.
Photo courtesy of Jaime-Lee Faulkner’s Instagram account
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