Cyrille Payumo parades ‘ant,’ ‘salakot’ costumes at Miss Charm 2025 prelims

December 11 ------ The Philippines’ Cyrille Payumo drew inspiration from an unlikely creature for her preliminary evening gown at the 2025 Miss Charm pageant in Vietnam — the ant.

Designer Mikee Chan shared a story about how an ant bit the beauty queen while they were discussing her competition wardrobe, and this sparked an idea. “It was such a small creature, almost laughable, yet in that instant, it felt like a message whispered by the universe. A sign. A nudge. Perhaps even a divine reminder that greatness rises from the smallest of things,” the couturier said.

Sharing that in many cultures, including Filipino and Vietnamese, the insect represents strength, hard work, and unity, Chan said the gown was “stitched with meaning, carried with pride, and crafted with the strength of a thousand tiny steps.”

The result is an earth-toned gown in a sexy silhouette with a sweetheart neckline and thigh-high slit, covered with ant-shaped embellishments arranged in patterns that mimic the insects’ familiar queue. Two flowy capes finished the look.

Payumo showcased the creation at the preliminary competition held in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday evening, Dec. 9, where the delegates also paraded in their national costumes. She appeared in a costume inspired by the traditional Filipino hat “salakot,” and designed by Simeon Cayetano. “A symbol of dignity, resilience, and the hardworking spirit of the Filipino,” Payumo said.

The creation featured a salakot, a traditional Filipino cone-shaped hat made of bamboo, with gold-hued tassels, and a bodysuit covered in sequins and beads with matching gloves and boots. A back piece opens up to reveal wing-like protrusions, while her cape shows the face of an indigenous woman seen in her province of Pampanga.

This is not Payumo’s first international competition. In 2019, as Mutya ng Pilipinas runner-up, she was sent to the Miss Tourism International pageant in Malaysia, where she became the fifth winner from the Philippines. She is hoping to score the country’s first win in the third edition of the Miss Charm pageant this year. Riegning queen Rashmita Rasindran of Malaysia will crown her successor on Dec. 13.

Source: inquirer.net