Manuela set to light up the Miss Universe stage for Singapore

Lights, flowers, fashion
With 25m of LED lights 
in her national costume, 
Manuela Bruntraeger, 24, is set to light up the Miss Universe stage when she represents Singapore at the beauty pageant in Las Vegas on Nov 26. Her costume, inspired by Gardens By The Bay's Supertrees, was designed by Moe Kasim, 47, who also created the Peranakan-inspired outfit for last year's 
Miss Universe Singapore 
Cheryl Chou. 
TNP PHOTO: PHYLLICIA WANG
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National costume inspired by Supertrees

Audrey Leong Nov 14, 2017 06:00 am

Manuela Bruntraeger is set to light up the Miss Universe stage and dazzle audiences with 25m of LED lights when she struts her stuff at the international pageant in Las Vegas on Nov 26.

The lights wrap around the structure, which fans out via a backpack, and are just one of the architectural elements in the Miss Universe Singapore 2017 winner's two-piece national costume inspired by Gardens By The Bay's Supertrees.

It also consists of a green bralet and matching hipster panties worn over flesh-coloured tights, with Vanda Miss Joaquim flowers cascading across her left shoulder and down her right leg and making up the headpiece.

This is also the first time LED lights are used as part of Singapore's national costume for Miss Universe. They even change colours whenever Manuela walks.

Designer Moe Kasim told The New Paper at Manuela's final fitting at his costume store Moephosis Concepts last week: "Most of the time, when we want to present Singapore at Miss Universe, it's usually a multi-racial costume, but nothing has been done that is architectural or structural."

Mr Kasim has been creating costumes for various pageants for about eight years, including the Peranakan-inspired one worn by Miss Universe Singapore 2016 winner Cheryl Chou

Nov 14, 2017
The 47-year-old hopes the LED lights will garner the votes of the judges determining the winner of Miss Universe national costume segment.

"So far, I haven't seen LED lights that change colours on any of the Miss Universe national costumes, so I really hope they like it," he said.

"Last year, the costume was mostly covered up, so this year we'd like to show a bit more skin and show off Manuela's figure."

The costume took about 40 man hours to construct, with the bulk of the time going into making the structure that symbolises the Supertree branches.

The costume costs over $1,500.

The entire ensemble weighs 6kg. Made of wire and wrapped in maroon velvet, the structure is equipped with two 12-volt battery packs on either side that allow Manuela to turn on the LED lights herself.

Not surprisingly, it proved to be Mr Kasim's biggest challenge.

"I had to consider that the LED lights require quite a strong power point, but it couldn't be too heavy for Manuela," he said.

http://www.tnp.sg/lifestyle/fashion/manuela-set-light-miss-universe-stage