The following battlefield will be a beauty pageant.
Miss Ukraine Viktoria Apanasenko, who will represent the war-torn country at the Miss Universe pageant in Recent Orleans on January 14, presented her outfit for the national costume contest: a surprising multi-layered motif with decorative large blue and yellow wings.
The Warrior of Light costume “symbolizes our nation’s struggle against darkness,” Apanasenko’s Instagram caption reads.
“Identical to Archangel Michael, who defends Ukraine with the sword, he also protects us.”
The outfit – complete with weapons and body armor – sends the message that Apanasenko “brings light through the darkness that has come to our peaceful lands with the aggressor.”
Miss Russia Anna Linnikova will compete next to her presented her Crown of the Russian Empire costume on Wednesday. A wealthy red velvet dress drips with pearls and jewels.
Every yr beauty queens don bizarre, sometimes campy, elaborate costumes to point out off their national identity. In 2015, Miss Thailand rode a motorized rickshaw called a tuk-tuk. In the same yr, Miss Canada won the Stanley Cup together with hockey sticks.
Given the state of her country, which has been is mired in a bloody conflict with Russia, Apanasenko’s approach is far less frivolous. Her costume was created in Ukraine by designer Patoka Studio Lesia Patok. Meanwhile, the fancy headgear comes from Patoka Nagolovy, an adjunct brand she co-founded.
“It is crucial for us to point out the world that Ukraine is robust, brave, unbreakable. We’re able to fight for our freedom because we all know the price,” Patoka told The Post on Instagram.
The frilly costume took 4 months to create and was created in extreme conditions: by candlelight without electricity and with the sounds of sirens, in line with the designer.
The jumpsuit “symbolizes armor and wraps Victoria like a second skin”, while the overlying white dress resembles a vyshyvanka, an embroidered shirt with puff sleeves. The flowing skirt is made of over 32 feet of fabric.
The headgear, referring to the archangel Michael, is decorated with traditional Ukrainian spikelets. “It also has sharp rays symbolizing not only the light, but in addition the struggle of today’s Ukraine,” said Patoka.
When Apanasenko puts on her creations on the world stage, Patoka said it will be a showcase not only of Ukraine’s national pride, but in addition of the country’s chop designs.
“We would like to point out the high level of skills of Ukrainians,” she said. “We are able to sew in addition to Hollywood can.”