Ahtisa Manalo may not have won the Miss Universe 2025 crown, but she lit up the stage as she proudly wore a Kapampangan-made national costume that celebrated Philippine festivals.
Manalo showcased a costume called “Festejada” or “Queen of Philippine Festivals” during the preliminary round.
Kapampangan artist and fashion legend Mac Tumang, who also designed Catriona Gray’s iconic Lava Gown, created the piece.
Tumang said the costume drew inspiration from different festivals in the Philippines.
Its top used handmade piña fabric, which highlighted local art and tradition through its shine and texture. It also carried embroidered symbols such as the abanico, once used as a secret language of love, and palay, a sign of abundance and bayanihan.
The full design followed the classic traje de mestiza, a silhouette linked to María Clara. But the standout feature was the skirt with more than 65,000 petals, each one cut, shaped, and sewn by hand, to show the vibrant spirit of Philippine fiestas.
Three major inspirations guided the entire look:
- the Giant Lantern Festival of Pampanga, represented through patterns inspired by tambur, siku-siku, and palimbun seen in Kapampangan lanterns;
- the bright colors of Lucban’s Pahiyas Festival: green, yellow, orange, pink, and red, symbolizing harvest and gratitude;
- and the floral textures of Baguio’s Panagbenga Festival, giving the skirt a float-like style.
To complete the look, Manalo wore a reimagined peineta, shaped like a halo of light and decorated with filigree and tamburin-style gold details.
With every step on the Miss Universe stage, Manalo carried the glow of parols from Pampanga, the warmth of Filipino community, and the timeless beauty seen from María Clara to the modern Filipina.
