Miss World 2012 Fashion: Meet The Designers

Meet some of the world's best designers and check out their stunning creations.

Philippines

Michael Cinco

Michael Cinco, another Dubai-based Filipino fashion designer, was featured twice on the popular America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) last year—as guest designer in Cycle 16 early in the year, and as finale designer in the last quarter’s Cycle 17 ANTM All-Stars. After about a decade in the Gulf, Samar-born Michael, a fine arts scholar of the University of the Philippines, is moving into the international limelight.

Michael has been in the Middle East since 1997. “Dubai is a melting pot in the Middle East. You usually experience racial discrimination anywhere in this world. Most of my clients are women from the Gulf area. At first I had clients who had doubts about me because of my nationality. But the moment I am able to convince them with the beautiful creations I make for them, they become confident.

His advice to aspiring fashion designers: Dream great dreams. Believe in yourself and in God. “Believe that impalpable dreams do come true.”

Australia

BELLUCCIO

Created by Julie Sufi in 2009, BELLUCCIO has been derived to provide eminent red carpet evening wear, bridal wear and formal wear. BELLUCCIO has gained recognition for its exclusive dressmaking expertise. Every dress is hand made to the highest standards of couture reflecting their exclusivity and unicity.

The extraordinary designs tend to be influenced by vintage and Asian influences giving them its unique edge within the fashion industry. BELLUCCIO’s signature lays on the use of embellishments such as sequins, glass beads, bugle beads, seed beads, swarovski crystals, diamontes and pearls resulting in our creations to shine and reflect every ray of light.

United States

Alexander Berardi

The Alexander Berardi collection is a reflection of Alex's childhood spent between colonial Hurley, NY, Manhattan's Upper East Side, and Martha's Vineyard. The collection highlights his ability to transform these influences to create a new American look. In September 2010 he became the youngest designer to show on the runway at the new Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center as well as the first American designer to present on the runway at Toronto's LG Fashion Week.

South Sudan

Monica Kanari

Monica Kanari was born in 1971 in Nairobi, Kenya. She grew up with a strong influence in fashion from her mother who was a tailor and had a Dressmaking business. In her years as a young fashion designer her skills did not go unnoticed. She won the Smirnoff Fashion Awards, Kenya, in 1995 as a student and 2000 as a professional. In 2006 she won The Redds Fashion Awards, Kenya.

Monica is the only Kenyan fashion designer to win three International fashion awards, two before she did any professional training. In 2003, Monica visited Australia and had the opportunity to train under Tracy Seywell, a professional fashion designer, to enhance her skills.

Fashion is Monica Kanari’s passion. She is greatly inspired by our African Cultures,
especially the traditional dress of Kenya’s Maasai, Turkana, Pokot and Kikuyu and
more recently the newly designed Kenya National Dress. She is particularly known for her modern dress designs with an African flair. She has also become well known for her beautiful African bridal gowns and evening dresses. She gives traditional ornaments a very modern look.

Seychelles

Michelle Miglionico

Michele Miglionico was born in Milan on 9th May 1965. In 1989 he opened his atelier in Potenza. He considers himself a self-taught person although he learnt from his father, a well known tailor in Milan.

Faithful to the aesthetic sense of the Couture, Michele Miglionico’s style is luxurious and refined, rigorous but not minimal, sober and aristocratic, thought for a sophisticated and cosmopolitan woman. A woman with a thin, fluid and female silhouette, with a refined sensuality. A good mix of modern romanticism and classicism. Favourite colours: white, black and scarlet red. Red is a constant element of Miglionico’s style; it’s a fascinating moment, of contemporary refined seduction. It’s a symbol of love but also of great passion. Among the favorite crepe fabrics in all its forms, crepe georgette, double wool crepe, soft cashmere and silk muslin.

Russia

Valentin Yudashkin

Valentin Yudashkin is Russia’s most famous fashion designer and a decorated member of the Academy of Arts of the Russian Federation. He is also honored with a rank of National artist of Russia. His clothes are displayed in the Louvre Museum of Clothes in Paris, the California Museum of Fashion in Los Angeles, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the State Historical Museum in Moscow and in other museums around the World.

Valentin Yudashkin is the only ever Russian designer to be honoured with membership of the Syndicate of High Fashion in Paris. His first collection was created in 1987, and he has since created more than 40 collections. At present the “Valentin Yudashkin” brand can be found in his boutiques in many Russian and foreign cities and interest is increasing rapidly. Valentin Yudashkin’s collections have been shown during the weeks of haute couture and prêt-a-porter in Paris, Milan, New York, and other cities.

Malaysia

Von Jolly Couture

Evolution versus revolution; subtle changes indicate evolution whilst a storm of change dictates revolution. Like Marxism, revolutionist of fashion trends dared venture into a whole new brand of styles and designs to bring the exposure of Malaysia Contemporary Batik – hand painted wax resist technique to the world!

For Raymond Jolly and Aaron G. Von Jolly, this is done without tarnishing the true meaning of Batik by ensuring the balance of mural verses overall cutting of the clothes; a proper canvas revealing the story behind the Batik design pervasive as the ripple of the mind.

Fashion and lifestyle to these creative duos are part of the great celebration of sophistication, elitism, luxury and refinement. However, practicality is very much the spearhead in their creations through the harmony of elegance and comfort. Colors, life and movement express their style and strength, embodying absolute class.

Poland

Maciej Zien

Maciej Zien is a polish fashion designer who has had a brilliant career in Poland. His designs were worn by former First Lady of Poland, Jolanta Kwasniewska, Patricia Kaas, Aneta Kreglicka (Miss World 1989) as well as many Polish celebrities, actresses and singers.

Belize

Rebecca Stirm

Born and raised in Belize, self taught clothing designer, Rebecca Stirm, began sewing her own clothing at the age of 11. “My parents were very supportive; they saw potential in me and managed to get me Brother sewing machine on sale at ‘Courts’. Since I had been sewing by hand for a long time, I was eager to learn to use the machine. I cut apart old clothes to see how they were made, and cut and re-shaped old patterns to make them my size. I basically learnt to make patterns and sew them together through trial and error while sewing for myself as a preteen.”

Sketching designs and sewing were merely a hobby for her until 2009, when she was encouraged by a close friend to hold her first fashion show. In early 2010, she was given the opportunity to show a few dresses in a charity fashion show (Help for Haiti). Inspired by seeing her pieces on the runway for the first time, Rebecca created her first collection of day dresses and cocktail dresses - paying for the fabric and trimmings by working Friday nights playing the acoustic guitar and singing at a coffee house. Close friends and family pulled in to help Rebecca plan, advertise, and execute her first show. The “August Fashion Show” was a success- and she received her first orders for dresses from her collection.

Bulgaria

Sofia Borisova

Sofia Borissova is the founder and Chief Designer at Romantika Fashion House. Romantika Fashion House specializes in Evening and Wedding Dresses. Sofia Borissova is the official stylist of beauty contests such as "Miss Bulgaria", "Miss Sirens," "Miss Summer International," "Queen of Bulgaria", "Bulgaria's Top Model" and others.

Latvia

Natalija Jansone

Natalija Jansone is a well-known and recognised designer in Latvia. She has been invited to design for various stage shows and performances, to create advertising collections for different brands and has done styling for popular public places such as hotels, bars and restaurants. Her interest in Asian especially Korean culture comes through in her work – Natalija has studied the Korean language and tradition.

From 1985-1990 she studied at the Faculty of Eastern Philology at St Petersburg University and in 1994-1995 she extended her knowledge at Yonsenj Universitu, Seoul. 2005-2007 she has won a completion organised by the EU for European designers, the prize for which is the chance to participate in the exhibition “EU Gateway to Japan” and in 2005 she signed up the first order for clothes production so now her designs are not alone available in Latvia but also in Japan. This is why Natalija was nominated for “Eksporta gada balva 2006”