Miss Universe PH bet turns downtown Cebu into own catwalk

Raffy Cabristante, ABS-CBN News Posted at Mar 22 2022 10:53 PM

Miss Universe Philippines Cebu City bet Chantal Schmidt turns the iconic Colon Street into her own catwalk. Photo courtesy: Origin Model & Artist Management Facebook page

On a normal day, Colon Street in downtown Cebu is the heart of the city’s hustle and bustle.

But on Tuesday, a Miss Universe Philippines candidate turned into her catwalk.

Chantal Schmidt, who is representing Cebu City in this year’s edition of the pageant, turned heads after she did a walk along Colon Street for the pageant’s “Runway Challenge.”

Her costume, designed by fellow Cebuana Axel Que, is inspired by the Malong, a garment used by ethnic groups in Mindanao. According to Que, she chose the malong as a nod to her family lineage.

Last week, Schmidt’s runway shoot went viral on social media; the official video was released Tuesday.

For Schmidt, she chose Colon as her runway because it ultimately shows “that past and future and coexist in one city.”

“We wanted the fashion and glamour of the outfit to juxtapose with the more rugged and traditional backdrop of Colon. In the end, this video symbolizes how Cebu stays current with trends, whether those may be related to architecture, fashion or art, while still staying authentic and appreciate of their heritage,” she said.

Colon is considered as the first and oldest street in the Philippines.

Schmidt said her fellow Cebuanos’ constant support “warms her heart,” especially that her predecessor, Beatrice Gomez, won the Miss Universe Philippines crown.

“Preparations have been very hectic and while people do often debate whether I will live up to Bea, Cebuanos never fail to show me just how proud they are. It warms my heart when people stop me to wish me luck and show their support. Ultimately the pressure fades when I realize that regardless of how far I make it, I’ll have made the Cebuanos proud,” she said.

The Miss Universe Philippines 2022 coronation night will be held on April 30 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/03/22/22/miss-universe-ph-bet-turns-downtown-cebu-into-catwalk