Despite nearly tripping on stage in the unfamiliar costume, Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza last night won the Best in Ao dai title in Thanh Nien newspaper’s charity show in Ho Chi Minh City. Tickets to the Duyen Dang Ao dai show were sold out as no one wanted to miss the chance to see 80 Miss Universe contestants donning Vietnamese ao dais by four famous local designers. The contestants were divided into four groups to parade along Hoa Binh Theater’s stage with four different collections of ao dais. With the traditional designs of Lien Huong, the black-dominated collection of Thuan Viet, the colorful designs of Si Hoang and the highly stylized ao dais of Vo Viet Chung, the beauties all seemed to become Vietnamese maidens with their trademark grace while walking and performing with ao dais. Looking glamorous in a Vo Viet Chung ao dai, Venezuelan Mendoza defeated four other nominees – Miss Vietnam, Miss India, Miss Thailand and Miss Kazakhstan – to take the Best in Ao dai title. Mendoza was the first choice of the jurors, which included Thanh Nien’s Editor-in-chief Nguyen Cong Khe and Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori. Mendoza said she didn’t expect to win the title. “For the first time ever, multi-cultural values mingle with ao dai, creating an international exchange and extravaganza that helps beautiful women from different backgrounds understand one another much more as wellas focuses on Vietnamese features,” said Thanh Nien’s Khe. After raising more than US$23,000 at the Thanh Nien-organized charity auction on Monday, the Ao dai show illustrated again how considerate the Miss Universe contestants have been to disadvantaged Vietnamese people. Upon their arrival in Vietnam last week, the 80 Miss Universe contestants jumped straight into preparing for the ao dai event with a fitting session. “Why must this skirt go with trousers?” Miss Curacao Jenyfeer Mercelina asked designer Vo Viet Chung. Entering the fitting room, Jenyfeer was still wondering how to wear the costume. But she was transfixed by her reflection and was reluctant to take the outfit off. No sooner had she buttoned up her long tunic, Miss Brazil Natalia Anderle was ready to show off her outfit. But the beauty was embarrassed to discover she was only wearing half of it. She didn’t realize the trousers were part of the ensemble, thinking she was supposed to wear an evening dress split to the hip. Some contestants, including Misses Guam, Turkey and Poland, also created amusement by wearing their trousers back-to-front. The designers were enthusiastic about showing the girls the most attractive ways of sitting, walking and performing in the traditional Vietnamese costume. The beauties were also advised to wear high-heeled sandals and jewelry to be more appealing on stage. “Amazing!” “Unbelievable” or “Magic ao dai” were the words the beauties shouted from their fitting rooms. Last night, as they walked on the stage of Hoa Binh Theater, 2,000 people were stunned at how stunning the contestants looked in Vietnam’s traditional dress. “It is amazing to see so many beautiful girls gathered in one place in such a wonderful costume like ao dai,” said Michael Smith from Australia. “I wished I could sit closer to the stage.” Another Australian audience member, Don McDonald said: “Everything was so wonderful, the girls, the ao dais, the music and the organizing,” he said. “Miss Venezuela was very beautiful but of course my choice is Miss Australia,” McDonald said. | MISS UNIVERSE ACTIVITIES IN HOI AN TODAY After a visit to Quang Nam provincial People’s Committee Office, sightseeing at the five-star Nam Hai Hoi An Resort and playing games and sports at the Palm Garden Resort, the beauty contestants will join a parade led by Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori in local pedicabs, decorated with their national flags and symbols. A traditional musical show will be held this evening in the ancient town, where organizers and performing artists will put on an extravaganza, bringing back to life scenes from the city’s history for the enjoyment of the pageant contestants. | 
(L to R) Miss Finland Satu Tuomisto, Miss France Laura Tanguy, Miss Georgia Gvantsa Daraselia and Miss Germany Madina Taher modeling Vietnamese ao dais at Ho Chi Minh City’s Hoa Binh Theater last night. Touring with beauties |  |
| | A street front in the ancient town of Hoi An. Contestants of Miss Universe 2008 will drop in on the town on the night of June 25 |
| The 80 contestants of Miss Universe 2008 will depart from Ho Chi Minh City today on a tour of Vietnam that will include visits to Hoi An Ancient Town, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Nha Trang. |
Visitors who happen to share this itinerary may get lucky and catch a glimpse of the beauties as they take in the gorgeous sites the country is renowned for. The first stop is Hoi An Ancient Town, where tilted roofs and moss-grown walls along with the twinkling lights around Cau Pagoda will bring visitors back to times past. Images of lantern boats idly floating down the river and unique cuisines such as Vac cakes and Cao Lau noodles will leave an indelible impression on guests. In the northern capital, visitors will enjoy superb architecture at the Temple of Literature, Sword Lake, Ngoc Son Temple and Tran Quoc Pagoda. A night in Hanoi wouldn’t be complete without snacking on snail dishes and crisp shrimp pastries around West Lake. At the next stop on the journey, Ha Long Bay World Heritage site is like a painting dotted with thousands of islands. La Vong Island resembles a man fishing, while Canh Buom Island juts outward like a sail in the middle of the sea. Caverns such as Thien Cung, Tam Cung and Trinh Nu on several islands feature exquisite stalactites hanging from its walls. The final leg of the tour will end in Nha Trang Town, where the 80 girls will compete in the 57th Miss Universe Pageant. With a landscape comprised of mountains, seas, streams, rivers and plains along with the elegant Diamond Bay Resort, Nha Trang Town has become a tourist’s dream. During the stay in Nha Trang, visitors can enjoy the various amenities at the five-star resort, first-class restaurants, and many entertainment centers. Many tourist companies in HCMC are organizing tours to Nha Trang Town on the occasion of the Miss Universe contest, in addition to selling tickets for the event. Fiditour has offered three-day tours on July 6 and 12 starting at the price of VND2 million (US$120.4) per person, not including tickets for the pageant. Reported by Cam Nhi Handing on the crown |  |
| | Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori has loved her year with the crown. |
| In a recent interview with Thanh Nien at Ho Chi Minh City’s New World Hotel, last year’s Miss Universe winner, Riyo Mori, talks about her hopes for an Asian successor and her future work. |
“Nearly one year after the crown, I still feel ultimate happiness and have a burning desire to make a contribution to society,” said Miss Universe 2007, who has been to over 15 countries and regions to promote the fight against HIV/AIDS. “I am a typical modern Japanese woman but I want to change the perceptions of the old generation who consider women only as housewives.” “I can be considered a modern Samurai,” she laughed. “I think I possess the Samurai spirit, which includes patience, a positive attitude and devotion to community.” She believes the winner must be a humanitarian, and the final result does not just depend on the final show performances, because the organizers and panel of judges are constantly assessing the girls, their personalities and manners during the one month event. Regarding the chance of another Asian winner this year, Riyo said, “It took Japan almost 50 years to get the Miss Universe title again. But I think Asia still has a winning chance this time.” The beauty queen said she was very impressed by the Vietnamese representative, Thuy Lam, who was friendly and open-minded. “Lam is not only very beautiful but also has a good command of English. We can talk with each other without any language barrier. This is to her advantage and she has a good chance of succeeding.” An admirer of ao dai In an interview with local media, Riyo said she had recently come back from a meeting with Vietnamese designer Lien Huong, who helped her make a new ao dai for Thanh Nien’s charity show Duyen dang Ao dai (Charming ao dai) held in HCMC’s Hoa Binh Theater Tuesday. “I am going to don some ao dai but I would rather keep it a surprise!” Riyo said. “My neighbors in Tokyo are a Vietnamese family who own a Vietnamese restaurant. They are very kind. Sometimes they bring me home-made dishes.” Riyo said after her one-year stint as Miss Universe, she would return to her home country and open a professional dance school in Tokyo. “I will treat children as a priority at ballet classes. I want to help the kids to stop playing useless online games, which deprive them of daily social contact,” the veteran dancing artist, who has been keen on ballet since she was four, said. “I aim to instill in children a love for culture and arts.” Source: TN, agencies |
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