We believe that Michelle Dee is one strong contender for this year's Miss Universe competition in El Salvador—and her tedious preparation proves it all.
It has already been a week since beauty queens arrived in El Salvador to complete their preparations ahead of the pageant. On November 17, Miss Universe 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel will be passing on the crown to her successor.
Giving her 200%, Michelle has been focused on becoming the next Filipina to be crowned as Miss Universe. Ahead, we look at how the 28-year-old has been conditioning herself to win the global competition.
Here's why we are convinced Michelle Dee is ready to be the next Miss Universe:
1. Michelle's smooth and powerful signature walk
Michelle's signature "snake walk" first made waves online during her Miss Universe Philippines 2023 stint. In a clip shared by the official Instagram account of the Miss Universe PH organization, Michelle has been improving her walk together with her runway coach Ian Mendajar. With her charisma and perfect projection, she would definitely conquer El Salvador's catwalk.
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2. Her empowering bob cut
It's all about breaking the barrier for Michelle. For years, Miss Universe representatives have been sporting long, luscious locks. This time around, Michelle opted to do something different. "It symbolizes what I truly stand for also which is to empower everyone that you don't have to fit in just to become Miss Universe," she remarked in an interview.
3. Michelle's undeniable wisdom and heart as a queen
Michelle wowed netizens with her wise answers to a mock Q&A portion she did together with TV Personality Boy Abunda. It became more obvious that Michelle has what it takes to become Miss Universe.
In one of the questions, Michelle elaborated on how she can contribute as a queen relating to ongoing wars in some parts of the world. Her answer was, "Tito Boy, nobody wins at war. There are only countries that should be safe spaces for their citizens. [...] If I were Miss Universe, I would really use my platform to leverage and promote inclusivity to promote you know, cooperation and understanding for all these leaders, especially conflicting nations [to] really work together because we should all live in a world that's peaceful, that is united, and that is safe for everybody. Thank you.”
READ: You Have To Hear Michelle Dee's Answers To Boy Abunda's Miss Universe Mock Q&A
4. Her strong advocacies
Amid the hectic schedule ahead of the Miss Universe competition, Michelle still found time to take part in organizations that forward the voices of members of the autism spectrum. It has been an advocacy close to her heart with her siblings who are on the spectrum, making it a lifelong commitment for her.
In fact, Michelle is one of the leading contenders in one of the official polls for the Miss Universe 2023. Last November 3, she topped the "Voice for Change" poll which centers on the candidates' personal advocacies. Michelle's entry focused on autism acceptance and inclusivity.
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During her reign as Miss Universe Philippines, the beauty queen also became a part of a Netflix film, Keys To The Heart, which tells the story of a kid who is on the autism spectrum but dreams of becoming a world-class pianist.
5. Her astounding, stylish outfits
Michelle has been leaving everyone in awe because of her classy and elegant style throughout her preparations. She sported an iconic look at the airport during her send-off with a dark denim coords that manifests a dynamic Michelle heading to El Salvador.
Another one worth mentioning is her pearl-inspired ensemble for her glam shot that highlighted her being a morena. She was wearing Vilrique.
Michelle is also out here wearing 'fits from distinguished Filipino designers. She doesn't mind a jampacked day wearing a floral dress made by Mark Bumgarner.
Michelle made walking around El Salvador look more elegant and stylish with her neutral-colored coords by Francis Libiran.
El Salvador is also known for their beautiful islands that the Miss Universe candidates did not miss to visit. Michelle is one ~sliving~ candidate at the beach with a bodysuit convertible to a sleek pantsuit!
At the welcome dinner, Michelle flaunted a Filipiniana-inspired look by Abdul Gaffar, and it was gorgeous!
One of our favorite looks from Michelle was her rehearsal outfit. She wore light-colored jeans, paired with white flowing polo shirt. It was simple yet striking, even just for a rehearsal look.
We're a few days away from coronation night, and everyone's waiting for Michelle's evening gown. Pia Wurtzbach once talked about how breathtaking Michelle's gown is for the competition, and now we're all excited to see it too!
Here's a gentle reminder that you can still vote for Michelle using the Miss Universe app! The first vote is always free. Let's show support for Michelle by also watching the competition live via the Kapamilya Channel on Sunday, November 19 at exactly 9AM Philippine time.
Best of luck to you, Michelle!
