On Sunday night during the Miss Universe final, host Steve Harvey told the live audience that Miss Philippines Gazini Ganados had won the National Costume category.
But then the contestant standing next to him took the microphone from Harvey and announced that she was Miss Malaysia, Shweta Sekhon. It was then presumed that she was the winner. "Y'all got to quit doing this to me," he quipped after the error. Noting, "I can read," suggesting that the teleprompter had been incorrect.
But in a further twist, the Miss Universe organisation tweeted on Monday morning that Harvey was in fact right when reading out the name: Ganados did win that portion of the competition.
The mistake was the fact that Sekhon was standing where Miss Philippines should have been.
Here's how the awkward moment played out:
Harvey even referred to the teleprompter error later in the show, when talking to Miss Malaysia again:
Many Filipino Miss Universe fans have called out Miss Universe organisers on Twitter for the blunder, upset that Ganados didn't get the chance to showcase her look as the winning design during the main competition. Many are saying she should have been able to get changed and come back out to showcase the Cary Santiago look to the audience watching the final.
Miss Universe Philippines's intricate metallic gown paid homage to the national bird of the country, the Philippine eagle.
“There is an eagle within me that wants to soar," Ganados wrote of the design. "It is with deep honour [that I] showcase national pride during the Miss Universe National costume show, the Philippine Eagle's strength, power, and love for freedom exemplifies the Filipino people."
Click on the arrows to scroll through pictures of the look:
The bold look is by Filipino designer Cary Santiago, who wrote that the costume's "details are very intricate", adding that it is "hand stitched, all from the same fabric, with signature laser cut patterns." The headdress imitates traditional costume, as well as an eagle's feathers, and Gazini has two actual eagles perched atop her forearms.
It's certainly not 'ready to wear', but it's definitely dazzling.
Many Filipino fans took to social media to praise Santiago's work, with fellow top designer Michael Cinco writing on Facebok that this was "the best National Costume in Miss Universe history ever", calling it "haute couture at its highest level".
Here's a closer look at just how intricate the costume is (click to play):
Santiago often incorporates the bird into his designs, but his look for Ganados has to be his most intricate design to date.
In the Philippines, Miss Universe has plenty of super fans, and the country really gets behind its beauty queens. Here's a school rooting on Ganados before the competition:
The Philippines has produced a total of four Miss Universe winners, making it one of the competition's most successful nations. This year, Ganados made it into the top 20 via the wildcard group, but did not proceed any further.
