Miss Thailand, Anna Sueangam-iam, wore many beautiful dresses at this year’s Miss Universe competition, but one of them had a poignant hidden meaning. She tried to raise awareness about the pollution we all face by wearing a dress made out of soda pull tabs.
Sueangam-iam was born in the slums of Bangkok, and her dress allowed her to honor her parents, who worked as garbage collectors. They tried to protect her from the unsafe environment by sending her to a Buddhist temple, where she grew up alongside her great-grandmother who was a nun.
Sueangam-iam’s gown, known as the “Hidden Precious Diamond Dress”, was designed by Manirat. In addition to Swarovski crystals, it also features the aluminum tabs of soda cans, paying homage to the familiar surroundings of Miss Thailand’s childhood.
“This unique gown was purposefully tailored-made with discarded and recycled materials, namely the ‘Can Tab’ to present to the Universe that what’s considered worthless by many actually possesses its own value and beauty,” wrote Sueangam-iam on Instagram.
The latest edition of the Miss Universe beauty pageant took place on January 14, and R’Bonney Gabriel of the United States ended up picking up the crown. Despite failing to win, Anna Sueangam-iam managed to pick up Social Impact Award for raising awareness about environmental issues.
