Crowned Miss
(Photos by Subhash Haimraj)
Stunner Xamiera Kippins was crowned the new Miss Earth Guyana ahead of five other contestants when the curtains came down on last Saturday night’s affair into the first hour of Sunday morning at the Natural Cultural Centre (NCC).
The show began shortly after the scheduled eight o’clock hour, with a rousing cultural presentation before the introduction of the six vying beauties to the small and excited audience looking on. The batch of seven contestants to have taken part in the preliminaries was down to six and they were: Gabriella Chapman, Oriana Castello, Luann Pellew, Akisha Payne, Anita Baker and Xamiera.
Though they would have had the costume preliminaries at the Aracari Resort, they gave a second display at the NCC. Each of the contestants was tasked with coming up with a superhero name that encapsulated the part she would play in protecting earth.
Beginning was Gabriella as ‘Iridescence’ in a bodysuit of crackedice, hologram fabric embellished with beads and stones to represent the minerals of Guyana. Oriana followed as ‘The Guardian of the Earth’ in her costume covered with sequins. Her headdress which was adorned with blue crystalline embellishments carried the colours red, white, green and blue in representation of Earth’s fire, minerals, forest and water. Luann made her way onstage as ‘Opallios’ the element warrior in translucent colours including red, green, white, blue and orange said to aid in her protecting the planet. ‘Guardian of Ouora,’ Akisha, wore a costume complete with a shield, mask and spear. ‘Mother Gaia,’ the earth goddess, Anita’s corset represented her strength and acted as a shield for the earth. Her arms which were covered by weaves and vines forming a glove said to be a capturing tool for intruders while her cape allowed for disguise at her behest. Xamiera, adorned with thousands of glass beads, gems, sequins and natural indigenous seeds complemented by feathers, bamboo, woven cotton and thousands of seashells was Empress of the Rupununi.
They next went on to enthrall the crowd in the swimsuit segment, which led into the elegant part of the night, the Evening Gown Segment.
Gabriella lit the stage in her fieryred, shimmering, fishtail gown. Oriana also wore a glittering fishtail piece, embellished with many sequins. Her gown finished in a train that swept the floor as she walked. In her white angelic gown that began in gold at the neck down to her waist, Luann floated across the stage mesmerizing the audience. Akisha strutted in her floral off-shoulder gown that finished in a fishtail also. Anita’s green and silver gown was swoon-worthy. Xamiera’s dazzling