Ahtisa Manalo brings Dyesebel out of the comic book in Miss Cosmo 2024 national costume
The Philippines' bet Maria Ahtisa Manalo brought out the Filipino mermaid character, Dyesebel, from Mars Ravelo’s comic book for her national costume in the Miss Cosmo 2024 competition held in Vietnam.
The Quezon province native paraded fashion designer Ehrran Montoya’s vibrant orange ensemble that has fabrics mirroring the ocean, shimmering scales, beaded patterns, and hand- and head-pieces similar to a mermaid’s tail.
“It captures the essence of Filipino pop culture, with flowing ocean-inspired fabrics that evoke the beauty and grace of this mythical sea creature. The design is a celebration of both the rich heritage and the contemporary allure of Philippine comic book legends,” Ahtisa wrote on Instagram.
Ahtisa described the iconic character of Dyesebel as a representation of the power of storytelling in Filipino identity and bridging different generations.
“Pop culture encapsulates the spirit of our shared heritage, blending tradition with contemporary artistry. It deserves to be celebrated for its unique ability to unite people, inspire creativity, and keep our cultural legends alive in the modern world,” she wrote.
The Miss Universe Philippines 2024 second runner-up was also previously seen paying homage to ancient Visayan culture as her first entry in the national costume round.
She arrived in Vietnam last week to represent the country and is roommates with a fellow beauty queen, Filipina-Kiwi Franki Russell, who will represent New Zealand.
Miss Cosmo 2024 started on Sept. 15 in Ho Chi Minh City and will end on the coronation night on Oct. 5 at Phu Tho Stadium.
Ahtisa has previously represented the country in Miss International 2018 and was crowned first place.