MANILA – Philippine bet Emma Tiglao’s deep red gown at the Miss Grand International (MGI) 2025 preliminary competition drew mixed reactions from pageant observers and fans after she took the stage on Wednesday, Oct. 15, in Vietnam.

The gown, designed by Ryan Uson, featured wing-like shoulder pads embellished with red and orange beads, a plunging V neckline with gold trim, and a high-slit, figure-hugging skirt overlaid with sheer fabric.

Tiglao appeared poised and confident as she sashayed onstage alongside 75 other candidates, smiling as she delivered her introductory spiel.

Despite her composed presentation, the gown became a subject of online debate among fans and pageant watchers. Some praised the design’s color choice—red being a lucky hue in Thailand—while others described it as a “disappointment,” citing its silhouette and proportions.

“Emma’s gown is a big disappointment. Those shoulder part of her gown are not flattering. And [made it look] out of proportion. Might have looked good on paper but it didn’t translate well on camera. It’s prelims not cosplay!” one social media user commented.

Others noted that Miss Grand Ghana Faith Maria Porter, who also wore a Uson creation, appeared to have a more polished overall look.

Some fans, however, defended the gown, suggesting it might be part of a strategic move to save a more striking look for the finals on Oct. 18. They also said that much of the criticism came from Filipino fans, while international audiences praised Tiglao for her elegance and stage presence.

Despite the debate, Tiglao emerged as one of the recognized candidates during the preliminaries. She won the Miss Global Beauties Special Award and was among the three finalists for the Pageant Insider Choice Award, alongside representatives from Thailand and the Czech Republic.

Thailand’s Sarunrat Pueakpipat and Indonesia’s Vina Sitorus were named winners of the Pageant Insider Choice and Miss Grand Fan Vote awards, respectively.