Miss Universe M'sia Came Dressed As A Whole Kampung During Her National Costume Round
"She's in search of a crown, and dressed like a town."
By Sadho Ram — 15 May 2021, 03:58 PM
On Friday, 14 May, during the National Costume category for the 69th Miss Universe Competition in Hollywood, Florida, Miss Universe Malaysia 2020 Francisca Luhong James came dressed as kampung
Called 'Kampungku', the dress, which translates to 'my village', was inspired by traditional Malay kampong houses that dot the landscape in villages and rural areas across Peninsular Malaysia.
Francisca, who is a Dayak native with rich mixed roots in the Kayan-Kenyah-Iban lineage, wanted to evoke a sense of nostalgia through the dress that also served as a powerful reminder of one's humble beginnings.
Weighing 45kg, the dress features a 3D house complete with replica chickens, coconut trees, and a headpiece in the shape of a bicycle.
The costume and headpieces took a total of three months to complete.
In fact, when Francisca appeared on the stage, lugging the impressive contraption, the announcer, mesmerised by it, couldn't stop himself rhyming with "she's in search of a crown, and dressed like a town"
The 25-year-old Sarawakian took to her Instagram to share a clip from her appearance.
At the time of writing, the clip has gone viral with almost 200,000 views and over 2,500 comments.
