MANILA – Newly crowned Miss Earth Katherine Espin of Ecuador is happy to finally have the freedom to share a photo of her controversial gown in the environment-oriented pageant.
On Wednesday, Espin posted a photo of herself wearing the yellow gown by Filipino designer Leo Almodal, saying she is relieved that the issues surrounding it have been clarified.
“After clarifying all the controversies about the dress, I can finally feel free to post this picture which I truly love,” she wrote.
She went on to thank the Filipinos who have supported her amid the controversy involving the country’s representative, Imelda Schweighart.
“Thank you, Philippines, for supporting me,” she wrote.
Schweighart, who failed to make it to the Top 16 of Miss Earth 2016, admitted in a previous interview that she felt hurt when she saw Espin wear the yellow gown which, she said, was made for her.
She also accused the Ecuadorian beauty queen of undergoing cosmetic surgery, but has since apologized for her “unmindful statements.”
Hours after the interview, Schweighart resigned as Miss Philippines Earth and was replaced by first runner-up Loren Mar Artajos.
Espin has denied having plastic surgery and maintained that she never knew that the yellow dress she wore to the Miss Earth 2016 pageant belonged to Schweighart.
Almodal, for his part, admitted that he agreed to dress up Schweighart for this year’s Miss Earth, but stressed that the dress in question is still his property.
He said he has allowed Schweighart to wear the dress only if she made it to the Top 16 of the pageant.
