When Bessie and Mikee Met in Miss Panglao 2015

Miss Panglao 2015 Pageant  was honored to have been graced by two fashion designers who are also actively involved in pageantry.

 Your Blogger with Bessie & Mikee

Long before we met by chance at the Henann Resort poolside for the swimsuit shoot of Miss Bohol 2015, I already knew from top pageant blogger Norman Tinio  that Mark Bessie Besana is a pageant coach & one of the stabilizing forces of Aces & Queens, the beauty camp that has produced not only Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup, Janine Tugonon & Ara Arida who all achieved a Miss Universe Top Five placement from 2010 to 2013 ut also the Philippines’ first & only Miss World care of Megan Young in 2013.

Bessie revealed to me that he was based overseas for a corporate job before making the big career switch to pageant mentoring & fashion designing.

 Bessie Besana gown for Shamcey 

 and a Bessie Besana jumpsuit for Ara 

For their Miss Panglao 2015 judging duties, Ara wore Bessie Besana’s stretch floral and black jumpsuit that creates a perfect illusion of height. Shamcey wore a  ruched off shoulder red gown with crochet applique. 

Gayle Yu & Toni Gonzaga wear Mikee Andrei

 Marian Grace in a Mikee Andrei during Miss Silka Philippines 2014

On the other hand, Mikee Andrei is a Manila- based designer who is a homegrown Boholano talent. The current President of the Fashion Designer Alliance Manila (FaDAL) has always been supportive of the thriving pageant and fashion industry in Bohol through wardrobe sponsorship and sitting as member of the panel of judges during pageants being staged in some of Bohol’s 47 towns and the lone city of Tagbilaran.

Mikee also supported Bohol’s entry Marian Grace Malubay during her Miss Silka Philippines 2014 stint in Manila last year. This summer, the designer also extended support to Gayle Yu through mentoring at Kagandahang Flores beauty camp and wardrobe assistance when she represented Calape, Bohol in the 2015 Miss Philippines Earth national finals.

God bless Bessie & Mikee!