Canadian designers shine at Miss Universe Canada

Being part of a beauty pageant is an exciting time for any model. It's even more exciting when these models can show off the fashion from Canadian designers on the runway.

Canadian designers shine at Miss Universe Canada

For the Miss Universe Canada 2012 beauty pageant, taking place tonight in Toronto, the ladies have to show the judges that they've got what it takes to win. There is a lot of criteria that goes into selecting the winner, who will then go on to compete in Miss Universe 2012 in December.

What these girls wear from head to toe can make or break the judges' decision of who will be crowned. There are a number of contestants of the total 62 contestants who chose to wear something unique made by a Canadian designer.

Eliezer Noguera, also known as Ely Venice, is one of the designers involved in Miss Universe Canada 2012. He has designed gowns for Saha Biniaz and Venessa Factoid from Vancouver, and Marta Jablonska from Hamilton, Ont.

"I'm very fortunate to be dressing these beautiful girls this year and to have them wearing my designs," he says. "My experience being involved in the Miss Canada organization dressing the models has been amazing. It's had a great impact on me as people are getting to know me and my work and it's helping my career."

Getting this kind of exposure is what designers like Noguera appreciate in this cutthroat industry. This national exposure can become international as well if the contestant wearing his outfit wins and makes it to Miss Universe 2012.
Being showcased on a platform such as this opens many doors for a designer. Antoniette Catenacci is passionate about designing competition gowns and has been involved in Miss Universe Canada since 2003. This year she worked with Anna Piatrovich from Richmond Hill, Ont., and Katie Strake from Uxbridge, Ont.
"When (these ladies) are competing and they do well, especially if they win, it's like I'm winning -- my dress is winning," says Catenacci. "So for me, it makes it more competitive. As I'm designing the dress I try to do things to make my dress compete a lot better than other dresses that competitors are wearing in the competition."
Catenacci is known for creating gowns that have a lot of movement on stage, very flowy with a lot of ruching texture, dresses made with rich fabrics such as silk, chiffon and charmeuse. She also uses a lot of beading, all Swarovski Crystals, all done by hand.
"I'm very proud to be a Canadian designer, and as Canadians, we are actually known for being high-end designers that produce quality work with quality fabric," she says. "We take pride in our work, so I'm proud to be one of those designers, to be part of that team."
The winner of Miss Universe Canada 2012 will not only go on to compete on the world stage, but she will also win $5,000 in Candy Ice Jewelry, the Diamond Sponsor for this year's competition and jeweler to such A-list celebrities as Paris Hilton, Joan Rivers, Kim Kardashian and Selena Gomez.
"Seeing my jewelry come to life on a woman, whether she's a celebrity on the red carpet or a model on the runway, is incredibly fulfilling to me, it's the ultimate compliment anybody can give me," says Lucy Kilislian, co-owner and founder of Candy Ice Jewelry, a Beverly Hills company that opened a showroom in Toronto last year. "And to be a part of something such as Miss Universe Canada is also amazing for us, it's an honor."