Goa has once again made it to the international news, and this time, it's for all the right reasons. Goa’s Melvyn Noronha’s costume was the winner of the Best National Costume at the Miss Universe India 2024, recently held at Zee Studios, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
The pageant saw five costumes from Siolim-based fashion designer Melvyn, with NRI Chhavi Verg from New Jersey winning the Best National Costume award.
Chatting with GT Digital, Melvyn said that the theme for the winning costume was ‘The Colourful Love of a Universal India’.
LANGUAGE OF LOVE
“The costume celebrated India, not as a nation, but as an international language of love, which Non-Resident Indians (NRI) present to the world – showcasing that India is diverse, yet united in vibrancies of culture and tradition, which serves hospitality wherever there is an Indian,” Melvyn explained.
He added that the costume featured traditional Indian textile work on a base of hot pink, which symbolises desi love – the unifying quality of India which gives love to the whole world through education, innovation and dedication.
SHOWCASE OF BIODIVERSITY
The flora and fauna added an ode to the history of preservation of India’s varied biodiversity. The simple pots honoured rural artisans; the panelled lehenga with showers of flowers represented the culture of big and fat weddings
The crown held India’s meditative progressions, unifying minds with the universe and had floating planets; while the choli was beaded in the colours of the Indian flag with gold.
“Having Melvyn on my team, is a win in itself. He is not only the best pageant coach and the most innovative designer, but also food for the soul," said Chhavi, Miss USA 2017 and Runner Up of Miss Universe India 2024.
"He has a spiritual approach to everything and a divine aura of positivity; despite the fact that he is the strictest mentor and serves facts as they are,” added Chhavi.
Having Melvyn on my team, is a win in itself. He is not only the best pageant coach and the most innovative designer, but also food for the soul.
Chhavi Verg, Miss USA 2017 and Runner Up of Miss Universe India 2024
WOMEN IN BATTLE
The other costume making a statement at the event was the one worn by Rhea Singha, which was also a Melvyn Noronha design.
It made a bold statement with an artistic expression in the form of a wall of horses representing the souls of Indian feminism warriors, woven sarees representing the generations of women who worked hard independently to build society.
It was themed ‘The Modern Fashion Spirit of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar’. Devi Ahilyabai Holkar was a queen of the Maratha Malwa kingdom and played a major role in history.
“The costume represented the historical power of women, with white for purity, yellow for enthusiasm and radiation of light like the sun and saffron for the country’s strength, courage, sacrifice, valour, wisdom and action,” Melvyn said.
“Rhea wanted to represent Rani Laxmi Bai, but after analysing her through 90 questions, I realised that was not her, and despite the short time at hand," he continued.
"I had to probe her to represent a woman in Indian history who had principles she could relate to, and thus Ahilyabai was chosen,” he explained.
The pageant saw five costumes from Siolim-based fashion designer Melvyn, with NRI Chhavi Verg from New Jersey winning the Best National Costume award.
“The costume represented the historical power of women with white for purity, yellow for enthusiasm and radiation of light like the sun and saffron for the country’s strength, courage, sacrifice, valour, wisdom and action,” Melvyn said.
He added, “Rhea wanted to be Rani Laxmi Bai, but after analysing her through 90 questions, I realised that was not her, and despite the short time, I had to probe her to represent a woman in Indian history who had principles she could relate to, and thus Ahilyabai was chosen.”
Rhea wanted to be Rani Laxmi Bai, but after analysing her through 90 questions, I realised that was not her, and despite the short time, I had to probe her to represent a woman in Indian history who had principles she could relate to, and thus Ahilyabai was chosen.
Melvyn Noronha, Goan fashion designer
Another top standout costume at the contest was that of Miss Universe Goa – Anjum Malik. The theme was 'In search of the pearl of the Indian Ocean – Goa'.
Based on São Gabriel, the ship of Vasco da Gama, the costume featured the Portuguese admiration for Goa through a sensual captain costume adorned with the fans of Mando singers as a crown, eventually revealing Goa on a pearl out of a treasure box.
Lakshita Thilagraj’s costume, also from Melvyn, celebrated the legacy of Velu Nachiyaar, a valiant queen of the Sivaganga Kingdom, the premier woman avenger of India against the British colonisers who murdered her husband at the Kalayar Kovil Temple during his regular worship.
She led an all-women Udaiyal Army in 1780 during Vijayadashmi and regained her kingdom. The costume featured a metal armour to symbolise Velu Nachiyaar’s war skills training, which matched those of her male counterparts.
TEMPLES OF SOUTH INDIA
Bhuvaneshwari Vishwanath’s costume was the temple protecting Apsara of South India. About this, Melvyn said, “She entered with the loyalty, power and wisdom of the incarnation of Ganesha carried by the Paravani trail with each peacock feather holding water reflections of the temples of South India."
"The costume had the temples of Brihadeeswara and temples above her head, which represent paying respects to the deities of the temples and protecting the structures of Indian heritage powerfully in beauty and beautifully in spirituality,” he revealed.
With five amazing costumes, which focus on India and its diversity, there's no doubt that Melvyn Noronha will continue to shine on the international pageant scene in the years to come.