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Dominican designer Suzelle Taveras, the visionary behind Bride To Be Couture, captured global attention by bringing the essence of Dominican fashion to the prestigious Miss Universe stage. During the pageant rally, Taveras had the honor of dressing the newly crowned Miss Universe 2024, Victoria Kjær Theilvig, solidifying her status as one of the most influential figures in Dominican design.
Victoria Kjær Theilvig, a 21-year-old professional dancer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist from Denmark, made history as the first Danish contestant to win the Miss Universe crown and the first blonde in 20 years. Taveras' designs elevated her stunning looks throughout the competition, which featured seasonal colors, metallic fabrics, glittering details, and delicate transparencies.
"It was an honor to have accompanied our new Miss Universe 2024 during the contest. Congratulations, beautiful @victoriaakjaer!" Taveras shared on social media, celebrating this monumental achievement.
Taveras told HOLA! USA, what inspired her to select the designs that Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjær Theilvig wore, and how did she ensure that they reflected her personality and the elegance of the Miss Universe pageant. "The selection of the models was made with emblematic designs from the most recent collections of our fashion house. I studied Victoria's profile, analyzed her tastes, which cuts and shades she identified with and which could work to highlight the beauty that she has. Additionally, we made sure that each piece applied to the context and activities of Miss Universe," she said.
As a Dominican designer, having her work on such a prestigious world stage says a lot about Dominican fashion. "For me, it is a pride and immense satisfaction to see my designs on such an important stage since it is a step in my career, but also, working with me, there is a Dominican team full of talent that strives to make each piece surpass the previous one. That team represents the talent that characterizes Dominicans," Suzelle assures, adding, "reaching Miss Universe and the candidates from other countries with my designs is the perfect opportunity to get to know part of the great talent that exists in the Dominican Republic, in terms of fashion and how far we can go when we believe in our dreams."
A Double Spotlight for Bride To Be Couture
In addition to Victoria, Taveras also designed ensembles for Miss Dominican Republic Universe Celinee Santos, who showcased a variety of sophisticated styles from Bride To Be Couture throughout the competition. Santos' wardrobe exemplified Taveras' ability to blend modern elegance with Caribbean flair, further solidifying the designer's international reputation.
Dressing Stars Beyond the Crown
Taveras's influence extended beyond the contestants, as she dressed several prominent personalities at the coronation event. Among them are Telemundo presenters Andrea Meza, Miss Universe 2020, and Julia Gama, the first runner-up from the same year.
Taveras revealed how MU Denmark and the Miss Universe organization contacted her. "Everything happened very spontaneously, Lisa Lents, director of Miss Universe Denmark, contacted me via my social networks and shared with me what her needs were for Victoria," the fashion designer revealed.
Suzelle also highlighted the importance of building professional relationships in the industry. "Throughout my career, I have created very good relationships with national and international stylists who always take me into account for projects of this magnitude. Regarding the wardrobes of Andrea Mesa and Julia Gama, we were contacted by stylist Reading Pantaleón, with whom we have had the privilege of working on other occasions."
A Triumph for Dominican Fashion
Suzelle Taveras's contribution to Miss Universe 2024 underscores her role as a global ambassador for Dominican design. She amplified the Dominican Republic's cultural identity and demonstrated the power of fashion as a universal language of beauty and sophistication.
Beyond the pageant, Suzelle shed light on the future projects or collaborations that excite her the most and how she plans to continue showing Dominican design internationally. "Each project for me is a new opportunity to create, relate and expand Dominican fashion, so each one excites me in a very special way. So these future projects will represent an important impact on my career and my team," she said.
"I want to continue maintaining the essence that has allowed me to reach these international stages, preserving and fostering relationships with stylists and the entire team of the figures who seek my work, maintaining the values with which I started this path, such as humility, discipline, service and commitment until the last moment of the project and maintaining the focus first on the figure who contacts me, on getting to know their personality and their tastes and then on the design."
This year's Miss Universe marked a milestone not only for Victoria Kjær Theilvig and her historic win but also for Suzelle Taveras, whose creations brought the vibrant spirit of the Dominican Republic to a global audience.
Who is Suzelle Taveras?
Suzelle Alfonsina Taveras Díaz, born on October 5, 1986, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, holds a degree in Law from PUCMM and is pursuing a Master's in Fashion Design at the Escuela Superior de Diseño de Barcelona. She began her fashion journey with a dress rental store called Bride To Be, which evolved into a fashion house offering exclusive designs.
Her work gained recognition as she created unique pieces for prominent figures in the Dominican media and designed outfits for Miss Dominican Republic, Andreina Martínez, in Miss Universe 2022.
In 2023, she debuted her first collection, "Midnight Flowers," at Premios Soberano and has since participated in numerous international red carpets, including Premio Juventud and Latin Grammy. She has received accolades such as Emerging Designer 2023 at the Dominican Fashion Awards and a Special Recognition at the La Flor Awards.
Suzelle has dressed international celebrities like Miss Universe 2023 Sheynnis Palacios and Paulina Rubio and notable Dominican figures such as legendary Merengue singer Milly Quezada. Her designs reflect the versatility of fashion trends and Latin elegance, focusing on enhancing feminine beauty through comfort and style.