WA designer Ruth Tarvydas creating Miss Universe costume

IN what could be the biggest break - or mistake - of her career, Perth designer Ruth Tarvydas will create the costume for Australia's Miss Universe contestant.
Australia's beautiful Miss Universe contestants, Tarvydas is famous for designing Rebecca Twigley's red dress for the Brownlow Medal in 2004 and Jessica Bratich's revealing Allan Border Medal gown this year.

She has been chosen to make the dress for Miss Australia Rachael Finch when she competes for global glory in the Bahamas in August in front of millions of TV viewers.  Tarvydas said to expect more of the same sexy silhouettes when the Miss Universe dress is officially unveiled in Melbourne next month. `It's all about the wonderful iconic things in Australia, merged with our beautiful women, merged with Australiana, and very sexy,'' she said.

``Our gown is fashionable, it's sexy, but it's also very Australian. I think it will look beautiful on Rachael.'' The national costume always generates the most controversy at the Miss Universe competition and Australian contestants have displayed some cringe-worthy creations in the past. Last year Jayson Brunsdon was lambasted for his flowing landscape-inspired dress for Laura Dundovic, which came with tiered frilled-neck lizard and boomerang breastplate. One critic described it as a toilet-roll dolly channelling illustrator May Gibbs. Other recent cliched national costumes include a Steve Irwin outfit, a lifesaver cossie and a wattle-and-gumnut ensemble.

Even Miss Universe winner Jennifer Hawkins didn't escape scrutiny when she wore a steel-grey ballgown featuring maps of Sydney at the 2004 pageant.  But Finch said she couldn't be happier with Tarvydas's yet-to-be-revealed design. ``I need something that reflects our culture, our beauty, our spirit,'' she said.

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