Miss India Navneet Dhillon: (Courtesy of Miss World)

When Miss World contestants display their poise and catwalk skills at the upcoming Top Model event, for the 48 Indonesian designers who dress them it is the moment to flaunt the very best of the country'€™s fashion.

Veteran designer Chossy Latu, who is dressing Indonesia'€™s own Vania Larissa, says he will use South Sumatra'€™s Palembang woven fabric on her simple yet stunning princess-style ball gown.

'€œThe design isn'€™t all about me, I made this to help Vania achieve her goal of winning '€” I have to hear what'€™s on her mind,'€ Chossy told The Jakarta Post, speaking of the gold-and-white gown with glamorous embroidered sequins that took him two months to complete.

He said 50 percent of the dress was made from Palembang songket woven fabric, which had been customized, removing the tumpal, or the woven design that usually accounts for a quarter of the overall fabric.

In creating the dress, Chossy went the extra mile, meticulously cutting the fabric to fit Vania'€™s posture and applying flawless tailoring to suit the motif while ensuring it was easy and comfortable to wear.

'€œTrouble putting on the dress will make her nervous,'€ he said, explaining his decision to use zippers instead of buttons.

Set for Sept. 24 at the Mangupura Hall in the Westin Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali, the show '€” one of the most highly anticipated challenge events of the beauty pageant, '€” will take Greece'€™s Byzantine era as its theme, translated into all evening gowns each flaunting the host nation'€™s style and panache.

Chairwoman of the Miss World Indonesia organization Liliana Tanoesoedibjo said Indonesia had a magnificent opportunity with 48 of its designers taking part in the top modeling event, which usually sees only one or two designers.

By Friday afternoon, several contestants had started fitting their dresses.

Designer Priyo Oktaviano '€” who will make Vania'€™s dress for the beauty pageant final on Sept. 28 '€” chose to exploit Bali'€™s woven textiles to dress Miss Venezuela Karen Soto, and Miss Austria Ena Kadic.

Sketch of the dress: Sketch of the dress for Indonesia'€™s contestant Vania Larissa by designer Chossy Latu. (Courtesy of Chossy Latu)
Designers Anne Avantie and Hengky Kawilarang chose to bring out Indonesian flair with a modern touch.

Anne, who dresses Miss Turkey Ruveyda Oksuz, created a copper-colored modern evening gown with printed images, such as mountains associated with Indonesia. She used materials like tulle and organdy made of pineapple fiber for the printed fabric.

Hengky created two evening gowns for Miss Japan Michiko Tanaka, and Miss Korea Min-ji Park. He made an A-line gown in chiffon and tulle for Tanaka and a mermaid dress of silk duchess, organza and tulle for Park.

'€œI embroidered imagery from Kalimantan carvings onto the dresses for the Indonesian factor. I personally think that Kalimantan carvings are very glamorous and fit in with my designs,'€ said Hengky.

Malik Moestaram, who has been requested to create at least five evening gowns, was inspired by the classic beauty and elegance of Greek goddesses in creating all of his A-line gowns in organdy and chiffon silk with a significant touch of East Nusa Tenggara woven fabrics.

'€œThe woven fabrics are used as adornments on the dresses. For colors, I chose mezzanine colors, maroon, ocean blue and terracotta '€“ solid ones,'€ said Malik.

Designer Dwi Iskandar will showcase signature batik from his hometown of Tuban in gowns for Miss Malta Donnha Borg, and Miss Georgia Tamar Shedania.

'€œThe gowns are in an international look, but the use of classic hand-made Tuban batik on shantung fabric adorned with heavy sequins in some parts means they'€™re not too Western,'€ said Dwi, adding the volume gowns had a glamorous eastern flavor with maroon, brown and gold.

Agnes Budhisurya has run up evening gowns for Miss Finland Maija Kerisalmi, and Miss India Navneet Dhillon, in flown fabric from Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, in purple and green.

Miss Netherlands Jacqueline Steenbeek, will wear a Dini Irawati Pratiwi piece; while Miss Philippines Megan Young, will be dressed in a gown by Bali-born Ayu Mirah Swardana, made of Balinese woven fabric.

Miss Brazil Sancler Frantz, was all smiles when showing off her red-and-gold dress by designer Jacqueline Rosella. In a video interview at the Miss World website, the designer said Frantz was really happy with the dress.

'€œI always want to present the best and just like any other designer, it makes me happy if the person I design it for really likes it,'€ Jacqueline said.