Ukraine's Angelina Usanova reveals national costume for Miss Eco International 2024
Ukraine's Angelina Usanova has revealed the phoenix-inspired national costume she will wear at this year's Miss Eco International competition. "The phoenix is a mythical creature that symbolizes Ukraine and Ukrainians — a country that is under fire every day, but continues to live, rebuild destroyed cities, love, create, give birth to children," the 26-year-old model shared online. Created by Lesia Patoka of Patoka Studio and her team, the costume was made entirely from recycled materials provided by No Waster Ukraine, a non-profit organization promoting responsible consumption and waste management in the country. More than 1,500 plastic spoons and 500 plastic knives were used for the costume. Plastic fittings were used for the wings, headdress, and corset while the skirt was made of used curtains. The stones and rhinestones on the dress were collected from dresses, tops, and t-shirts from second-hand stores. "I really wanted to create a dress that would be c