Miss Universe Thailand Anna Sueangam-iam paid a meaningful tribute to her parents at the Miss Universe 2022 pageant by wearing an upcycled dress made from used pull tabs from soda cans.
The child of a garbage collector and a street sweeper, 24-year-old Sueangam-iam grew up in a garbage dump in Bangkok.
Sueangam-iam has openly spoken about her childhood, telling Thai media most of her toys as a child had been salvaged from trash.
To help cover her tuition, she donated blood, collected plastic waste bottles and cleaned bathrooms, her Miss Universe bio reads.
Sueangam-iam went on to to graduate with first class honors from university and is now an actress and model.
In August, she was crowned Miss Universe Thailand 2022.
“This gown was inspired by the familiar surroundings of my childhood,” Sueangam-iam wrote on Instagram. “Growing up with garbage collector parents, my life as a child was among piles of garbage and recyclables.”
“This unique gown was purposefully tailored-made with discarded and recycled materials, namely the ‘Can Tab’ to present to the UNIVERSE that what’s considered worthless by many actually possesses its own value and beauty,” she wrote.
“Thank you all for seeing it, hearing it, and hopefully being that message of self-worth.”
The gown was designed by Thai fashion brand Manirat and features used soda can pull tabs bedazzled with Swarovski crystals.
The dress has since gone viral on several social media platforms.
“You’re not the only ones facing despair. I used to be in despair too. We learn from our troubles to adapt and survive. I would call on all of you to have confidence in yourselves and rise to fight again. If I can, so can you,” she said in August after being crowned Miss Universe Thailand.
