Poster courtesy of Alternative Miss London- WayOut Club's Facebook page
In 1993, the WayOut Club was founded and formed by Miss Vicky Lee and Stephan Whitffield. For the past years to date, the venue for this regular Saturday nightclub at the Minories in London has been operating for and welcoming the LGBTQIA+ community members; their admirers and compatible people. The club at the Minories in London is a comforting place which has a modernised heated beer garden; indoor drinking space; a fair-sized dance floor and security bouncers. Moreover, it has been operating as the main venue for the WayOut Club's annual catwalk contest entitled Alternative Miss London.
Historically speaking, the Alternative Miss London event was created/founded in 1992 by the late co-founder and performer extraordinaire, Stephan Whitfield. Ever since then, this catwalk contest at the the WayOut Club has been the core eye-opener in sharing and unfolding its mission in London and beyond. It has been essentially showing how naturally beautiful, resourcefully creative and innately intelligent the transgender, transitioning and in full bloom, women are on and off stage.
The search is on...
Photo courtesy of Geyzhel Sparkes' Facebook account From Left to Right 2nd Runner-up, Miss Clara Clyd Cosning Alternative Miss London 2019, Miss Nicole Williams 1st Runner-up, Miss Iwa Moto
Who will succeed the current title holder, Miss Nicole Williams? In particular, who amongst the unnamed contestants will favourably deserve to wear the Alternative Miss London 2019 crown?
Photo courtesy of Nicole Williams'' Facebook account
Photo courtesy of Nicole Williams'' Facebook account
For the past weeks to date, Miss Vicky Lee and her supportive family have been updating their social media accounts for the approaching 26th year anniversary of Alternative Miss London. An annual night catwalk contest for the beguiling candidates who will stupefyingly appear and swagger on stage. More importantly, it will become a significant show of remembrance to the founder and performer extraordinaire, Stephan Whitfield.
If you are interested in being one of the “icing on the cake” contestants, don't hesitate to send a message of interest onto the following accounts:
This coming 28th of September, the inspirational Miss Vicky Lee and her hard working family cordially invite us all to witness and be enchanted by the beauty of the desirous candidates as well as their leading-edge performances on stage.
This year's Alternative Miss London will be held at The Minories located at 64-73 Minories, London EC3N 1JL. A traditional pub with beer garden and less than a minute walk from Tower Hill Underground Station. Here is the link of its location for your reference and courtesy of http://www.thewayoutclub.com,
The night at the Minories will undoubtedly teem with individuals who have been courageously embracing their true gender identities, gender expressions and sexual orientation. Its because, the WayOut Club- with the unceasing succour from the inspirational Miss Vicky Lee- has been the flambeau home for those struggling with anxieties and who are fearlessly proud in expressing themselves.
StarVision UK Event Production and Management is a private group enterprise which provides high quality entertainment, photography/videography and other related services in London and beyond. The main objectives of their services to organisations/parties are, to set-up the best appearance of the visualised social gathering/festivity into a reality and to assist with the technical outline of the event during the actual date..
As StarVision UK gained a solid reputation, they began venturing into a supplementary field of interest. They embarked on creating and producing events of their own for a greater humanitarian cause. In particular, the materialisation of Mister and Miss Body Beautiful in 2017 was the first organised event of their own in London. Then, its favourable outcome paved the way to go for another conceptualised event: a beauty pageant for transgender women which was first thought of in the late of 2016.
In 2018, when the founder, Ela Hidalgo, and the organiser, Randy Silverio, of StarVision UK Event Production and Management were pursuing the realistic creation of their secondary (halted) project they encountered provoking hurdles. One of these was, the withdrawal of support from a generous Fashion Designer who had verbally agreed with Ela Hidalgo to be a sponsor. Allegedly, the designer was going to provide some of the outfits and that would have moderated the expenses of the candidates. Sadly, this did not happen! Personally speaking, the promising sponsorship would have been a considerable relief not just for the flexible candidates but for the charitable cause. In particular, the accumulated funds for this undervalued beauty pageant for transgender women will benefit the underprivileged children in 2 places in San Fernando City, Upper Pao and Abot, La Union in the Philippines. Hence, the spectre shadows of hurdles and insufficient presence of generous benefactors in 2018 resulted to the halt production of Miss TransBeauty.
In the early months of 2019, Ela Hidalgo and Randy Silverio were optimistically back on track again with the ultimate creation and production of Miss TransBeauty. They continued looking for more sponsors who would open-handedly contribute for a greater humanitarian cause and also, for candidates who would become the powerful image of the beauty pageant.
Despite the fact that it was first conceptualised in 2016; briefly advertised in 2017 and tried to put forth in 2018, the long-winded creation and production of Miss TransBeauty in 2019 still met a few stumbling blocks. However, the combined resolute personalities of the founder and the organiser yielded to the fruition of the grand coronation night of Miss TransBeauty 2019..
Poster courtesy of StarVision UK's Facebook account
On the 27th of July this year, StarVision UK Event Production and Management have brought into existence their first conceptualised beauty pageant for a vital humanitarian cause. This was the persevered outcome of the vital "heads" in pursuing and finally surmounting the antecedent undermining challenges. Hence, a triumphant colourful procession of beauty, body and intellect of transgender women took place on the grand coronation night held at Baden Powell House in South Kensington.
The Miss TransBeauty 2019 was single-handedly on stage by a sophisticated hostess, Alexandra Marie Diaz. She appeared throughout the show wearing colourful dresses. It was a piece by piece appearance in which she wore three different outfits which embodied the shades of the flag of the Republic of the Philippines.
(Photos courtesy of Alexandra Marie Diaz)
The buoyant and prancy candidates on stage were evaluated by high calibre members of the jury. Namely, judge #1, Steven St. Catherine (model & actor); judge #2, Emma Jay Baker (Miss Paragon International); judge #3, Rihannon 'D Avec (London Runway Magazine editor in chief); judge #4 Dele Onabowu (Miss Africa Director); judge #5, Glaiza De Castro (actress & singer) and judge #6 Leila Samati (Miss Africa).
The crowd's exhilarating energy during the panoply of candidates was sustained more by a few intermission numbers from the youngster artists within the Filipino community. Moreover, a breather also took place in the style of raffle draw. The lucky winners were pampered with prizes generously contributed by sponsors.
During the ostentations show-off on stage, the crowd was intensely astonished by candidates with body & stature in SWIMWEAR;
beauty & groove in CASUAL WEAR;
cheer & vision in TALENT; creativity & ingenuity in FANTASY WEAR;
class & elegance in EVENING GOWN and self composure & substance in QUESTION & ANSWER.
The affirmed winners in each category were impartially scored by the respective members of the jury. While the gathered score sheets were even-handedly calculated by a chosen committee of tabulators. Apart from the evaluations of the jury for minor awards, there were also specials awards given to the radiant candidates. Such as, the beforehand votes from the social media users; the applause of the crowd during the grand coronation night and the tally recommendations from the candidates.
Miss Elegance candidate #7, Miss Cassandra Concepcion
Best in Casual Wear candidate #5, Miss Akiko Obillo
Best in Fantasy Wear candidate #7, Miss Cassandra Concepcion
Best in Swimwear candidate #5, Miss Akiko Obillo
Miss London Organic Beauty candidate #5, Miss Akiko Obillo
Best in Evening Wear candidate #5, Miss Akiko Obillo
Best in Talent candidate #5, Miss Akiko Obillo
Miss TransBeauty- Online Sensation candidate #4, Miss Paw Cadalzo
Face of the StarVision UK candidate #4, Miss Paw Cadalzo
Miss Congeniality candidate #3, Miss Maria Ara
Princess of the Crowd candidate #5, Miss Akiko Obillo
It is a common practice in pageantry to have the nerve-racking Question and Answer section. This is when a contestant is judge mainly by the content of his/her answer and also, on his/her delivery. On this part of the grand coronation night of Miss TransBeauty 2019, the gathered scores of each candidate during the minor and special categories were nullified and their hierarchy was back to square one. Thus, each candidate was neutrally evaluated by the jury as per her articulation on stage while explaining a meaningful answer to a chosen question. Therefore, the deserving runners-up and the crown holder, as per the ranking during the Q&A section, for Miss TransBeauty 2019 were:
From Left to Right 1st Runner-up candidate #7, Miss Cassandra Concepcion Miss TransBeauty 2019 candidate #5, Miss Akiko Obillo 2nd Runner-up candidate #4, Miss Paw Cadalzo
Every event has groups or tribes who coalesce together as audience: overall is a crowd. They will cheer and support their candidate(s). On the other hand, behind the spectacle on stage displayed by the candidates was a show created and produced for a vital humanitarian cause. Hence, there is a story which awaits to be revealed and told!
