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Meet the Filipino who invented Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray’s sensational “lava walk”

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Paulea Benoza

<p>Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray’s success wouldn’t be possible without the best of her team — composed of underrated Filipino designers, glam artists, and pageantry mavens — who have worked together to secure her win. </p><p>One of them was Carlos Buendia, Jr., an architect and artistic director of University of Sto. Tomas, who is responsible for the 24-year-old beauty queen’s sensational lava walk. </p><figure><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Brm1xtXH2Uu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"> </div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"> </div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Brm1xtXH2Uu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 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style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="margin:8px 0 0 0;padding:0 4px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Brm1xtXH2Uu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style="color:#000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none;word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">Quiet strength of Tandang Sora. Fiery spirit of Gabriela Silang. THE 4TH FILIPINA MISS UNIVERSE. ✨🇵🇭👑 Surreal. Wake me up please. 😭 #missuniverse2018 #missuniverse #the4thiswithus #lavawalk</a></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/carlosbuendiajr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px" target="_blank"> carlosbuendiajr</a> (@carlosbuendiajr) on <time dateTime="2018-12-20T11:07:14+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Dec 20, 2018 at 3:07am PST</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" src="~//www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></figure><p>In a recent interview, Carlos said that he’s overwhelmed with the reactions on his lava walk, including a nod from supermodel Tyra Banks herself. </p><p>“Wala po kaming ine-expect kung hanggang saan aabot ‘yon, dagdag blessing ngayon ang Miss Universe official [page] nag-lava walk challenge pa... sa Instagram nila with 3 million followers,” said Carlos.</p><p>Buendia also shared how awed he is by Catriona’s determination to bring home the crown. </p><p>“Diyos ko, kung alam niyo lang. Na-realize ko nilalagnat na pala, nahiya ako. Sabi ko, ‘Bakit ‘di mo sinabi sa ‘kin?’ Sabi niya, ‘I want to win. I will do everything,&#x27;” said Carlos of the Filipino-Australian beauty, who has slayed the difficult poses of her walk despite her scoliosis.</p><p>Carlos, who has been friends with Catriona since 2014, revealed that he didn’t ask for payment for his service — except for the latter to fulfill her promise that she will help the kids of Tondo, Manila.</p>

Carlos Buendia, Jr., an architect and artistic director of University of Sto. Tomas, is overwhelmed with the reactions on his ‘lava walk’ — including a nod from supermodel Tyra Banks, no less — that h