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Metro Exclusive: Kai Montinola Talks About Her Fairy Tale-Like Look for the ABS-CBN Ball 2025

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Kai Montinola at the Metro booth during the ABS-CBN Ball 2025 | Photo by Dix Perez

Kai Montinola at the Metro lounge during the ABS-CBN Ball 2025 | Photo by Rxandy Capinpin

Kai Montinola on the ABS-CBN Ball 2025 red carpet

Kai Montinola on the ABS-CBN Ball 2025 red carpet | Photo by Ryan Ong

<div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:700px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1744132689103488260924_18360559738182383_8350905904302848647_n.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Kai Montinola in Jot Losa | Photography by Dookie Ducay with Eugene David as the creative director</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p><em><strong>Pinoy Big Brother: Gen 11</strong> </em>alum <em></em><em></em>Kai Montinola is among Metro&#x27;s picks for the best-dressed ladies at the <strong>ABS-CBN Ball 2025</strong>. It was her first time attending the prestigious event, and she debuted in the best way possible. </p><p>Wearing an exquisite<strong> Jot Losa</strong> ball gown that looked straight out of a fairytale, Kai looked like an actual princess with her modelesque physique and overall aura. Her strapless gown features a corset bodice and a voluminous skirt in varying shades of pink. Kai chose &quot;blooming&quot; to describe what the outfit means to her and this moment in her life. </p><p>&quot;Since I&#x27;m <em>bago sa industriya na &#x27;to</em>, they [her glam team] would want other people to see me as, this is me, I am just starting, yet I am blooming,&quot; Kai shared. </p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1744133772340488274470_18360559606182383_3361896241536264107_n.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div style="text-align:center"><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1744134415976488642938_1093608876138099_6190697471624601616_n.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>Indeed, it was the perfect way to encapsulate the idea behind her look, following the ABS-CBN Ball&#x27;s spring formal dress code. In an exclusive <strong>Metro</strong> room raid hours before she walked the red carpet, she also said that her gown was &quot;<em>pasabog</em>&quot; (something grand and statement-making) and like a &quot;fairy tale.&quot;</p><p>Further sharing how she wanted to accessorize this striking custom creation, Kai revealed, &quot;<em>K</em><em>ita naman </em>that I have a long neck, and when I was younger, I used to be made fun of for having a long neck. <em>Pero</em> I grew up embracing it actually, so to enhance that, to enhance this feature of mine more, I really wanted to wear a choker.&quot; And so, her stylist, <strong>Adrianne Concepcion</strong>, finished off her look with a diamond choker necklace and matching earrings from <strong>Oro China Jewelry</strong>;the other accessories that completed her look were the minaudière from <strong>Bling and Co.</strong> and heels by <strong>Jojo Bragais</strong>.<strong></strong></p><p>Her updo hairstyle with wavy tendrils, styled by <strong>Brent Sales</strong>, also helped draw more attention to her neck, which she wanted to highlight. Makeup artist <strong>Paul Unating</strong>, meanwhile, went for a soft, angelic beauty look that&#x27;s age-appropriate and complemented the youthfulness of her gown. </p><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1744134674916488219703_18360559645182383_6465950768085445226_n.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><strong></strong><strong></strong></div><div><br/></div><div><em></em></div><p>&quot;I would name this gown &#x27;A Summer at the Clouds of Siquijor,&quot; Kai told <strong>Metro.Style</strong>. &quot;Because I went to Siquijor recently for a shoot, and it was my first <em>parang</em> out of town where I got to actually enjoy my stay because I stayed there for more than one day. So, <em>nag</em>-swimming<em> ako du&#x27;n</em> and it was so pretty... The colors were the colors of the flowers <em>sa</em> resort <em>na nag-</em>stay <em>kami</em>. So <em>parang</em> it reminded me of where I was last month.&quot;</p><p>With spring as the theme of the ABS-CBN Ball, flowers come to mind as something associated with the season. So, what&#x27;s Kai&#x27;s all-time favorite flower? &quot;My favorite flowers are tulips. Very simple but very classy. I do have tulip accessories. I really like implementing my favorite flowers in accessories. So I have a bracelet, a tulip bracelet, at home.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Check out more photos of Kai Montinola at the Metro lounge and Metro booth at the ABS-CBN Ball 2025:</strong></div><div><strong></strong>[[PHOTO ALBUM]]</div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Watch our exclusive interview with Kai below:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><strong></strong></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIGnhbfBxlp/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=720&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A16972346.699999988%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="510" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people/2025/4/6/abs-cbn-ball-2025-pbb-gen-11-housemates-do-a-portrait-shoot-with-metro-1329" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Ball 2025: &#x27;PBB: Gen 11&#x27; Housemates Do a Portrait Shoot With Metro</a></strong></div><div><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people/2025/4/7/metro-exclusive-getting-ready-with-kim-chiu-for-the-abs-cbn-ball-2025-1215" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Metro Exclusive: Getting Ready With Kim Chiu for the ABS-CBN Ball 2025</a></strong></div><div><strong></strong><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people/2025/4/8/metro-exclusive-alexa-ilacad-on-the-inspiration-behind-her-abs-cbn-ball-2025-look-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Metro Exclusive: Alexa Ilacad Says Her Inspiration for Her ABS-CBN Ball 2025 Look Has Sentimental Value</a></strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Producer and video editor: <strong>CJ Reyes</strong><br style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial" id="isPasted"/>Interviewer: <strong>Arci Claveria</strong><br style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial"/>Videographer: <strong>Aura Pepito</strong></p><div><br/></div><p>Lead photo by <strong>Dookie Ducay</strong> and screenshot from a video by <strong>Aura Pepito</strong><strong></strong> </p>

<p>Kai Montinola is blooming—beauty- and career-wise—and her dreamy ABS-CBN Ball 2025 gown captured that idea. </p>

Kai Montinola is blooming—beauty- and career-wise—and her dreamy ABS-CBN Ball 2025 gown captured that idea.