Sydney designer Christopher Ditsas has fallen at the final hurdle in his quest to have his dress design feature at the 2014 Miss Universe pageant.

The winning design of ‘The Elucent Skincare National Costume Competition’, run via Channel 7’s Sunrise program, will be worn by Australia’s representative at the pageant.

He was told late last week that he had not made the final cut.

Ditsas told Neos Kosmos that despite the disappointment he was proud of his uniquely Australian design – a prerequisite for entering.

“You know it’s nice to see something for your efforts and I really believed in my design but I guess the people vote as they see fit so perhaps this wasn’t
Australian enough or maybe not as obvious enough, who knows?”

He said he would continue with his full-time job as a chef, and doesn’t have any immediate plans for design projects, but is keeping his options open.

“I’m keeping in touch with the people from the pageant, they probably want me to re-enter next year – they’ve more or less indicated so, and we’ll see how it goes,” Ditsas said.

“It was a fun and enjoyable experience. You want to win, naturally, but hopefully better luck next time and who knows, maybe I can approach different pageants or different competitions and see where it takes me from there.”

Ditsas praised the winning design as a “well-thought out” and “well executed” deserving piece, inspired by Australia’s indigenous culture.