The verdict is out. Miss Singapore Rachel Kum will be bearing some major flower power at the Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas this month.

She will wear a dark pink silk-satin and chiffon gown which has a giant Vanda Miss Joaquim, Singapore's national flower, attached to the back.

Designed by second-year fashion student Zhang Xiaoqing, the outfit was one of 10 designs put forward by students of Raffles Design Institute in a national costume competition.

For the first time in a Miss Singapore Universe contest, the choice of the costume was put to an online vote on national service portal www.ns.sg

The online poll ended last week, with another flamboyant orchid-themed outfit with dashes of yellow, green, maroon and a similar petal-like back-piece garnering the majority 40 per cent of about 210 votes.

However, as the poll results accounted for only 20 per cent of the final score - with the rest determined by a panel of four judges - Ms Zhang's design was made the eventual winner, even though it had finished third in the poll with 15 per cent of the votes.

One of the judges, Jay Quek, co-owner and designer of fashion label Posse, told Life! that it was down to the two flower designs.

'We eventually went for the one that looks more refined. The final product can be theatrical but not tacky,' he says. The other judges were Miss Kum, Posse co-owner Madeleine Wong and principal of Raffles Design Institute, Associate Professor Giuseppe Spinelli.

Ms Zhang, a 31-year-old China national who studied at the Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology and modelled in Paris and London before coming to Singapore, had five days and a budget of $500 to complete the outfit.

She says: 'I asked Rachel about what she thinks would project Singapore to the world and she mentioned the national flower.

'I think it's a good choice. It's very feminine but yet strong - blossoming throughout the year.'

Out of the 10 designs, only two are designed by locals while eight are by international students. According to a Raffles Design Institute spokesman, having a national costume designed by foreigners is 'refreshing' because ultimately, the competition is for an international audience.

Miss Kum says she likes the costume, and has in fact had her eye on it as one of the winning entries. The 24-year-old brand manager says: 'It is light and comfortable to wear. I think I look good in it, and it's easy to walk in.'

Last year's offering, worn by Ms Shenise Wong and designed by a student at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, was a Merlion-inspired white and silver gown with PVC leather, dangling plastic crystals and an organza fishtail. It drew gasps of horror from the public.

Following the public outcry that greeted last year's outfit, Ms Zhang says she feels under pressure with regards to her design but is confident that it will be well-received.

However, critics such as retiree Felix Heng, 55, are not pulling any punches about this year's edition. He wrote a letter to The Straits Times last month lambasting all 10 polling entries.

Asked about what he thought of the eventual choice, he says: 'Frankly, I didn't think much of any of the designs. We are always hung up on a theme or some form of identity, but just can't seem to pin it down.'

However, judge Spinelli says the design has to send a message. 'People can take potshots all they want but you must understand the purpose of the outfit. It's not an evening gown, it's a costume. So it has to be looked at that way.'

Posse's Quek sums it up: 'Let's just put it this way: Before the Merlion costume last year, who remembers what the others were?'

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This article was first published in The Straits Times.