Here’s South Africa’s Mr Gay World 2016 national costume

Although South Africa’s Oelof de Meyer failed to win the title this year, he wowed the audience at the 2016 Mr Gay World grand finale with his impressive national costume.

Designed by Yihan Bronn, it was described as incorporating “aspects of Africa with a hint of warrior”.

De Meyer wore the costume on the runway at the pageant on Saturday night in Malta as he competed against 21 other finalists from around the world.

Photographed by Vernondo Boshoff, it’s featured on the cover of the official magazine for the upcoming Pink Loerie Mardi Gras & Arts Festival in Kynsna.

De Meyer said he was “proud of what we presented at Mr Gay World”. The 28-year-old Johannesburg-based engineer came in seventh place overall, and in the top three in the Sports Challenge.

He thanked “each and everyone that supported me,” adding that “we have given a 150% and I think it was evident in everything you saw”.

The Mr Gay World title was taken by Spain’s Roger Gosalbez Pitaluga, a 30-year-old, blue-eyed graphic designer from the city of Murcia. (Read more here.)

De Meyer congratulated Pitaluga, with whom he shared a room in Malta. “I am super proud of you roomie!” he wrote on Facebook.