Uganda’s ‘Layers of Life’ turns motherhood into fashion at Miss World

Uganda’s entry at the Miss World 2026 World Designer Award is drawing attention for turning the physical realities of childbirth into a fashion statement.

Titled Layers of Life, the gown was designed by Ugandan fashion designer Keisha Abdullah and inspired by the seven anatomical layers involved in a caesarean section.

The design represents the skin, subcutaneous fat, fascia, abdominal muscles, peritoneum, uterus and amniotic sac. Each layer is depicted through different fabrics, textures and construction techniques to symbolise the stages involved in a C-section.

Abdullah drew inspiration from her own experience of motherhood. Through the gown, she sought to highlight the physical demands of childbirth that remain largely invisible behind the small scar left after a C-section.

The gown combines shades of red, pink, cream and skin tones, with specially dyed threads and layered fabrics used to create its anatomical-inspired structure.

Beyond its visual concept, Layers of Life also seeks to challenge the perception of C-sections as an easy form of childbirth. A caesarean section is major surgery involving several layers of tissue and a significant recovery period.

The design has therefore emerged as more than a competition outfit, presenting motherhood, physical endurance and the realities of childbirth through fashion.

Uganda’s entry demonstrates how the international fashion stage can also be used to address themes of women’s health, motherhood and the human body.