(Read article online here: http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/2010/05/19/lifestyles/srv0000008305472.txt)

Published: Wednesday, May 19, 2010

By Gina Joseph, Macomb Daily Staff Writer

Michigan has a few reasons to be happy about the newly crowned Miss USA.

She is Miss Michigan Rima Fakih of Dearborn, and the gown was worn for her photo shoot were designed by Michigan fashion designer Katerina Bocci of Shelby Township.

“Sunday night I screamed and cried tears of joy, ‘That’s our girl!’ But we were not surprised that she won. She’s such a beautiful woman — inside and out — and she really deserves the crown of Miss USA. She handled the competition, every moment, with so much grace,” Bocci said.

When she nearly fell on the lengthy train of her strapless gown, which fashion writers described as resembling a wedding dress, Fakih kept her composure. And again, during the interview portion when asked the difficult question of whether she thought birth control should be paid for by health insurance, she showed courage by saying she believed it should because it is costly for individuals. “I believe that birth control is just like every other medication even though it’s a controlled substance.”

Fakih will replace Miss USA 2009 Kristen Dalton and won a spot representing the United States in the 2010 Miss Universe pageant. It’s not known what gown Fakih will wear, although it’s likely the Miss Universe pageant, like the Miss USA pageant, has an official designer for the evening gown competition. As for the photo shoot, that’s up to Miss USA.

“Rima knew exactly what she wanted,” said Bocci. “She loves mermaid-style dresses, which is one of my specialties, and she wanted it to be a unique color.

So, together, we found a gorgeous salmon silk fabric. The gown featured handmade flowers with hand-beaded Swarovski crystals. It is asymmetrical with a sweetheart neckline, lace-up back, carefully fitted through the hips with a pleated mermaid bottom. Rima loved the Swarovski stones, so we hand-beaded in many places on her gown.”

Fakih chose to wear a baby pink silk-wool suit with a ruffled neckline and jeweled belt and fitted skirt. She also was interested in the La Bambala dress (means ‘doll’) from Bocci’s bridal collection and a silk-stretch cocktail dress in bright yellow with a high ruffled neck.

“Her color choices were just impeccable with her beautiful skin,” Bocci said.

Both Fakih and Bocci are immigrants.

Fakih is Lebanese and was a baby when she moved to the United States with her family, which celebrates both Muslim and Christian faiths. She was raised in New York, where she attended a Catholic school, before moving to Michigan in 2003.

Bocci is Albanian and as a young mother came to America with her family to pursue her dreams as a high-fashion couture designer. She succeeded. Her couture gowns grace the same New York Fashion Week runway as Dior, Wang, Mischka and Lhuillier, and she is routinely asked to do trunk shows at prestigious bridal emporiums such as Kleinfeld of New York. Although proud of her Katerina Bocci label, when traveling out of state, her first point of pride is that she’s a fashion designer from Michigan, like Miss USA.

“Rima is such a beautiful, humble young woman,” Bocci said. “It was a pleasure working with her.”