Miss Universe, created in 1952, is considered as one of the most prestigious pageants in the world. Over the past seven decades, we have seen many breath-taking contestants that have claimed a spot in pop culture history. From skin-tight swimwear to elaborate evening gowns to national costumes, the delegates have paraded their best of the best looks during the pageant.
Beauty pageants have allowed women all over the world to show more than just their beauty. For instance, many women have used the pageants to become known and to get scholarships to further their academic careers. Here are some of the most iconic Miss Universe looks –
Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen
Sushmita Sen represented India at Miss Universe 1994 and was crowned as the new queen. She adorned a beautiful black coloured off-shoulder gown with golden fringes to pose with her crown. The gorgeous diva completed her look with adding gloves and huge earrings. Sushmita is one of the beauty queens that young women look up to as she was the first woman from India to win the Miss Universe title.
Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta
Lara Dutta represented India at Miss Universe 2000 and stole everyone’s heart with her slinky red evening gown by Sangeeta Chopra. Her gown featured a modern one-shoulder design and a curve-hugging cut. Lara Dutta paired the dress with a matching red wrap. She had this unmistakable "there's-something-about-me" quality that just set her apart. She scored the highest points in best in evening gowns in the history of Miss Universe.
Miss Universe 2004 Jennifer Hawkins
Jennifer Hawkins represented Australia at Miss Universe 2004 and appeared on stage wearing a textured golden dress designed by Queensland bridal boutique Bora and was also metallic, embellished and featured a very low-cut neckline. She completed her look with sparkling bracelet and dramatic necklace making statement.
Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza
Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 2006 and wore one of the most daring evening gowns in the history of Miss Universe. The moment she came out in her Carlos Alberto gown you were transfixed. It was very, very fitted chain mail gown with a nude lining, deep V-neckline and a high centre slit. This was a very heavy gown and Zuleyka styled it with clean, slicked back hair, long dangling earrings, a bracelet and a golden tan.
Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe 2006 Kenisha Thom
Kenisha Thom represented Trinidad and Tobago at Miss Universe 2006. Kenisha wore Butterfly as her costume. It represented how the butterfly is well known in the country. The joy of the Caribbean flows through this dress, which Miss Trinidad & Tobago says represents a butterfly, the concept of freedom, and a traditional carnival costume all at once. It also looks like something straight out of a Victoria’s Secret show.
Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo
Olivia Culpo represented United Stated of America at Miss Universe 2012 and stunned everyone with her red coloured ballroom gown. This stunning red number was composed of a beautiful, floor length, red skirt, a plunging V-neck, and long sleeves made of velvet, giving Culpo an almost Disney princess look. She decided to keep her hair tied up in a bun to give the entire look princess feel.
Miss Universe USA 2013 Erin Brady
Erin Brady represented United States of America at Miss Universe 2013. Erin’s national costume made a statement as she stepped out in an Optimus Presque creation by Martin Izquierdo, who is a costume designer at Victoria's Secret. “Embracing powerful women in a transforming country that's made up of so much. That's what Miss USA means to me," Brady wrote on her social media.
Miss Universe Thailand 2015 Aniporn Chalermburanawong
Aniporn Chalermburanawong represented Thailand at Miss Universe 2015. Aniporn’s national costume rocked a dress inspired by a tuk tuk. The design was chosen from 356 entries and was created by Hirankrit Pattaraboriboonkul. The outfit featured an electric blue bustier and mini-skirt with thigh-high black tights and a central headlight with handlebars just below the bosom. Attached to the costume was a backdrop of a tuk-tuk in Thailand's national colours red, white and blue with six national flags, a dozen more headlights and an overhead banner that says: "Thailand."
Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere
Iris Mittenaere represented France at Miss Universe 2016 and accepted her title in in a sparkling gold gown with long sleeves and geometric detailing. The gown was designed by a Vietnamese designer Hoang Hai. She looked stunning in creation that featured silver and gold sequins on a nude tulle base with long sleeves. It fit her to perfection and was "Miss Universe" right!
Miss Universe Nicaragua 2016 Marina Jacoby
Marina Jacoby represented Nicaragua at Miss Universe 2016. Marina Jacoby’s costume “Guardabarranco” designed by Naphtali Espinoza. The diva adorned the national costume which had breath-taking, jewel-encrusted bird in an elaborate costume that enveloped her entire body. The costume featured a flurry of peacock feathers and wings and a headdress that dripped glitter.
Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters
Demi-Leigh represented South Africa at Miss Universe 2017 and showed off her amazing figure in a unique Anele Botha creation with about 30,000 Swarovski crystals; a dress fit for a queen. The diva’s bewitching smile and positive aura just added so much more to her presence on-stage. She decided to tie her hair in a bun as the gown had a plunging neckline and wore small earrings to complete her look.
Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray
Catriona Gray represented Philippines at Miss Universe 2018 and was the talk of the competition for adorning a daring Mak Tumang creation. The evening gown was named, “Mayon Valcano”; resembling the swirling red and orange lava that flows down the cone-shaped volcano’s crater. Gray said that she wore red because “when I was 13 my mom said she had a dream that I would win Miss Universe in a red dress.” She rendered in Swarovski crystals to complete her look and hosts Steve Harvey and Ashley Graham shared on their social media account, “You’re so beautiful and you deserve the crown.”
Miss Universe Singapore 2018 Zahra Khanum
Zahra Khanum represented Singapore at Miss Universe 2018. Zahra’s national costume referenced the summit in Singapore between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and American president Donald Trump. The costume included dove wings and an expanding skirt digitally printed with shaking hands that featured the North Korean and the American flag. The costume reportedly weighed around two kilos, allegedly took three months to get finished.
Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi
Zozibini Tunzi represented South Africa at Miss Universe 2019 and stunned everybody with her excellent performance. She wore a beaded evening gown when she was crowned Miss Universe 2019. The gown represented where the diva belongs. “It represents the brown of the sand and the blue of the ocean. I feel like I have South Africa with me on the stage,” said the beauty queen of her look. The custom ombre creation was designed by Biji La Maison de Couture, a luxury fashion house based in Sandton, Joburg.
Miss Universe Mexico 2019 Sofía Aragón
Sofía Aragón represented Mexico at Miss Universe 2019. She was a straight up bombshell in this ruby red gown, covered in crystals a bead. She topped the look off with matching, red lipstick, and voluminous waves for some old Hollywood glamour. Her twirl is one of the finest twirls in the history of evening gown competition.
