Photos Show How The Winning Gowns From The Miss Universe Pageant Have Changed Through The Years
The outfits Miss Universe candidates have worn to be crowned queen have evolved.
Bettmann/Getty Images/Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP
- The fashion of the Miss Universe pageant has evolved since the first competition in 1952.
- The winners used to be crowned in their swimsuits, but that changed in the '60s.
- Today, contestants wear sparkly gowns that sometimes include nods to their countries.
The 74th annual Miss Universe pageant came to a close in Bangkok, bringing an end to one of the most dramatic seasons of the event to date.
Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch was crowned Miss Universe, just weeks after she went head-to-head with a pageant director who yelled at her. She wore a glittering red gown to ascend the throne.
Bosch's shimmering dress was par for the course for modern Miss Universe contestants, who typically wear sparkly gowns with eye-catching details. However, contestants have chosen simpler dresses for the pageant in years past, and in its earliest days, Miss Universe was crowned wearing a swimsuit.
Take a look back at the outfits contestants have worn to be crowned Miss Universe throughout the pageant's history.
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Wearing a classic bathing suit from the '50s, Armi Kuusela of Finland was crowned the first-ever Miss Universe.
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Christiane Martel accepted her crown in a strapless swimsuit.
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Miriam Stevenson donned a halter-top swimsuit with crystals when she was crowned.
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Looking closely at Hillevi Rombin's swimsuit top, you'll notice the pearl detail, which perfectly matches the Miss Universe crown and scepter.
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The cascading pearls on Gladys Zender's swimsuit top help draw your eye.
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Luz Zuluaga's V-neck swimsuit was a welcome change from the sweetheart neckline of past winners.
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Akiko Kojima's blue one-piece was an unexpected pop of color that stood out against the red coronation robe.
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The one-shoulder chiffon dress made Linda Bement look ready for a ball.
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Iêda Maria Vargas took the crown wearing a sky-blue gown with sewn crystals all over and a chiffon sleeve made to blow in the wind as she walked onstage.
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In addition to its eye-catching blue color, Corinna Tsopei's gown featured bedazzled frills hanging off her shoulders, which matched the bling of her crown and scepter.
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Bling is the first word that comes to mind after seeing Apasra Hongsakula's winning gown.
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Margreta Arvidsson wore a pink strapless gown to accept her crown. If you look closely, you'll see the hem detail also matches the outline of the scepter.
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Sylvia Hitchcock's white gown, featuring a one-shoulder strap across her chest, was unexpected but added just the right amount of edge.
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The silver tiers of Martha Vasconcellos' blue dress resembled tinsel.
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Kerry Anne Wells' dress was made for flowing in the wind as she walked down the stage with her Miss Universe crown on.
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Margarita Moran's long gown included a cape-like shoulder detail, a high neckline, and minimal embellishments throughout.
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The beaded stripes on the dress were a great contrast to the crystals hanging from the cuffs.
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Irene Sáez wore a pink gown covered in crystals and complete with dramatic flower sleeves.
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Unlike previous winners, Karen Baldwin went for a black gown with a bedazzled bodice detail.
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Yvonne Ryding wore a layered look, donning a white, long-sleeved gown with an overlay and floral embroidery throughout.
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The gold stripes of Deborah Carthy-Deu's gown balanced out with the thicker gold sequins running down the front.
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Angela Visser glowed in this floor-length evening gown made with gold, silver, and white sequined scales.
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Although Mona Grudt chose a classic white gown, the dramatic flare of the skirt made it a statement-worthy piece.
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Lupita Jones wore a beaded, off-the-shoulder red gown.
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The thigh-high slit of Dayanara Torres' floor-length white gown added an unexpected sexy element. It also had a strapless neckline and a fitted bodice.
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When she accepted her crown, Sushmita Sen wore a beaded dress with gold floral sleeves.
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Chelsi Smith looked regal in this sweetheart chiffon gown. The matching scarf and red lipstick completed the look.
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The silver spikes on Alicia Machado's mint gown gave it an edgy feel.
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The sparkly halter, beaded waistband, and thigh-high slit design elements of Brook Lee's dress worked together seamlessly.
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When she was crowned Miss Universe, Wendy Fitzwilliam wore statement earrings and a beaded gown.
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A simple, flowy skirt made the sparkly off-the-shoulder top of Mpule Kwelagobe's gown stand out.
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Lara Dutta brought the festive vibes with this sparkly red gown.
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Denise Quiñones' white halter gown, featuring different-colored beads throughout, matched the crystals on the Miss Universe crown.
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Like other Miss Universe winners in the past, Fedorova went with a simple white gown for her crowning.
Four months after she was crowned Miss Universe, though, Fedorova was dethroned because "she was unable to fulfill her duties," the former president of the Miss Universe Organization, Paula Shugart, said, according to CBS News.
The first runner-up, Miss Panama Justine Pasek, was then crowned Miss Universe 2002.
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Amelia Vega took the traditional white gown a step further with the crystal-embellished sleeves and shoulder straps.
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Jennifer Hawkins stunned judges when she appeared onstage in a textured gold dress with flower details everywhere and a sparkling bracelet and necklace to match.
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For the 2005 Miss Universe competition, Natalie Glebova rocked a white gown with a plunging neckline and a thigh-high slit.
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With a low-cut top, a high slit in the front, and dazzling beaded work, Zuleyka Rivera had one of the most memorable looks of the 2006 competition.
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For her winning gown, Riyo Mori wore a kimono-inspired black and floral evening gown from the Spring/Summer 2007 Gucci collection.
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For her crowning moment, Dayana Mendoza wore a strapless yellow gown covered in beads. The thigh-high slit and turquoise statement earrings add to the drama of the look.
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Unlike her predecessor, Dayana Mendoza, Stefania Fernandez went with a more extravagant look, wearing a red floor-length gown.
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Ximena Navarrete accepted her Miss Universe crown wearing a flowy, floor-length red gown. What you can't see under the sash is the one-shoulder strap adorned with red beads and the slit underneath her skirt.
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Leila Lopes wowed the audience with her sleeveless white gown covered in white, silver, and blue beads and feathers.
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For her crowning moment, Olivia Culpo wore a red dress with long velvet sleeves and a plunging neckline.
Alexander Nemenov
Gabriela Isler stepped onto the stage in a long-sleeved silver gown embellished with crystals and a striped pattern that resembled Jennifer Lopez's 2012 Zuhair Murad dress.
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The silver beaded and striped details on Paulina Vega's gown made for an elegant look.
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Pia Wurtzbach's royal-blue gown matched the gems on the Miss Universe crown.
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Iris Mittenaere took home the Miss Universe crown in a long-sleeve sparkling gold gown with geometric details.
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Demi Nel-Peters dazzled in this flesh-colored dress stitched with silver crystals in a geometrical pattern.
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Catriona Gray wore a red dress featuring a plunging, asymmetrical neckline and a thigh-high slit.
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Zozibini Tunzi's silver, gold, and blue sequined evening gown stood out on the Miss Universe stage. The draped sleeves and high neckline balanced out the thigh-high slit and peekabo detail across the chest.
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Like many others, Andrea Meza wore a sparkly gown when she was crowned Miss Universe.
The gown had a high neckline and a dramatic cutout on the bodice, as well as tiers of tassels on the skirt and a removable cape.
Miss Universe / MENAHEM KAHANA / Contributor / Getty Images
Harnaaz Sandhu's look was one of the most daring dresses a Miss Universe has worn to be crowned.
Her floor-length dress had a plunging neckline, offsetting the sparkly, see-through fabric that covered the dress in a geometric pattern. Tassels flowing down the center of the gown completed the look.
Putstyle and Saisha Hinde designed Sandhu's gown, and Bharat Gupta was the fashion director for her look.
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R'Bonney Gabriel is a Texas-based fashion designer with her own sustainable clothing line.
According to the Manila Bulletin, Gabriel's blue dress was designed by Filipino designer Rian Fernandez.
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Sheynnis Palacios was 23 when she was crowned Miss Universe wearing a heavily beaded dress.
Nidal Nouaihed designed the dress, which featured a sweetheart neckline and semi-sheer paneling on the bodice.
The rest of the dress was completely covered in intricate beading, and a blue cape that honored Nicaragua's flag accented the look, as Nouaihed shared on Instagram.
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Victoria Kjær Theilvig popped in a pink gown when she was named Miss Universe 2024.
The dress, which was covered head-to-toe in sparkles, featured off-the-shoulder sleeves made of strands of beads. Coordinating gloves completed her regal look.
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Bosch, 25, was crowned Miss Universe in a red gown, as the other three Miss Mexicos who had won the top crown had done before her.
The form-fitting gown had long sleeves and a high neckline, and it was covered in red sparkles. An intricate pattern of gold adorned the front and cuffs of the sleeves, and a sheer cape flowed out behind her.
The look was regal even before Bosch added the Miss Universe tiara to it.
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