Miss Universe is the most prestigious, well-known, and widely broadcast beauty pageant in the world, held annually. Fashion Illiteracy researched its origins and is here to tell the story of how the competition began, its rules, the crowns, and the winners from different eras.
History of the Pageant
Source of all photos used in this publication: Wikipedia.
The creation of the “Miss Universe” pageant was triggered by Yolande Betbeze, who won Miss America in 1951 but refused to pose in a swimsuit.
As a result, in 1952, swimsuit manufacturer Catalina, part of Pacific Mills, which had sponsored Miss America, withdrew its support and launched its own competitions: the global “Miss Universe” and the local “Miss USA.” These contests were originally linked, as Miss USA served as a national qualifier for Miss Universe from the United States.
The pageant received financial backing from Universal Pictures and Pan American World Airways. Given the main sponsor’s industry, the focus of the event was initially on beach fashion.
The first Miss Universe contest took place in California (Long Beach), in 1952, with participants from 30 countries. The crown went to Armi Kuusela, a 17-year-old who made history as the first titleholder. She competed on behalf of Finland. The first crown was a diamond-studded Romanov wedding crown, insured for $500,000.
Contestants were required to be between 17 and 24 years old. Interestingly, until 1957 there were no rules prohibiting marriage or having children.
The competition wasn’t televised until a few years later, in 1955, with the premiere broadcast on CBS. In 1960, CBS acquired the rights and moved the event to Florida (Miami Beach). California, displeased with losing such a major project, launched an alternative pageant in Long Beach, now known as Miss International.
Starting in 1972, the competition stopped being held in a permanent location. It was first organized in Puerto Rico, and after that, the host country changed each year.
Pageant Crisis and Donald Trump
In the 1980s, the number of contestants began to decline. The selection and preparation process was criticized as overly drawn-out. In the 1990s, major changes were made to the participant countries and rules.
Post-Soviet countries began to participate, and contestants were now judged not just on physical beauty, but also on intellect, sense of humor, and other personal qualities. The age limit was adjusted to 18–27 years.
The same swimsuit brand that had once sparked the creation of the pageant withdrew sponsorship in 1994.
In 1996, with the pageant on the brink of bankruptcy, it was bought by billionaire businessman and future U.S. President Donald Trump.
Producer Paula Shugart was appointed president. New York City took on the role of the new permanent headquarters, and the concept was rebranded. The pageant became a standalone brand and received billions of dollars in private funding.
Trump owned the organization for many years. However, in 2015, his presidential campaign statements regarding immigration policies led Panama and Mexico to withdraw from the pageant, and a former Venezuelan titleholder publicly criticized him.
Trump first acquired 100% of the shares and later sold the pageant to the WME/IMG agency. He stated that he had bought the contests when they were struggling, led them to success, and sold them to an excellent company that would help them thrive even further.
According to the WME/IMG owner, during the 2016 U.S. election campaign, representatives of the Democratic Party attempted to access pageant archives but were denied.
In 2022, the organization was purchased by a Thai company. This move expanded its headquarters beyond the U.S. In 2023 and 2024, president Paula Shugart and CEO Amy Emmerich resigned from their positions.
Pageant Rules
For most of its history, there was a strict ban on both legal and common-law marriage. However, this rule was lifted again in 2023.
The same applies to age. Previously, the limit was 18–28 years old, but as of 2024, all adult women are allowed to participate.
Selection criteria include the absence of explicit photoshoots and a clean criminal record. Since 2012, transgender women have also been allowed to compete.
Contestants are interviewed by a panel of judges. In most countries, national qualifying contests are held to determine their Miss Universe representative.
What the Winner Receives
The woman who earns the title of Miss Universe signs a one-year contract with the organization. The prize money is $250000. In addition to the main prize, she receives a salary of $3,000 to $5,000 per month. The organization also provides a wardrobe, year-long accommodation in a New York hotel apartment, stylist services, and more—such as a two-year acting course with a scholarship.
In turn, the reigning Miss Universe is expected to attend various galas, serve as a judge in national competitions, and engage in charitable work, including initiatives to raise awareness about HIV and breast cancer.
If the titleholder is unable to carry out her responsibilities, the first runner-up takes over. This happened in 2002 when Oxana Fedorova was stripped of her title for failing to meet contractual obligations, and the crown was passed to Justine Pasek.
The Winners’ Crowns
The crown has changed many times. As mentioned, the first was the Romanov crown adorned with over 1,500 diamonds. In 1953, it was replaced by a Romanov tiara. From 1954 to 1960, the “Star of the Universe” crown made of gold and platinum with black pearls was used, followed by a crystal crown in 1961–1962.
The longest-used crown was by Sarah Coventry, from 1963 to 2001. Several new crowns followed, including the “Peace Crown” and the Czech DIC crown. The most recent, the “Force for Good” crown, was introduced in 2024 and is currently in use.
How Miss Universe Titleholders Looked Over the Years
1950s
1960s
60s and 70s
2000s to present
The Miss Universe 2025 competition is scheduled to take place on November 21, 2025.
Previously, Fashion Illiteracy published an in-depth article about the history of Victoria’s Secret. New fashion-related materials are regularly posted on our Facebook page.
