Filipino-Australian beauty Catriona Gray was crowned Miss Universe this morning at Bangkok, Thailand. She is the fourth Filipina titleholder, following iconic beauty queens Gloria Diaz, Margie Moran-Floirendo and Pia Wurtzbach. Since joining the competition, Catriona has turned heads and won the hearts of thousands of fans. Her walk down the Miss Universe runway (in that now famous pink swimsuit) was stuff pageant myths were made of. She stopped the room with her national costume outfit as well, dressed in a body tight beaded “pintados” suit with a lantern (a homage to the Filipino parol) strapped onto her back.
The social media darling, who is being coined as “the visionary Miss Universe” has made Filipinos proud today. Lifestyle Asia congratulates Catriona for her well-deserved victory. To celebrate, we look back at the historic moments of our four Miss Universe winners from the Philippines…
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Gloria Diaz, 1969
Gloria Diaz made her country proud after being the crowned the first Filipina to win Miss Universe back in 1969 at Miami Beach, Florida. She was 18-years-old then. During the competition, she was a heavy favorite, and placed in the Top 10 of Best in Swimsuit. Diaz eventually brought home the crown and began her successful reign. Since winning the coveted competition, Diaz has become a major figure in the entertainment industry, having a fruitful career as an award-winning actress and television host.
Margie Moran-Floirendo, 1973
Margie Moran-Floirendo is the granddaughter of former president Manuel Roxas. Although she never dabbled in politics, Margie inspired Filipinos in a different way, by taking home the Miss Universe crown just four years after Gloria Diaz. Apart from winning at only 19-years-old, she was also awarded Miss Photogenic during the competition. After Miss Universe, Margie impressed with a diverse and prolific career. She finished her education before running a few private companies. Moran also hosted a television series and produced movies. She is also a patron of the arts, serving as President of Ballet Philippines. Lastly, she is also known for her philanthropic work with Habitat for Humanity Philippines and the Mindanao Commission on Women Organization.
Pia Wurtzbach, 2015
Pia Wurtzbach, the German-Filipino beauty queen, quickly became a sensation and social media darling after winning Miss Universe in 2015. Pageant-obsessed Filipinos were ready for another local titleholder, and Pia’s narrative made her the one everybody rooted for. She joined Binibining Pilipinas three times before winning the title of Miss Universe Philippines. When Wurtzbach competed for the Miss Universe crown in Las Vegas, she was a part of one of the most shocking beauty pageant moments in history. Host Steve Harvey accidentally crowned Miss Columbia as the winner after misreading the results. After the confusion, Miss Universe 2014 Paulina Vegas removed the crown off of Miss Columbia’s head and rightfully placed it on Wurtzbach. Wurtzbach continues to work with the Miss Universe organization, spreading awareness on HIV and AIDS. She has also begun work in show business as an actress and host.
Catriona Gray, 2018
The story of our latest victor, Catriona Gray is yet to be written. However, we couldn’t be more proud of her. Known for her edgy style and confidence, we are sure that Catriona will offer something new and modern to the world as Miss Universe 2018. With 1 million followers on Instagram, we can’t wait to see Catriona share Philippine culture and her advocacies to a larger audience. We’ll be following you, Catriona! Congratulations on your victory!
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