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For nearly 60 years the Miss Universe contest has picked some of the most beautiful women in the world and gave them a most prestigious title. A look into the past reveals just how that perception beauty has changed over the years, and just how different the winners of the pageant look as the years go by. If you ask me, true beauty is the same no matter where you are from, or when you are from. I'm sure a look at these beautiful past winners will make you think the same. 1952 - The first Miss Universe pageant was held in California and the winner was 18 year old Armi Kuusela of Finland. |
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1954 - The third edition of Miss Universe had 33 young ladies in the competition. Miriam Stevenson became the first American to win the title. |
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1957 – The first big scandal of the pageant came after Miss Peru, Gladys Zender, was crowned Miss Universe and it was revealed that she was only 17 years old. Pageant officials decided that she could keep the crown despite being under the contest's minimum age. |
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1959 - Miss Japan, Akiko Kojima, the first Asian to win the Miss Universe title. |
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1961 - Marlene Schmidt from Germany, an engineer by profession. |
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1966 - Margareta Arvidsson of Sweden was crowned Miss Universe and also titled Miss Photogenic. |
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1968 - Miss Brazil Martha Vasconcellos, the fifth Latin American so far to win the title. |
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1970 - Marisol Malaret Contreras, the first Puerto Rican woman to be crowned Miss Universe. |
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1971- Miss Lebanon Georgina Rizk was the first woman to win from the Middle East. She made a memorable fashion statement in a very revealing top and hot pants which caused quite the commotion back home. |
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1975 - Anne Marie Pohtamo of Finland, the second woman from her country to win the crown. |
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1977- Janelle Commissioning from Trinidad and Tobago, the first black woman to win the title. |
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1978 – Another young winner, Margaret Gardiner of South Africa was 18 years old when she won her title. |
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1980 - Shawn Weatherly of USA was the only contestant to score above 9.0 in the preliminary rounds as well as in the swimsuit and evening gown competitions. She is still one of the highest scoring contestants ever. |
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1982 - Karen Dianne Baldwin, the first Canadian winner of Miss Universe. |
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1985 - Deborah Carthy-Deu from Puerto Rico. |
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1988 - Miss Thailand Porntip Nakhirunkanok was crowned Miss Universe and later presented with the Thai Royal Medal for her service in helping needy children. |
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1989 - Angela Visser from Netherlands was the first woman from her country to win the Miss Universe pageant. |
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1992 - Michelle McLean from Namibia was the first and only woman from Namibia to win the crown until today. |
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1994 - Miss India Sushmita Sen was the first Indian to win the Miss Universe crown and later became a famous Bollywood film star. |
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1997 - Brook Lee, an American beauty queen from Pearl City. |
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2000 - Lara Dutta from India achieved the highest score in the swimwear round and her final interview score was the highest in any category. |
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2002 - Ex police office Oxana Fedorova of Russia won the title in 2002 but was dethroned amid rumors of pregnancy. She is not officially listed among Miss Universe winners but continues to work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and in the entertainment industry. |
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2003 - Amelia Vega of the Dominican Republic, the first and only Dominican woman to be named Miss Universe so far. |
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2004 - Jennifer Hawkins, an Australian beauty queen and television presenter. |
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2006 - Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka Rivera briefly fainted during her post crowning press appearance. The incident was attributed to heat exhaustion from the stage lights coupled with the weight of the heavy dress she was wearing. |
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2007 - Riyo Mori, the second Japanese woman to win Miss Universe. |
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2008 - Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza confessed during the pageant that she was once kidnapped in Venezuela and the trauma taught her to remain poised under pressure. |
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2009 - Stefanía Fernández Krupij, also from Venezuela, uniquely became the first Miss Universe to be crowned by a compatriot. |
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2011 - Leila Lopes of Angola, won the biggest Miss Universe pageant yet, with representatives from 89 countries and territories. |
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2012 Olivia Culpo from the USA, she had previously won the 2012 Miss Rhode Island USA competition, which was the first pageant she had ever entered. |
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2013 Gabriela Isler from Venezuela, the reigning 26 year old Miss Universe. |
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