Miss Albania Endi Demneri soared to new heights ... Miss Bolivia Estefany Rivero brought the drama to Miss Universe with her national costume inspired by the Bolivian Amazonian warrior.

Miss Universe Thailand 2018, Sophida Kanchanarin, paid homage to her country's national animal, the elephant. Her costume was meant to represent the people of Puerto Rico rebounding after the ...

(Alex Peña/Getty Images) Miss Albania Endi Demneri attends the 72nd Miss Universe Competition's National Costume Show on Nov. 16, 2023, in San Salvador, El Salvador. (Hector Vivas/Getty Images ...

At Miss Universe 2024, it was all those things — and much more — as the annual pageant kicked off with its flamboyant national costume competition Thursday evening. Tasked with modeling looks ...

Miss Universe's national costumes are not just pretty; they also carry an important message. For Endi Demneri, Miss Albania, the suit represented the eagle that appears on her nation's flag.

That’s a serious question, but with a delightfully nonsensical answer: All served as inspiration for national costumes on display during the 2023 Miss Universe pageant’s preliminary competition.

Still, the Miss Universe Organization also offers other awards such as Miss Congeniality, Voice for Change, Spirit of Carnival Award, and Best National Costume. These unique awards allow ...