Modern-day queens: The 13 most regal Miss Universe farewell looks of all time
An evening gown shows off the elegance and poise of every candidate, but the farewell gown flaunts the regalness of a queen.
Every year, pageant fans eagerly await the final walk since it’s a heartwarming moment for the reigning queen before she crowns her successor. Compared to her queen’s winning gown, the farewell look is a celebration of how far a queen has come since winning Miss Universe.
In a pageant as grand as Miss Universe, the reigning queens go all out in their final looks as they hope to surpass the magic of their winning gowns, if possible. After all, the farewell look feels like an ode to their reign as they enter a new chapter.
As we await Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu’s farewell look, let’s look back at 13 of the most regal farewell creations of all time.
Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray
Catriona brought the Miss Universe 2018 pageant down in her fiery lava red gown, and she ended her reign in a regal creation that resembles water.
The Filipina-Australian beauty queen has always been a master of wearing beautiful outfits with meaning—and her “Reflection” dress was no different. According to designer Mak Tumang, the gown is reminiscent of a Philippine eagle looking down “until the point of reflecting itself on the shiny waters.” The gown is a work of art that includes a backless cut, eye-catching shades of blue, and flame lick-shaped details on the bodice.
Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere
Iris has always been one of the most elegant Miss Universe queens of all time—and her dramatic red gown showed off her poise perfectly.
The elegant farewell crystal-encrusted gown, created by none other than Michael Cinco himself, was a show-stopping creation to wrap up Iris’ reign. The gown features Cinco’s signature silhouette, a body-hugging dress with a lavish outer skirt draping below, and it fit her figure to a tee. Of course, who can forget its vibrant color?
Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi
With 525 days in total, Zozibini holds the record of the longest-reigning Miss Universe titleholder of all time. And of course, she ended her historic reign with an ode to her hometown.
Zozibini was a sight to behold in a beaded Biji La Maison de Couture Xhosa gown. With its halter neckline and exquisite beadwork, the dress framed the beauty queen’s figure perfectly without losing a touch of her personality. What made her look stand out was that she chose to wear a black and white headwrap instead of the “Power of Unity” crown.
Miss Universe 2017 Demi Leigh Nel-Peters
Demi’s body-hugging gown looks simple from afar, but if you look closely at its details, you’ll discover that it’s a work of art on its own.
Demi looked like a sparkling glass of champagne in a zesty, golden-green gown that’s encrusted with a ton of Swarovski crystals on the bodice. According to the beauty queen, her farewell gown was a tribute to South Africa’s flag. The handmade gown was designed by acclaimed South African fashion designer Gert-Johan Coetzee.
Miss Universe 2013 Gabriella Isler
Gabriella’s gown feels like a heartfelt tribute to her Miss Universe journey where she stunned pageant fans in her long-sleeved gown.
This time, the Venezuelan beauty queen looked statuesque in her strapless white farewell gown with crystal details on the bodice. Wearing white onstage is considered a fashionable risk since you can either look ethereal or bridal in seconds. And of course, Gabriela looked picture-perfect.
Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori
Riyo has always been bold with her fashion choices—who else remembers her Kimono-inspired Gucci gown when she won the Miss Universe crown in 2007?
As always, Riyo ended her reign with a statement as she stepped onstage in a sexy and classy tuxedo. The menswear-inspired outfit is made of silk and it displayed her curves perfectly. The beauty queen’s farewell look is a daring yet timeless choice for beauty queens, and is still featured in conversations about pageantry even today.
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach
Pia’s crowning moment is one of the most controversial events in pageant history for a lot of reasons. To recall, the stunning lass didn’t even have the chance to take her first walk as Miss Universe.
Of course, Pia made sure to pull all the stops in her first and final walk. And she delivered. The Filipina-German beauty queen made jaws drop in her Cinderella-inspired midnight blue ballgown designed by Michael Cinco. The gown’s crystallized bodice is reminiscent of ocean waves, as it gracefully moved like water in every step. This mesmerizing gown is one of the favorite looks of pageant fans of all time—and it’s easy to see why.
Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza
Compared to Andrea’s sexy red number at the 2020 edition of the pageant, she wrapped up her Miss Universe journey embodying the grace and classiness of a queen.
Andrea captured the attention of pageant fans as she walked in an ombre plum ballgown with a flounced off-shoulder detail and a dramatic sweetheart neckline by Filipino designer Michael Cinco. The ballgown is encrusted with berry-colored beadwork that resembled splatters of paint. Her hair is pulled back, showing off her upper body. What a magnificent look!
Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova
Miss Universe 2005 Natalie Glebova bid goodbye to her reign as the Universe’s queen in 2005 with this simply stunning fitted, beaded blue backless gown.
It may appear simple compared to other queen’s farewell dresses, but the look exudes class and sophistication, especially with its backless cut.
Miss Universe 2009 Stefanía Fernández
After being the first Miss Universe to be crowned by a compatriot, Stefanía Fernandez walked the 2010 grand pageant stage wearing a sophisticated black gown as she waved the Venezuelan flag proudly.
The strapless black number looked simple but oozed elegance with soft ruffles on top and cascading ruffles at the bottom. Stefanía also opted for muted jewelry by just pairing gorgeous earrings with the charcoal-satin colored gown.
Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarrete
Mexico’s Ximena handed over the crown and title to her successor in a glamorous blue gown adorned with crystals and intricate embroidery. The bottom of the gown gets more sheer along the legs and the slit up to her thigh gives it a more sultry flavor.
Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes
As Angola’s Leila Lopes crowned her successor in 2012, she graced the stage in a stunning, figure-hugging crystal gown. The semi-see-through dress was adorned with crystals and bigger jewels for accents, and it shimmered as the pageant queen glided through her final walk.
Leila was the first Angolan woman to win the Miss Universe crown.
Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo
In contrast to the fiery red gown she wore when she was crowned, Olivia Culpo sported a luscious royal blue number as she passed on her crown. The gown had sheer sleeves and a thigh slit, showing off a bit of the beauty queen’s skin.
With reports from Ayie Licsi and Melanie Uson