Miss USA 2022: R’Bonney Gabriel becomes first Filipina-American to win the pageant

The Texan beauty queen will now compete in Miss Universe on behalf of her country

R'Bonney Gabriel was the first Filipino-American to win Miss Texas USA and has now been named Miss Universe 2022. Photo: Select Studios / MissTexasUSA.com

Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel, centre, celebrates after winning the 71st Miss Universe competition in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 14, 2023. AFP

Gabriel reacts after being selected among the final three at the 71st Miss Universe competition. AP Photo

Gabriel competes in the evening gown round. Reuters

Gabriel takes part in the swimsuit round. AFP

The beauty queen is a Harris County resident, and was previously the winner of Miss Friendswood. Photo: Select Studios / MissTexasUSA.com

Gabriel, 28, is a fashion designer and model. Photo: Select Studios / MissTexasUSA.com

As Miss USA, Gabriel represented her country at the Miss Universe competition. Photo: Select Studios / MissTexasUSA.com

Gabriel graduated from the University of North Texas in Denton in 2018, and now runs the independent fashion label R'Bonney Nola in Houston. Photo: Select Studios / MissTexasUSA.com

Beauty queen R'Bonney Gabriel has made history by becoming the first Filipina-American to be named Miss USA.

In July, she also became the first Filipina-America to be crowned Miss Texas USA.

The model, who beat 49 other candidates to succeed Miss USA 2021 Elle Smith, will now represent her country at the Miss Universe pageant on January 14 in New Orleans.

The ceremony took place on Monday at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada.

Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, who died earlier this year, was honoured during the show, in the same venue where she was crowned.

Reigning Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu, from India, attended as a special guest, joined by Miss Universe Organisation President Paula Shugart.

Gabriel, 28, who is from Bayou City, is also a fashion designer who created some of the gowns she wore on stage. Her eco-friendly line, which encompasses T-shirts to dresses, is called R'Bonney Nola.

On Instagram, she posted a video detailing how she made the red dress she wore for the opening number from recycled materials.

"With fashion being one of the largest polluting industries in the world, I love to re-use old pieces to make something new and fabulous to cut down on waste," she captioned the post.

In another, she posted a video making another dress she wore for the pageant, saying she made it as a tribute to her parents.

"My mom is from Beaumont, TX and my father is from the Philippines. They got married in Manila, Philippines. I hand painted the same flower design from my mothers wedding dress onto my sleeves and tied in a traditional Maria Clara Filipina collar shape. I have immense gratitude for the opportunities my parents provided me and wanted to express my love to them through this."

The beauty queen is a Harris County resident, and was previously crowned Miss Friendswood.

Friendswood is a city on the outskirts of Houston.

Gabriel graduated from the University of North Texas in Denton in 2018.

She will go up against Filipino-Italian beauty queen Celeste Cortesi, who was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 in a ceremony at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila in April.

Cortesi, 24, a representative for Pasay City, was born on December 15, 1997, to a Filipino mother and Italian father and was raised in Italy before moving to the Philippines five years ago to pursue a career in pageantry.

The professional model, who is training to become a property agent, also won the Miss Philippines Earth title in 2018. She represented the country at Miss Earth, where she placed in the top eight finalists.

She is the third Filipina to win two major national crowns, joining Carlene Aguilar, who was named Miss Philippines Earth 2001 and Miss World Philippines 2005, and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, who was also Miss World Philippines 2016.

Miss Universe 2022 beauty queens crowned, from Bahrain to Spain — in pictures

Miss Universe Turkey 2022 is Aleyana Sirin. Photo: Instagram / Aleyanasirinn

Miss Universe Italy 2022 is Virginia Stablum. Photo: / Instagram / Virginia.Stablum

Miss Universe Kyrgyzstan 2022 is Altynai Botoyarova. Photo: Instagram / botoyarova_altynai

Evlin Khalifa, 24, is the second Miss Universe Bahrain. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain

Miss Universe Spain, Alicia Faubel, comes from Alicante and has lived in Dubai and the Philippines. Photo: Instagram / alicia.aliccia

Divita Rai, 23, winner of India's Miss Diva Universe 2022. Photo: Miss Diva

Sophiya Bhujel was crowned Oriflame Miss Universe Nepal 2022. Photo: Miss Universe Nepal

Ndavi Nokeri, winner of Miss Universe South Africa 2022. Photo: Miss South Africa

Anna Sueangam-iam was named Miss Universe Thailand 2022. Photo: Miss Universe

Balsam Hussein when she was declared Miss Iraq 2022. Azhar Al-Rubaie for The National

Yasmina Zaytoun after being crowned Miss Lebanon 2022 at Forum De Beirut. EPA

Noky Simbani was crowned Miss Universe Great Britain 2022. Photo: Instagram / Miss Universe Great Britain

Miss Ukraine 2022 is Viktoria Apanasenko, first runner-up from last year's contest. There was no pageant held this year owing to the war in the country. Photo: Instagram / Viktoria Apanasenko

Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau has been named Miss Universe Vietnam 2022. Photo: Facebook / Nguyen Thi Ngoc Chau

Filipino-Italian beauty queen Celeste Cortesi was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2022 in Manila. EPA-EFE

Bhutan is marking its pageant debut this year and Tashi Choden is the country's first beauty queen. Photo: Tashi Choden

Laksmi Suardana took the Puteri Indonesia 2022 crown, becoming the first contestant from Bali to enter Miss Universe. Photo: Laksmi Shari De Neefe Suardana

Miss Universe Ghana 2022 Engracia Afua K Mofuman was one of the first women to be crowned in 2022, in order to compete in the 71st Miss Universe pageant. Photo: Engracia Mofuman

Hanna Kim, from Seoul, will represent South Korea in the next Miss Universe pageant. Photo: Hanna Ming

The first and last time the Seychelles competed in Miss Universe was 1995 and so, after that 27-year hiatus, Gabriella Gonthier, from Mahe, will be representing her home country. Photo: Gabriella Gonthier/ Miss University Africa

Amelia Tu, from Vancouver, winner of Miss Universe Canada 2022. Photo: Miss Universe Canada

Miss Universe Jamaica 2022, Toshami Calvin, 26, is the cousin of Miss World 2019 Toni-Ann Singh. Photo: Instagram / officialmissuniversejamaica