Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel wowed judges at the Miss Universe beauty pageant on Sunday to become the first-ever Filipina-American winner in history.
Gabriel beat 83 other participants for the title at the 71st annual pageant and was crowned by the reigning Miss Universe, Harnaaz Sandhu, who was the first Indian contestant to take the title in 21 years back in 2021.
The fashion designer beat runners-up from Venezuela, Amanda Dudamel and the Dominican Republic, Andreina Martinez, to take the crown after the more than 80 competitors were gradually whittled down during the night.
None of the competitors from the Middle East, including Miss Universe Bahrain Evlin Khalifa, made it to the shortlist, where contestants paraded in swimwear and evening gowns for hundreds of spectators and a live television audience.
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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
In later rounds, finalists were questioned on issues such as bullying, women’s empowerment and the future of the Miss Universe pageant.
Gabriel wept as she was bestowed with the $5.5 million crown by Lebanese jeweller Mouawad, which is embedded with 110 carats of blue sapphires and 48 carats of white diamonds.
The beauty queen, 28, from Bayou City, Texas, has previously created some of her own pageant gowns. Her own eco-friendly fashion line, which encompasses T-shirts to dresses, is called R'Bonney Nola.
She will start her reign as Miss Universe 2022 with immediate effect after last year’s ceremony was postponed because it clashed with the Fifa World Cup. Another competition to pick the 2023 winner is expected to be held later this year.
Swimwear and evening gown rounds
Sunday’s glitzy final kicked off in an explosion of music and colour, with Mardi Gras performers sashaying around the stage to lively Cajun fiddler Amanda Shaw and New Orleans funk band Big Sam’s Funky Nation, who looked the part in sequinned blazers, jaunty flat caps and dark shades.
All 84 delegates strutted in front of raucous crowds wearing shimmering gowns by event sponsors Portia and Scarlett, before the final was officially opened by host, US television personality Jeannie Mai-Jenkins, who demanded: “Who runs the world?” as the audience erupted in rambunctious cheers.
Of the starting delegates, only 16 were chosen for the semi-finals, which included secondary swimsuit and evening gown rounds, following on from Wednesday’s preliminary bouts.
Each delegate swept across the stage in swimwear and a custom cape designed to represent their individual countries Among the performers, Tank and the Bangas frontwoman Tarriona “Tank” Ball rocked the room in a shin-skimming pink puffer jacket.
Using her background in textiles to her advantage, Gabriel dyed her own cape, which was inspired by her father’s advice to act on her dreams and desires.
Dudamel’s cape was a collage of artwork that represented her charity work with children from the country’s largest slum. Martinez’s cape implored us to be more conscious about how we treat the environment.
Scroll through the gallery below to see more from the national costume round
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Miss India, Divita Rai, during the 71st Miss Universe national costume competition. All photos: AFP -
The dress worn by Miss Bahrain, Evlin Khalifa, was designed by Furne One, whose Amato label is based in Dubai -
Miss Lebanon, Yasmina Zaytoun -
Miss Philippines, Celeste Cortesi -
Miss Colombia, Maria Fernanda Aristizabal -
Miss The Bahamas, Angel J Cartwright -
Miss Vietnam, Neuyen Thi Ngoc Chau -
Miss Poland, Aleksandra Klepaczka -
Miss Armenia, Kristina Ayanian -
Miss Peru, Alessia Rovegno -
Miss Netherlands, Ona Moody -
Miss Mexico, Irma Cristina Miranda Valenzuela -
Miss Turkey, Aleyna Sirin -
Miss Iceland, Hrafnhildur Haraldsdottir -
Miss Argentina, Barbara Cabrera -
Miss British Virgin Islands, Lia Claxton -
Miss Nigeria, Hannah Iribhogbe -
Miss El Salvador, Alexjandra Guajardo Sada -
Miss Cameroon, Mouketey Lynette Monalisa Jelly -
Miss Kyrgyzstan, Altynai Botoyarova -
Miss Malta, Maxine Formosa Gruppetta -
Miss Spain, Alicia Faubel -
Miss Seychelles, Gabriella Gonthier -
Miss France, Floriane Bascou -
Miss China, Sichen Jiang -
Miss Ukraine, Viktoria Apanasenko -
Miss Korea, Hanna Kim -
Miss Jamaica, Toshami Calvin
The swimwear round was followed by the evening gown round, in which participants competed for their place in the final five wearing their jewel-encrusted best.
Dudamel turned heads in a rainbow-hued off-the-shoulder number, while Gabriel wore a stunning black cut-out design made from 8,000 stones and crystals.
Martinez, meanwhile, donned a plunging silver backless gown with a daring centre split.
Who were the Mena Miss Universe representatives?
Regional representatives at the Miss Universe 2022 final included Miss Bahrain Evlin Khalifa and Miss Lebanon Yasmina Zaytoun, who appeared during the opening ceremony but didn’t make it to the final 16.
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Miss Universe Bahrain 2022 Evlin Khalifa is a pianist and professional model who is half Bahraini and half Russian. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Evlin Khalifa was crowned Miss Universe Bahrain last year. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
The moment Khalifa was crowned. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Khalifa, from Riffa, is the second beauty queen from Bahrain. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Seven finalists of the Bahrain national pageant. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Khalifa competes in the evening gown wearing a dress by Filipino designer Furne One whose Amato label is based in Dubai. AP -
Miss Bahrain Evlin Khalifa walks on stage in a pink burkini during the preliminary competition at the 71st Miss Universe in New Orleans. AFP -
Evlin Khalifa arrived in New Orleans for the Miss Universe pageant wearing a black and white modern abaya by Harvey Cencit. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
The Bahrain beauty queen departed from Dubai, wearing a long, blue-feathered couture jacket by Furne One over blue jeans. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
The current Miss Universe Bahrain ahead of her trip to the Miss Universe pageant. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Evlin Khalifa is a pianist and model. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Evlin Khalifa in elegant Middle Eastern-style fashion. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
Evlin Khalifa says she is committed to dressing more modestly than other contestants. Photo: Miss Universe Bahrain -
From right: Miss Universe Bahrain Evlin Khalifa, Miss Universe Philippines Celeste Cortesi, photographer BJ Pascual, Miss Universe Bahrain national director Josh Yugen, Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa and Ian Borromeo, the co-founder of Yugen Group. Photo: Yugen Group
On Wednesday, Khalifa, 24, made waves in the swimsuit round wearing a burkini and a customised cape with the message: "Arab women should be represented. Muslim women can also become Miss Universe".
The cape also featured the word "equality" written in Arabic.
For the evening gown round, she wore a glittery silver dress, complete with a head covering, by Filipino designer Furne One, whose Amato label is headquartered in Dubai.
Zaytoun, 20, a journalism student, was crowned Miss Lebanon 2022 in a ceremony in Beirut in July, held for the first time since 2018.
In the preliminary rounds, she wore a glamorous custom gown by Lebanese designer Charbel Zoe featuring glittery frills.
Who was the previous Miss Universe?
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The new Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu of India gestures to the audience after being crowned at the Miss Universe 2021 pageant. EPA -
Harnaaz Sandhu waves after being crowned Miss Universe. AP Photo -
Miss Universe contestants congratulate Miss India, Harnaaz Sandhu, as she is crowned Miss Universe. AFP -
India's Harnaaz Sandhu waves after being crowned Miss Universe 2021 during the 70th Miss Universe pageant in Eilat, Israel. AP Photo -
Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza, right, crowns India's Harnaaz Sandhu as Miss Universe 2021. AP Photo -
Miss Paraguay Nadia Ferreira, left, embraces Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu after the winner is announced. AFP -
Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu, right, reacts as she wins Miss Universe 2021. EPA -
Outgoing Miss Universe Andrea Meza of Mexico places a crown on the head of Miss Universe winner Harnaaz Sandhu of India. Reuters -
Harnaaz Sandhu poses during the pageant. EPA -
The top three finalists: Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane, Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu, and Miss Paraguay Nadia Ferreira. EPA -
Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu during the swimsuit competition of the 70th Miss Universe pageant. AFP -
Harnaaz Sandhu wears a maroon cap-sleeved one-piece swimsuit during the swimwear portion of the competition. AFP -
US television and pageant host Steve Harvey asks Miss India Harnaaz Sandhu the final question during the 70th Miss Universe competition. AFP -
During the national costume segment, she wore a gold embellished lehenga, and carried a traditional wedding parasol. AFP -
Harnaaz Sandhu during the preliminary stage of the 70th Miss Universe pageant. AFP
Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu was the third-ever delegate to take the crown back to India in the pageant’s history.
Inspired by her gynaecologist mother, Sandhu has been vocal about women's empowerment from her early pageant days winning Miss Chandigarh 2017 and has been instrumental in working towards menstrual equity.
For this, she's visited 25 cities in nine countries to help spread awareness. She has given more than 50 speeches at events across the world, from India to the Philippines and South Africa.
While on a trip to India in December, Sandhu launched a coalition for menstrual equity comprising 11 non-profit organisations, which aims to reach five million women in 200 places by 2025.
