Covered and written by: Grace Aguilar Edited by: Naiia Lajoie Photos by: Celia Abuel This year’s event, the 73rd Miss Universe Pageant, marked the fifth time Mexico City has hosted the competition. The previous four times were in 1978, 1989, 1993, and 2007. It was held on November 16th, 2024, at the Arena CDMX. Hosted by the former Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo and renowned actor & TV personality Mario Lopez, the event also held a special music performance by artist Robin Thicke. The coveted crown – new and unveiled as the “Lumière de l’Infini” (The Light of Infinity) – was designed by Jewelmer, a luxury jeweler from the Philippines. It features diamonds and 23 golden South Sea pearls, the national gem of the Philippines. It’s a one-of-a-kind creation handcrafted by a Filipino master craftsmen utilizing the traditional techniques practiced in Place Vendôme, France. This year marked the first time a Filipino jeweler was chosen with the task of crafting such a piece for the world stage. The crown is the thirteenth known crown in the pageant’s history and the fifth to come from Asia. Another first for the Miss Universe Pageant was its record-breaking participation, bringing together 125 contestants from around the world all on one stage. Each of the 125 contestants were given a special gift: the new Sway bag after the unveiling of the crown. It was a customized bag with the Miss Universe logo embossed in gold. The Sway bag came in a variety of pastel colors. What viewers saw, tuning in from around the world, was the newly crowned Miss Universe winner Victoria Kjær Theilvig, hailing from Denmark. Her taking home the crown marked Denmark’s first win in the pageant’s history. The Runners-Up were Chidimma Adetshina of Nigeria (1st Runner-Up),...... Read more on Full Issue!