It’s official! After a three-hour beauty contest held in Bangkok featuring the most beautiful women from all across the globe, the new ultimate beauty queen was crowned. Miss Philippines Catriona Gray earned the title, beating 93 other competitors, including the runner-up, Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green and the second runner-up, Miss Venezuela Sthefany Gutiérrez.
24-year-old Catriona Gray has made all the Filipinos around the world very proud, as not only was she crowned Miss Universe, she handled herself very gracefully and was exuding confidence throughout the whole competition. Her fashion week-worthy runway walk in a fiery volcano dress, by Filipino designer Mak Tumang, caught the attention of many, including the world famous supermodel and America’s Next Top Model host, Tyra Banks.
Berklee Alum and Runway Model for Sherri Hill
Catriona Gray was born in Australia, to an Australian father, Ian Gray, and a Filipino mother. After finishing high school studies in Australia, she made the decision to move to Manila, Philippines, where she quickly became one of the most celebrated and sought-after models in the country. At 18, she was enlisted in Cosmo Magazine’s top models. Catriona is very interested in arts. She holds a master’s certificate in Music Theory from the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
We have to be honest and admit that besides our very own Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers, we were secretly rooting for Catriona. She got us captivated ever since we saw her walk the runway on the Sherri Hill Spring 2019 show on NYFW. To be included in such a prestigious event, was a big deal for a young Filipino model, and aspiring Miss Universe. And the designer that helped launching Kendall Jenner’s modeling career, once again proved that she has a knack for pinpointing girls just before they make their big break in beauty and fashion industry.
