The first-ever Miss Universe UAE (United Arab Emirates) is setting the record for having the most number of applicants (14,000+) from where the Top 300 were chosen (watch video below). President and National Director Josh Yugen aims to live up to its hashtag of #breakingstereotype. No height requirement at all, only a three-year residency in UAE (or citizenship) plus an Emirates ID.
And what do you know, so many gorgeous beauties stepped up to the plate, among them Filipina-Kiwi Franki Russell and Dubai resident Miah Llanes who was a Miss Philippines Earth candidate last year. Former Miss Millennial Philippines winner Julia Gonowon (right photo) also made it but opted not to continue with the competition anymore for personal and professional reasons.
From the Top 300, the sharpest cut to the Top 30 will be made. And if a lady makes it that far, then she should consider herself lucky for getting the nod of the entire screening panel.
The Top 30 will go through the whole journey towards the Miss Universe UAE crown, as follows:
The national finals is getting the full support of Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart. And this early, it would almost be a given that whoever will wear the UAE sash in Eilat, Israel will draw a lot of media attention and possibly a less thorny route climbing the ladder of placement.
We’ll see!
normannorman.com 
I expect the evening gown competition to be $uper $pectacular, and the most anticipated segment of the pageant.
Off Topic : I have seen the picture of the recently crowned Miss Universe Korea
She will be the number one delegate in the AsiaPacificAfrica region , regardless of who wins Miss Universe South Africa …
Korea is back !!! with ummmphh and with a vengeance after 1988 and 2007 …
Anong name? Bakit sabi sa Google wala pang winners.
Ji Su Kim … and regardless of who wins Miss Universe UAE also , Korea is still going to be number one delegate in the AsiaPacificAfrica region …
Israel and UAE will probably have reserved spots in the semifinals … just for political theater
this will be exciting.
Pahabol…
Isa sa mga wish ko talaga na on MUPO’s 5th year anniversary, kung makaabot man sila dun talaga, ay mapaupo nila sa judging panel ang ating apat na Misses Universe. Sana talaga.
That’s all.
That’s a really nice wish.
Have we ever seen the four of them together?
Parang hindi pa. I failed to catch Cat’s homecoming to see if the first two Filipina Misses Universe were able to make it there.
That’s all.
Ana just hope that Catriona and Jonas mends kung ano ang issue nila. Ang gusto kase ni Jonas eh sunod-sunuran mga alaga nya, that’s the root of the rift between them. Eh masyadong free willed si Catriona ayun away2 na. With Pia, I heard that she helps/helped finance MUPh.
We don’t know exactly what caused the rift between Jonas and Cat. Everything we know is purely conjecture. Although Cat had said that her reason in leaving Aces & Queens was to have her creativity put into fruition. It only means that a creative person cannot be boxed. S/he always thinks and acts out of it.
Time heals all wounds, ‘ika nga. Malay natin in a year or two, chummy chummy na ang dalawa.
That’s all.
Ana don’t be naive. Jonas wants to cash in to Catriona’s success just like Pia. Imagine how much he will pocket with all the endorsements should Catriona stayed with Aces and him and cat won. There you go. Jonas sees Catriona as a missed cash cow opportunity.
Dahil nabanggit na rin lang dito ang mga papuri ng pageant fans sa Miss South Africa pageant, I am with them sa mga pasabog ng MissSA. I think this is the most pageant-celebrated in any of the national pageants in the world, having gathered many titleholders in one event.
It’s a challenge for MUPO to follow suit. Pero may kasabihan nga na “kung gugustuhin may paraan, kung aayawin may dahilan.” For one, I think Cat and Jonas have not yet fully reconciled. The animosity between the two gets deeper lalo na’t Cat stuck with BbP and Team Jonas would love to work with the past queens.
How I wish Team Jonas would have a pageant trajectory na very admirable to all, something na he can pacify all the rifts between and among the pageant people. Dumarami ang basher n’ya, hindi ba Laila of Titas of Pageantry? (Friends kami ni Tita Lavinia nung Laila pa ang name n’ya dito.) Bilib lang talaga ako sa love ni Jonas sa pageantry, especially Miss Universe. His creativity and vision are laudable.
That’s all.
The 30 aspirants seem to be a macrocosm of the UAE populace, composed mostly of expats. Different beauty archetypes– European, Oriental, Indian, Malay, and African (at least 1 made it). The distinctly Emirati or Middle Eastern is not easily detectable from the photos because they are a cross between European and West Asian archetype. Whoever will come out as winner will largely determine the brand imagery of MUAE in the global pageantry stage. One thing is sure from the pics: she will be a cosmopolite, not a bucolic desert woman.
Scorg,
Im sure of one Emirati Dr. Mahra Lufti
@JustPassingBy: For this inaugural edition, I feel that a politically correct– and strategic– move is to crown a native Emirati. The expats may queue for future editions.
I agree Scorg.
I don’t think the inaugural winner will be of totally different nationality since she will usher and introduce the face and beauty of the Emirati women to the universe.
The winner may also be a half bred Emirati and mind you there a lot of them who are of Emirati descent but were raised in the UK, US and all over Europe.
Don’t worry no bucolic Emirati will ever join a pageant since they tend to be the most conservative and jaded people in that part of the world.
@ JustPssingBy & @ scorg Naalala ko tuloy yung kuwento ni Iman.
I think it was Halston who spun that narrative that she was a Somali shepherd’s daughter. Of course, she was, in fact, manor-born in Mogadishu and received university education. Her family’s very wealth was what allowed her (and presumably the whole family) to flee the civil war…
Bucolic versus cosmopolitan. Country mouse versus city mouse. THERE SHOULD BE A PAGEANT TO ADOPT THIS DICHOTOMY FOR ITS ADVOCACY. Because as globalization pushes urbanity to swallow everything up in all directions, is ‘rural’ still meaningful? Why spin that narrative of being a shepherd’s daughter? To save face? Or, is ‘farm’ very desirable to the woke?
Mukhang mapapalipad c Pia sa Dubai, yan Ang binulong sa akin ni Tutubing haliparot 🤭
May something funny behind Yung from 300 to 30 then to 1 Sabi ni Tutubi 🤭 cherette cherette ba 😆
Basta alams na kung cno Ang mananalo dyan. Mahilig talaga Ang Pinoy sa lutuan Sabi ng nangangating Dilang Tutubi🤫🤗
Ciao😊
Imbento mo lang yan. Manahimik ka bakla.
Bong I believe Pia is a UAE resident already.
She regularly flies in and out of the UAE and her boyfriend is bases in Abu Dhabi.
I am betting Miss UAE will crack the top 5 in its inaugural appearance at Miss Universe.
This will be like the Squid Game of MU pageants… 😳
Good for Josh Yugen and team for staging what seemingly like a glamorous event. But it sounds very gimmicky with that similar format as MUPH but I’m glad they the cut is deep right away. Looking forward to seeing more Filipinas given a chance…hihihihihihi
All pressure is on Lola Jonas and friends to make up a much better pageant next year. They should start thinking about planning NOW.
A lousy prep for 2022 is going to be the end of the MUPH under his management…hihihihih
In fer for Miss SA, laki ng machinery nila to stage a very small pageant and be able to pool all winners this year. Kasama pa si Catriona and Pia. How come I have seen Cat and Pia in one frame…. Chos!!!!
Re your question about Cat and Pia, what’s with the two? It seems like they are avoiding each other. Cat hasn’t been guested on Pia’s Queentuhan.
Yea. there is something for sure. Not even a collaboration. catriona did not LIKED the MISSSA post on Pia, instead she just commented. Not to make light of any issues but queens from the same countries tend to be amiable at least on social media. You dont see the two of them interact at all..
If there is something, I’m very very sure and major majorly certain that the problem is not with Pia
That’s all! right? AW-L
Kampon kasi ni Evil Mama J si Pia. Si Pia, caught in between. For sure mabait si Pia kaso hawak sa leeg ni Evil Mama J.
I bet this would be one if not the most glamorous local search in history knowing that Emiratis love decadence and the prices are to die for.
Meanwhile, Miss South Africa has 4 MU queens this year; Andrea and Pia as judges while Catriona and Zozi will be backstage hostesses. Now that’s we call pasabog not the recently held MUPh. Just saying for those pageant fans who think that we are the best lol.
*prize
MU UAE Org. SHOULD FIND a WINNER who is FAR BETTER than the winner of Miss Universe Philippines 2021. He, he, he…
Victoria Vincent SHOULD also RECONSIDER her decision. Be the MU NZ 2021!
Katrina Dimaranan SHOULD GO BACK to the US (asap) and find a state that will send her to Miss USA pageant. He, he…
Wow! Sobrang laki siguro ng mapapanalunang premyo ng Miss UAE. Kahit matalo man sa MU panalong panalo parin sa premyo. Kahit mga camel nag-apply narin. Char! 😅😅
Eto ngayon ang million dollar question,
Kung may makoronahan man na Miss UAE at lumipad siya papuntang Israel to compete at MU,
Makabalik kaya siya sa UAE? Abangan!
Okay napo ang UAE at Israel 2020 palang
I think UAE will penetrate top 5 and may likely win the crown.
Michael Cinco at Furne One malamang mg damit ni Miss UAE sa Miss Universe
Bonnga din Miss South Africa, invited mga past and current winners ng Miss U, Miss World at Miss Supra sa Finals. Sana may group photo sila
Ksloka yung fan favorite sa Miss Thailand. Nag pa head transplant ata, layo ng itsura nya when she joined Miss SA to MUT
#AllTeaNoShade
Ang taray ng press presentation nila, sa Arab Fashion Wek! Paano na ‘yan, si Furne Amato eh devoted na sa MUUAEO, will she still dress Bea Gomez, Tito Norms? What makes me super curious is the prizes at stake for the first ever Miss Universe UAE. Mukhang well-financed ang org kasi, mantakin mo, Maggie Wilson has been housed in a two-bedroom posh suite in Dubai for the entire pageant run.
Ayaw ko ng tarayan si Maggie on why she deserves to be there. Consolation na lang siguro sa kanya ‘yan after her separation from Papa Victor C. Papa Victor daw, o?
That’s all.
Committed na yata si Furne kay Bea
Oh, well. I am thinking na s’yempre since Furne One is part of the MUUAE Org, magiging biased s’ya sa paggawa ng gown, mas bobonggahan n’ya ang MUUAE evening gown. Hindi kaya? She has to be careful then kasi matatalas ang mga mata ng Pinoy pageant fans. ‘Pag medyo underwhelming ang dating ng gown ni Bea kumpara kay MUUAE, gigyerahin s’ya ng mga bakla.
And why not MUPO engages The Michael Cinco to dress its winner?
That’s all.
And Ana KF trained girls have a fighting chance in UAE than here. Sa true lang. With Maggie on the helm hindi yan basta basta ma 🐍🐍 ni you know who. 😆 And Josh Yugen is a very close friend of Angelia Ong. With Maggie, she is the perfect fit there because she knows the in and outs of middle east being raised there.
Yna, basta gaya ng sinabi ko, ayaw ko na lang mag-comment about Maggie Wilson. If she’s happy doing her job there, then I’d be fine.
TBH, I am not camp conscious dito sa atin. I just consider them all a big help in the pageant industry. Ang mga faney lang yata ang nagsasabong for the respective camps they are following. At pasalamat ang camps kasi may followings sila, they are like the Nora and Vilma, Sharon and Maricel, and Judy Ann and Claudine of pageantry.
If the KF-trained pageant girls try abroad and win there, then let us be happy. That’s still something we have to celebrate.
That’s all.
How I wish na hindi na si Furne Amato ang magbihis kay Bea?
Positive Side: Maganda mga design niya!
Negative Side: Ampangit ng fitting ng gown niya!
Hindi niya makuha ng tama yung bust portion ng gown?
Yung suot ni Bea sa MUP, maganda yung desing kaso lumalabas yung pisngi ng suso! Buti na lang nadala ng maayos ni Bea! Ganun din yung nangyari kay Rabiya, hapit na hapit yung bust part!
Hindi talaga known Filipino designers in general sa yari ng gawa na perfect fit. Thais and Indos are better. #Allteanoshade
Exactly my sentiments.
Furne doesn’t seem to know designing for a specific person and body.
His gowns seem to be off the racks not tailor mades.
I think it’s fair not to generalize na lang ng flaws and strength ng designers sa isang bansa. Each designer has his/her own individuality and is not particularly associated kung ano’ng nationality n’ya or whatnot.
Pero isa ang sure ako: mahirap talaga i-custom made to fitness ang gown if the wearer is at a distant place from the designer. Mahirap for the designer to work on the gown kung ang ipapadala lang sa kanya ay ang tape measurement ng wearer. Iba pa rin kapag ang designer ang nag-measure ng physiques ng susuot.
Designer’s rich clienteles would not just settle to that style. If they live at a distant place from the designer’s, they would pay the designer an air fare para papuntahin sa lugar n’ya para sukatan s’ya at makita ang hulma ng katawan.
Sa case ng mga candidates natin na binibihisan ng mga designers based abroad, measuring and fitting are not possible. So, madalas hindi talaga fit ang nasusuot nila, especially kapag off the rack ang ipinadala ng designer. Kung pahiram lang ang gown, may provision pa na bawal i-modify ang gown. Kaya sa pageantry nakikita natin ill-fitted ang gowns ng candidates. Iba pa s’yempre ang usapan kapag tumaba o pumayat ang kandidata. Lalo ngayon sa panahon ng pandemya, it’s hard for the girls to maintain their winning form.
A very good case ng fact na mas fit ang gown kapag ang client ay nasusukatan personally ng designer ay ang Mak Tumang-Catriona Gray tandem. Their collab is really worth-emulating. I am not a super fan of Mak Tumang dahil sa one-side high slit na templated gowns na ginawa n’ya kay Catriona na para bang naubusan s’ya ng idea, pero I’d say na he’s one fine designer dahil malinis s’yang gumawa at very professional pa.
That’s all.