Critical Beauty

PHOTOGRAPHY BY FADIL BERISHA How does it feel like being Miss Missouri USA 2014?  It is living out a dream, something I always wanted to do was a young girl. I still feel like I must be dreaming at times!! I feel so incredibly lucky. List three adjectives that best describe yourself.  Goofy, tenacious, empathetic. Name three pet peeves. A pet peeve of mine is when someone lies, wastes my time,  or takes advantage of others! As an educated woman who is also very attractive, how do you deal with the stereotyping based on beauty alone?  I think the stereotype really hinders women, it sends the message that woman  can only be beautiful or educated. I fight that stereotype by being educated and not focusing  only on appearance. Personally, I think that smart is sexy! PHOTOGRAPHY BY RACHEL IMDIEKE What is the best compliment you have ever received?  That I am really sincere and genuine. What makes Missouri unique from the other states?  It is

The new Miss Turks & Caicos Universe 2014 is Shanice Williams who was crowned April 25th at Brayton Hall in Providenciales. She will represent her island country in Miss Universe 2014 pageant whose date and venue have not been confirmed.

      Thatiana Diaz,  21, was crowned Miss  República Dominicana U.S.  2013 last August. She will represent the Dominican community of the United States  in the 2014 Miss Dominican Republic pageant to be held in Santo Domingo on August 15th. Critical Beauty wishes Thatiana the best of luck in her quest for this coveted national crown. Tell us a little about yourself, your family and educational background. My name is Thatiana Diaz and I am from New York City. I was born to Dominican parents, my mother, who works as a Senior Account Executive for an IT company, and my father, who is a business owner. I have one younger brother, who is only two years younger. I am a senior Communications Major at Pace University, am weeks away to earn my degree in hopes to become an editor for a magazine in the future. My passions include writing, being an editor for my university’s newspaper, interning and of course, pageantry. What prompted you to compete in beauty pageants? Wh

The new Miss World New Zealand 2014 is Arielle Garciano , 22, of Lyttelton. She was crowned at an event held at the Rendezvous Grand Hotel in Auckland on April 25. Garciano will compete in Miss World 2014 this November in a venue that is yet to be confirmed.  

 The new  Miss Equatorial Guinea 2014  ( Miss Guinea Ecuatorial 2014 ) is   Agnes Cheba Abé  who was crowned at the Sipopo Conference Center in Malabo on Saturday, April 19th, 2014 .  The 1st runner-up is  Maria Dolores Angué and the 2nd runner-up is Sandra Esono Obono .   Ab é  will represent Equatorial Guinea in the upcoming  Miss World 2014  pageant whose date and venue have yet to be confirmed. 

The new  Miss Moldova 2014 is  Alexandra Caruntu, 17,  who was crowned at the Leogrand Hotel and Convention Center in Chisinau on April 16, 2014. She will represent Moldova in the  Miss World 2014  pageant, scheduled for this November 6, 2014 in London, England. 

The new Miss World Slovakia 2014 (Miss Slovensko 2014) is  Laura Longauerová   , 18, who was crowned April 12th. She will compete in Miss World 2014 later this year. The 1st runner-up is  Lucia Semanková and the 2nd runner-up is    Michaela Nguyenová .

The new Miss Universe Peru 2014 is Jimena Espinosa , 24,  who was crowned on April 12. She is from the Lima region. She will compete in Miss Universe 2014 whose date and venue are still to be confirmed.   Her court includes first runner-up  Ximena Montenegro  of Lambayeque, second runner-up Sofía del Pinho  of Huánuco, third runner-up Elizabeth Márquez  of Ica,  fourth runner-up Zully Barrantes  of Ucayali, and fifth runner-up was  Nadia Pucce  of Cuzco.

The new Miss Universe Hrvatske (Croatia) 2014 is Ivana Mišura , 24, of Zagreb who was crowned April 11th at the Marina Cvetkovića Sports Complex in the coastal resort town of Opatija. Runners-up in the contest were Meri Benčić , 25, and Andrea Generalić , 20. Miss Photogenic was Mateji Hunjed , and Miss Congeniality was Anđela Marijanović . Nineteen women competed in this year's contest.

The new Top Model of the World 2014 is Tania Valencia Cuero , 23, of Colombia who was crowned April 11 in El Gouna, Red Sea in Egypt. The 1st runner-up is Jailenne Rivera , 19, of Puerto Rico (left), an the 2nd runner-up is  Anronet Roebfsz , 19, of South Africa (right). Completing the top 5 are Giulia Campesi , 17, of Italy and Niler Bernard Mruma , 21, of Tanzania. This is the second time Colombia has won the contest, the first being in 2010. Last year's winner, Monica Palacios , came from Colombia but wore the sash of "Miss Caribbean." A day before the 2014 finals, Palacios was dethroned for breaking an important clause in her contract with the pageant organizers. This year also marks the first time that Puerto Rico has made the top 5. Tania Valencia Cuero

MONICA PALACIOS According to CB correspondent Hector Joaquin,  who is covering the Top Model of the World 2014 contest in El Gouna, Red Sea, Egypt, the outgoing titleholder (2013) Monica Palacios of Colombia has been dethroned a few hours ago by the pageant organizer Detlef Tursies - just one day before crowning her successor on April 12th. Tursies stated that Palacios broke an important clause in her contract that forbids her to defame and malign the pageant. It appears that since Palacios arrived in Egypt over two weeks ago, she had been badmouthing Tursies, the staff, the contestants, the judges, and even Hector Joaquin.  Palacios was also supposed to judge and relinquish her crown to her successor, but this task has now been assigned to the 2010 winner, Loredana Solanta of Romania. FROM MONICA PALACIOS' INSTAGRAM

The new Miss Tunisia 2014 is Wahiba Arres , 20, who was crowned at the Palais des Congr è s in Tunis on April 5. She will compete in Miss World 2014 to be held in London in November. Tunisia's best placement in Miss World was in 1958 when Jacqueline Tapia placed 3rd runner-up. 

Koyal Rana of  won the coveted Miss India 2014 crown at the 51 st  edition of the pageant, on Saturday, April 5. She was crowned winner among 24 gorgeous contestants from across the country.  Jhataleka Malhotra (left), was crowned first runner-up and Gail Nicole Da Silva (right)  was crowned second runner-up.  Koyal Rana hails from Jaipur, Jhataleka from Mumbai, and Gail from Goa.  She will represent India at the Miss World 2014 beauty pageant this year. Miss India 2013  Navneet Kaur Dhillion  and Miss World 2013  Megan Young  congratulated Rana with the crown at the beauty pageant. Source: Deccan Chronicle, April 6, 2014

How did you get involved in pageants? Growing up my mom kept me extremely active.  I was that kid that went from karate lessons, to gymnastics, to dance class, then piano lessons.  I tried everything! Then one day I got an invitation in the mail to compete in a pageant, and I ended up LOVING it!  How did you get your unusual name? My mom served in the peace corp in Africa before I was born, and that's where she met my father who is 100% Somalian.  She speaks fluent Swahili, and fell in love with the name Bishara which means congratulations in Swahili. How would a good friend describe you? A good friend would describe me as encouraging, supportive, and loyal! I'm an only child, so I really value all of my good friends.  How would you promote Wisconsin to a visitor? In one word CHEESE!!! You will experience the best cheese curds of your life!  I love Wisconsin!  It's a great state that no matter what the weather throws in it's direction

  The new Miss Sénégal 2014 Anna Diouf of Thiès  who was crowned March 29th  at an outdoor event at the Lamantin Beach Hôtel in Saly. The first runner-up is Seynabou Thiam of Dakar (right) and the second runner-up is Aïda Gomez of Fatick (left).  Diouf's victory was slightly marred by a rumor that some of the contestants had received sexual propositions from men. Diouf denounced the rumor which she said is unfounded. One of the contestants finally confessed that she started the rumor out of spite for not placing.  (Photo: au-senegal.com)       

NICKLAS PEDERSEN, 23, was selected by the Miss & Mister of Denmark Organization as Denmark's representative to Mr. World 2014 competition  scheduled to be  held at The Riviera International Conference Centre,  Torbay ,  Devon ,  England  on June 15.   Critical Beauty is grateful to Nicklas and to his national director, Lisa Lents, for allowing this e-mail interview.  How does it feel to represent Denmark in Mr. World 2014?      I would lie if I told you that it doesn’t feel absolutely amazing, because it definitely does! I’m extremely honoured and very proud to represent my country in a massive beauty pageant like this. It doesn’t get much bigger than this!! I’m so excited! You have been living in Australia for two years and you speak with an Australian accent? Do you feel more Aussie than Danish, or do you feel equally Aussie and Danish at the same time?      It’s a bit funny because I actually don’t speak with an Australian accent. I have got family fr