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R’Bonney Gabriel of the United States was crowned Miss Universe on Saturday night, beating out contestants from 83 countries around the world. She became the first Filipina-American to win the competition in its seven-decade history.
The contest featured a costume show portion, during which Gabriel donned an outfit that paid homage to NASA’s Apollo 11 moon landing and the current Artemis program.
The instantly viral costume featured a real scale-sized moon held above her head by an intricate frame that included silver stars and a bright red, white and blue costume.
Video of Gabriel, 28, strutting around in the outfit made it seem like the lithe beauty queen was having trouble supporting the massive 33-pound frame.
The dressing part also featured Miss Ukraine donning a ‘Warrior of Light’ costume, Miss Seychelles in a tropical bird outfit and Miss Switzerland decked out in a chocolate look.
Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel became the ninth Miss USA to win the world pageant in its 71-year history
Miss USA with the finalists Amanda Dudamel from Venezuela and Andreína Martínez Founier from the Dominican Republic
Gabriel’s final win followed a controversy at the Miss USA pageant that Gabriel’s win had been rigged. The American contestants said at the time that Gabriel’s win had been the result of “favouritism”.
The legitimacy of her victory was also questioned by other contestants who said it was suspicious that a beauty treatment company that offers a price to the winner would feature Gabriel in an advertisement less than 24 hours after she won.
Gabriel appeared in an ad for NIZUC spas less than 24 hours after he won the Miss USA pageant, leading other competitors to believe the pageant had been rigged from the start.
Miss Montana Heather Lee O’Keefe claimed the ads showed the winner was chosen unfairly: “@MissUSA was crowned less than 24 hours ago but already got her sponsored vacation at @NIZUCResort,” she wrote.
Adding, ‘Are you kidding? I was giving everyone the benefit of the doubt, but this is embarrassing right now.
In her defense, Gabriel claimed that she was a brand ambassador for NIZUC’s affiliate company, MIA Beaute, which also sponsors the Miss Texas pageant and was opening a new spa at the NIZUC resort in Mexico.
However, the doubters didn’t necessarily buy the excuse, pointing out that the MIA founder is one of the judges in the Miss USA competition. O’Keefe claimed that Gabriel’s ambassadorship was a violation of the manual and that no contestant should have been allowed to work with Miss USA’s national sponsors.
The controversy continued to escalate for Gabriel when a photo circulated of Crystle Stewart, one of the organizers of Miss USA, doing Gabriel’s hair backstage. The image served as further fodder for the claim of favoritism.
However, Gabriel said the photo was taken the day after the coronation, just before the official Miss USA photos.
The 28-year-old beauty queen won the world title after a controversial Miss USA pageant, where contestants claimed evidence suggested the competition had been rigged.
R’Bonney Gabriel, 28, of Houston, (pictured) has been in full competition mode since landing in Louisiana on Tuesday, ahead of the Jan. 14 Miss Universe pageant.
Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel struts around during the swimsuit portion of the competition
Semifinalists (from left to right) Miss India Divita Rai, Miss Venezuela Amanda Dudamel, Miss Spain Alicia Faubel, Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel and Miss Colombia Maria Fernanda Aristizabal
Gabriel is hugged by his fellow competitors after winning the Miss Universe crown on Saturday
Gabriel, a native of Texas, runs a sustainable clothing line and said Saturday that she will use her title to become a “transformational leader.”
During the contest, she said that “as a very passionate designer, sewing for 13 years, I use fashion as a force for good.”
‘In my industry, I am reducing pollution through recycled materials when I make my clothes. I teach sewing classes to women who have survived human trafficking and domestic violence.
‘And I say that because it’s so important to invest in others, invest in our community and use your unique talent to make a difference.
“We all have something special and when we plant those seeds in other people in our lives, we transform them and use them as a vehicle for change,” he said.
R’Bonney Gabriel, a 28-year-old fashion designer, during the 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans on Saturday.
Gabriel (left) with Miss Teen USA, Faron Medhi from Nebraska
Gabriel directly after his victory on Saturday night.
Saturday night’s pageant was held in New Orleans to honor the late Cheslie Kryst, who was crowned Miss USA at the same venue in 2019.
The pageant paid tribute to Kryst, who jumped to her death in New York City last January, just weeks after appearing as a correspondent for the 70th Miss Universe pageant.
Kryst’s mother appeared on stage Saturday to announce that the National Alliance on Mental Illness established the Cheslie Kryst Memorial Fund for Mental Health in her honor.
“Cheslie was dealing with high-functioning depression,” her mother, April Simpkins, said onstage at the competition. The Chelsie she wore didn’t always match the way she felt inside of her. Just because someone tells you she’s fine doesn’t mean she is.