USSR Beauty pageants

USSR Beauty pageants, Masha Kalinina, Miss USSR 1988
USSR Beauty pageants, Masha Kalinina, Miss USSR 1988

In USSR Beauty pageants appeared exactly one hundred years after the “premiere”, which was held in September 1888 in Belgium. Then, in the resort town of Spa competed over twenty finalists selected from more than 350 contenders for the title of “beauty queen”. In the former Soviet Union the competition movement developed so rapidly that the process sometimes was out of control. The first officially recognized in our country beauty contest was ‘Miss USSR’ held in 1988. And the winner – beautiful 17-year-old girl from Moscow Masha Kalinina was crowned Miss USSR. Soviet people watched a national broadcast-quality show, it was a sensation.

USSR Beauty pageants: ‘Miss USSR’ 1988

Masha Kalinina. USSR Beauty pageants
Masha Kalinina

After the competition Masha worked as a model at the famous German company “Burdamoden”. In 1990 she moved to the U.S., where she graduated from acting school. Maria was invited to the Pride Reception at the White House, where she met President Bush.

Masha Kalinina Miss Moscow 1988
Masha Kalinina Miss Moscow 1988

Masha Kalinina played in the theater, starred in several Hollywood films, one of them – horror movie “Stay Alive” (2006). Maria also played the role of vampire Elizabeth Bathory in “Dracula in a skirt”. , lives

Masha Kalinina. USSR Beauty pageants
Masha Kalinina

Maria is vegetarian, interested in bodybuilding, martial arts, swimming, visiting sports clubs. She lives in Los Angeles with a former athlete, owner of the bodybuilding school Valery Seagull.

Masha Kalinina. USSR Beauty pageants
Masha Kalinina
Masha Kalinina, 25 years later. USSR Beauty pageants
Masha Kalinina, 25 years later
Oksana Fandera, in the film Red Pearl of Love (2008). USSR Beauty pageants
Oksana Fandera, in the film Red Pearl of Love (2008)

second place and the title of vice Miss received Oksana Fandera

Moscow Beauty-89

Larissa Litichevskaya. USSR Beauty pageants
Larissa Litichevskaya. Moscow Beauty-89. USSR Beauty pageants

“Moscow Beauty-89” was named Larissa Litichevskaya. In 1990, Larissa won one more title ‘Miss World Cup-90’. Larissa was born on March 5, 1969 in Moscow, won the competition, while still a student at the Moscow Technological Institute of Food Industry.

Larissa Litichevskaya. USSR Beauty pageants
Larissa Litichevskaya, Moscow Beauty-89

Mrs. Moscow-90

Mrs. Moscow-90.Elena Samonova. USSR Beauty pageants
Mrs. Moscow-90.Elena Samonova

The winner of this contest – Elena Samonova was 21. Occupation – Engineer. Husband’s name is Andrew. Elena Samonova has a daughter.

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Moscow Beauty -91

Moscow Beauty -91 Maya Shulenina. USSR Beauty pageants
Moscow Beauty -91 Maya Shulenina

Contest of Moscow beauties in 1991 became a multi-step supermarathon. In the final, held at the State Central Concert Hall “Russia”, was attended by twelve contestants. The password was the name of each month, as the core of the script for the colorful action was the theme of “The Seasons”. “August” was the password of the Queen – fourth-year student at the Moscow Aviation Institute – Maya Shulenina.

Moscow Beauty -91 Maya Shulenina. USSR Beauty pageants
Moscow Beauty -91 Maya Shulenina

The right to vote for the Queen was given to spectators and television viewers. Maya Shulenina won the hearts of more than 17 million fans.

Miss USSR-89
Yuliya Sukhanova (center). USSR Beauty pageants
Yuliya Sukhanova (center)

Miss USSR 1989 was the 17-year-old Julia Sukhanova. For the first time, “Miss” was not elected by judges and viewers, for her voted on the phone during a live broadcast of the contest on television. Yuliya Sukhanova was the fourth child in the family. She soon lost her father. In addition to secondary school she graduated from the music school. Enthusiastically studyied German and English. Engaged in shaping. Yuliya highly valued the independence and freedom. Her ideal woman – Ornella Muti (Italian actress of Russian origin).

Yuliya Sukhanova looks great today - compare with the photo on the right, made ​​in 1989, 24 years ago
Yuliya Sukhanova looks great today – compare with the photo on the right, made ​​in 1989, 24 years ago

After the victory, Yuliya Sukhanova went to the United States, where a modeling agency offered her a job. She started with advertising yogurt and ice cream, and then signed a contract with the American and Parisian agencies.

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Miss USSR-90

Miss USSR-90, 17-year-old fashion model Maria Kezha. USSR Beauty pageants
Miss USSR-90, 17-year-old fashion model Maria Kezha

Maria Kezha (Keja)- a 17-year-old student of Vitebsk Technological Institute. Maria is a fashion model. Favorite color – black, day – Saturday. Maria loves the sea and the smell of the grass after the rain. She believes that beauty pageants should be evaluated by men of 35-40 years of age. She lives under the motto “Beauty will save the world.”

Miss USSR-90, 17-year-old fashion model Maria Kezha. USSR Beauty pageants
Miss USSR-90, 17-year-old fashion model Maria Kezha. USSR Beauty pageants

As part of “Miss USSR-90” were also elected “Miss TV chance of the Year”, “Miss Press”, and “Vice-Miss USSR-90”

Maria Kezha now
Maria Kezha now

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Miss USSR -91

Ilmira Shamsutdinova
Ilmira Shamsutdinova

The final of the All-Union competition “Miss Soviet Union” was held on board of the ship “Bryusov” in September 1991. The winner – 15-year-old schoolgirl from Saratov Ilmira Shamsutdinova was crowned as the most beauitiful girl in our country.

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SUPERMODEL USSR -90

16 representatives from various cities of the Soviet Union participated in the final contest “Supermodel of the USSR -90 “, which was held in the Concert Hall of the Moscow hotel “Orlyonok”. In order to reach the final contenders had to have besides visual appeal, qualities such as the ability to pose for the camera and video recorder, artistry, taste and to be broad-minded. In short, it was a question of becoming professional models for all types of advertising. 14 -year-old Moscow schoolgirl Oksana Stepanova (photo not found) won the competition . Despite her young age, Oksana had already worked as a fashion model for over a year. Immediately after the competition she was offered a contract for 100,000 rubles.

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SUPERMODEL 91

19-year-old Elena Boznyakova of Brest (photo not found) was the winner of the competition, which was attended by over 40 finalists.

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Supermodel of the World

Supermodel contest by the end of 1991 was transformed into the regional round of the international competition “Supermodel of the World”, international modeling contest established by Eileen Ford in 1980. The winner of the first regional tour was a student of Nizhny Novgorod Irina Kharlamova (photo not found). Mrs. Eileen Ford handed her crown, and a contract for 250 thousand dollars

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QUEEN OF EUROPE
Queen of Europe (in Finland) - Yekaterina Chilichkina (for USSR) 1988
Queen of Europe (in Finland) – Yekaterina Chilichkina (for USSR) 1988

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Mrs. USSR

Mrs. USSR Natalia Alexanian from Zelenograd, photo of 2008. USSR Beauty pageants
Mrs. USSR Natalia Alexanian from Zelenograd, photo of 2008

The competition Mrs. USSR 1990 went in three rounds. Of the 21 contenders was selected the most beautiful – 22-year-old Natalia Alexanian (maiden name Smirnova) from Zelenograd, Moscow. The photo from the competition is not found.

MISS 90-TWINS

In 1990 MISS 90-TWINS were declared students Anya and Tanya Kudryavtseva (photo not found). Both were 20.

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MISS PRESS USSR
Miss Press USSR, 1991. USSR Beauty pageants
Miss Press USSR, 1991
Anna Danilenko
Anna Danilenko

Twenty-year-old Anna Danilenko became the first and only owner of this unique title. Her “royal” success of the first All-Union Competition “Miss Press USSR” was unique. The competition was born during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Pearl of Russia

Television commentator Alexander Gurnov and the winner of the beauty contest 'Pearl of Russia' Svetlana Ovchinnikova (left) and sixteen-year-old Anna Sterlina. Alexey Ditjakyn/RIA Novosti. USSR Beauty pageants
Television commentator Alexander Gurnov and the winner of the beauty contest ‘Pearl of Russia’ Svetlana Ovchinnikova (left) and sixteen-year-old Anna Sterlina. Alexey Ditjakyn/RIA Novosti
Svetlana Ovchinnikova, winner of beauty contest
Svetlana Ovchinnikova, winner of beauty contest “Pearl of Russia”. Alexey Ditjakyn/RIA Novosti

The youngest QUEEN

Moscow schoolgirl, a student of 7th class Lera Zarudneva (photo not found) became the Queen of the International Children’s Art Festival “Alice-91.” Contestants showed their abilities in dance and music, painting, sewing and flower arrangements.

BEAUTY from the “Roof of Europe”

Ushguli village, Svaneti, Georgia, is UNESCO Heritage site, situated at around 2,200 meters above sea level, travelers and geographers have long been dubbed “the Roof of Europe”. It is the only village in Europe, where people are at such a height not just live, but also engaged in farming. Signs of the times, however, came here too. Beauty contest held here at the confluence of all the 60 families of the village. The girls competed mainly in the art of dance, song, recitation, the ability to run the household. Beauty Title “Roof of Europe” got 17 -year-old high school graduate Pikria Niguriani (photo not found).

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Russian beauty – maiden plait
Russian beauty - maiden plait. USSR Beauty pageants
Russian beauty – maiden plait

Under this title in May 1991, there was a competition in Barnaul, Altai republic. It was conceived by the organizers as an alternative to traditional beauty contests. The main criterion for participation was the presence of braids, as well as the ability to dance, to know the proverbs and folk songs. The competition brought together about 150 participants between the ages of 3 and 60 years. The longest plait – 152 centimeters – had a 42-year resident of Barnaul Olga Shchekina, and the thickest – at Lubov Kopytina – 23 centimeters.

Super babushka (super granny)
Super babushka. USSR Beauty pageants
Super babushka

November 13, 1990 the newspaper “Evening Moscow” has announced a contest “Superbabushka.” Its goal – to try to revive the traditions of family life, to raise the prestige of the elderly. The newspaper published the stories of Moscow grandmothers themselves, of their grandchildren, trials of life. According to the results of correspondence dating in June 1991, 50 participants were selected for the contest. 13 contestants were chosen to participate in the December final.

Supermodel of the World
Supermodel of the World. USSR Beauty pageants
Supermodel of the World 1991

The contest “Supermodel of the World” was first held in 1983 in the city of Acapulco (Mexico). Since then, it was held every year in different countries under the title “The image of the year.” In 1991, the contest “Supermodel of the World” was held in New York. The sensation of the competition was the finalist of Russia, who took second place with the award of a prize of one hundred thousand dollars. It was Tatiana Mazhegova of St. Petersburg. Another finalist from the same town Irina Torchinskaya finished fourth.

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World Miss University USSR Beauty pageants
1990. World Miss University (in Korea) - Ekaterina Parfenova (for USSR)
1990. World Miss University (in Korea) – Ekaterina Parfenova (for USSR)
1990. World Miss University (in Korea) - Ekaterina Parfenova (for USSR)
1990. World Miss University (in Korea) – Ekaterina Parfenova (for USSR)

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Excellence of the Year

Excellence of the Year. USSR Beauty pageants
Excellence of the Year

In this contest participants were representatives from different cities (finalists were chosen from 22 thousand), they were seriously engaged in shaping, gymnastic technique improvement, the titles the participants won – “Miss Sunshine” (Natalia Gulob), “Miss Extravagance” (Victoria Ogneva), “Miss Grace” (Olga Lukevich) and “Miss Shaping-91” who became the Excellence of the Year – Tanya Karpushina from St. Petersburg.

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Fashion model-92
Oksana Zubakova. USSR Beauty pageants
Oksana Zubakova
Oksana Zubakova
Oksana Zubakova

16-year-old Oksana Zubakova from Tambov won the first prize of the contest for photo models and «Red stars» models, held in June 1992, the first in Russia Moscow agency of professional photo models «Red stars» (Agency Director Tatiana Koltsova)

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Miss Universe

17-year-old student of the Faculty of Mathematics of St. Petersburg Pedagogical University Julia Etina (no photo was found) won the national round of the beauty contest “Miss Universe” in 1992. In the final contenders were presented from different cities of the independent states of the near abroad.

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MISS WORLD 92
Yuliya Kurotchkina – Miss World 1992
Yuliya Kurotchkina (Julia Kourotchkina) – Miss World 1992
Miss World (in South Africa) - Yuliya Kourochkina. Height 183 cm, 90-60-90 figure parameters
Miss World (in South Africa) – Julia Kourotchkina. Height 183 cm, 90-60-90 figure parameters

December 12, 1992 ended the contest of the most beautiful girls of the planet, held in South Africa. For the first time in the history of the competition the crown of Queen was given to a Russian student Julia Kourotchkina. “Miss World-92” – from Moscow, the city Shcherbinka, she’s 19 years old.