The Miss Universe 2025 national costume presentation in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok, felt like opening a storybook where every page glittered, fluttered, and sparkled. And the Latinas turned the runway into a technicolor carnival of myth, culture, and pure pageant magic. This year’s looks blended fantasy with folklore, folding centuries of heritage into gowns so elaborate they required months to put together.
Latin American national costumes have always leaned into spectacle, but 2025 took the assignment and upgraded it to a full cinematic universe. Across the stage, you could see pageant queens wrapped in enormous feathered wings, shimmering bodices, architectural headpieces, and skirts that moved like floating murals.
Some contestants embodied the spirit of vibrant festivals. Miss Dominican Republic, Jennifer Rocio Ventura Marte, dazzled in a gown blooming with bright pink flowers, golden embroidery, and playful doll-like figures attached to flowing panels.
The look carried whimsical energy, almost like a fiesta bursting into life mid-runway. Each color felt festive, and every detail seemed to whisper stories of childhood traditions, folk art, and local celebrations.
Miss Puerto Rico, Zashely Alice Rivera, appeared as a jeweled bird brought to life. Her costume shimmered with emerald and sapphire tones, each feather catching the light as if it had been engineered for slow-motion beauty shots.
With sweeping wing extensions and a sculpted skirt that brought to life the plumage of exotic rainforest species, the ensemble radiated movement even while still. It captured the region’s love for vibrant wildlife and the artistry used to honor it.
Miss Panama, Mirna Caballini Bouche, channeled the gladiatorial drama of Carnaval pageantry, stepping out in a red, green, and gold explosion of feathers and embroidery.
The look featured an elaborate headdress filled with roses and ornate shapes, while her arms framed bold pieces that resembled golden shields. The costume was theatrical in the best way, blending festival glam with symbolic motifs tied to cultural history and community pride.
Miss Universe Latina, Yamilex Hernandez, floated across the stage wearing massive butterfly wings painted in the colors of different Latin American flags.
It was a moment of both political and poetic significance, transforming the runway into a shared tapestry of unity. The wings unfurled like a giant kaleidoscope, and the costume beneath sparkled in blues and blacks that played beautifully with the shimmering patterns of the wings above.
Miss Bolivia, Yessica Hausermann, stepped out in a powerful gold ensemble inspired by pre-Columbian imagery. Angular crown, sunburst arm pieces, and metallic detailing created a look that felt both futuristic and ancestral. The shimmering skirt and sculpted bodice evoked ancient empires while still delivering a high-fashion punch.
Others leaned into lush flora, ornate beadwork, and cascading feathers in shades of pink, turquoise, and green. Miss Venezuela, Stephany Adriana Abasali Nasser, resembled a walking bouquet, with oversized petal structures and crystal embellishments that made the wearer look like she’d bloomed straight from the rainforest floor. It was the kind of look that defies minimalism entirely and celebrates the maximalist heart of Latin culture.
Miss Curacao, Camille Thomas, is a riot of color in the best possible way. The beauty queen blooms from head to toe in embroidered florals, sweeping embellishments, and fabric illustrations that feel like an entire festival captured in a single gown. The gigantic headpiece looks handcrafted from peacock feathers, gemstones, and fantasy. It shines like a mini universe orbiting above her.
The sleeves unfold like storytelling panels, decorated with doll-like figures and stars that nod to folkloric traditions. Every inch of the skirt is alive with vibrant imagery. Think historic townscapes, gold trim, and dancing fringe that moves like a living painting. The energy is joyful, celebratory, and absolutely magnetic. This costume doesn’t whisper heritage. It belts it out center stage.
The next look brings fire. Miss Mexico, Fatima Bosch, appears like a mythical figure stepping out of an illuminated manuscript. The costume mixes gilded armor elements with lush flowers in deep red and emerald green to resemble the Mexican flag. The headpiece is explosive. It radiates layers upon layers of ornamentation with roses nestled between spikes and feathers.
Gold details wrap the arms like sacred relics, and the dramatic shoulder pieces look part warrior, part carnival goddess. One leg is adorned with painted red elements that resemble dripping petals. The other features ornate beading that sparkles under the lights. She holds a red rose like a blade. The effect is fierce romance with a dramatic flourish.
Then comes a costume that looks ready to fly straight off the runway. This ensemble is made of layered feathers in bold primaries that sweep outward into enormous wings. Miss Haiti, Melissa Sapini's entire frame transforms into a tropical bird spirit. The texture is rich, the colors are tropical, and the silhouette is unforgettable.
The mask creates a striking avian face, sparkling with gold and deep blue feathers. The skirt is built from cascading feathers and shimmering fringe. The boots and leg adornments echo the wings with repeating colors and shapes. It’s the kind of look that makes the audience gasp before they even process what they’re looking at.
Next is a shimmering silver fantasy that radiates from every angle. Miss Paraguay, Yanina Magali Anahi Gomez Ojeda's costume is engineered like wearable architecture. Metallic plumes shoot outward, creating a halo of motion around the model. The bodice is sculpted with intricate silver beadwork. It looks like ice crystals come to life.
The wings curl into a dramatic horseshoe shape behind her, with strands of silver pieces flowing outward like cyber feathers. The boots match the bodice with carved metallic details. The overall effect is celestial. It’s as if a star spirit decided to take a stroll across the runway.
This sparkles like a snow queen mid-transformation. Miss Peru, Karla Bacigalupo, appears in a two-piece silver ensemble that glitters with rhinestones and light. She carries massive fan-like wings decorated with snowflake motifs that glow under stage lighting.
Her headpiece rises in sharp silver peaks that resemble frozen sunbeams. The cuffs, shoes, and bodice match in icy brilliance. When the panels open, they create a silhouette so large and radiant it practically becomes its own weather system. It’s glamorous, powerful, and cool in every sense of the word.
This costume is pure theatrical electricity. Miss Argentina, Aldana Masset, steps out in a metallic armored bodysuit that could pass for a glam-rock Valkyrie. Silver plates, beading, and sculpted curves make the whole look feel like stage armor dipped in stardust.
But the real showstoppers are perched on her back, showcasing two oversized guitars, built into an explosion of feathers in copper, gold, and deep brown. It’s as if a festival parade and a symphony decided to collaborate. The thigh-high boots mimic armor with feather trims, and the cape glitters with every step. The whole outfit screams music, drama, and unapologetic flair.
Next, we have a look at channels of sacred art and royal elegance. Miss Brazil, Maria Gabriela Lacerda, wears a deep sapphire gown embroidered with swirling gold details. It glimmers like an illuminated manuscript come to life.
Framing her head is a radiant halo of long, golden rays that fan outward like a celestial crown. The matching cloak drops from the headpiece in a triangular shape, giving her a silhouette that’s somewhere between goddess, queen, and giant religious icon. The entire look feels serene, powerful, and instantly iconic.
This look is the definition of icy fantasy. Miss Chile, Maria Ignacia Moll, appears wrapped in crystalline shimmer, wearing a bodice encrusted with silver beading, starbursts, and frosted textures. Her skirt flows in iridescent layers that catch the light like icicles.
The wings she extends reveal the Andes, the highest mountain range outside of Asia. The landscapes appeared to be painted in shimmering blues and whites. Behind her, a towering structure carries sculpted white birds and frosty motifs that rise like snowy peaks. The headpiece is a crown of frozen branches, icicles, and sparkling jewels. She looks like the guardian spirit of winter.
This look bursts onto the stage in red, white, and blue. The costume is a glittering bodysuit with a sweetheart neckline, covered in rhinestones and bold patriotic colors. But the real excitement whirls around Miss Cuba, Lina Luaces, rocking an enormous circular fan of feathers, horseshoes, and dominoes.
Luaces holds large domino pieces in each hand, smiling like a carnival performer mid-act. The headpiece is a plume of fluffy white and red feathers crowned with blue gems. The vibe is Cuban glamour, showgirl sparkle, and full Latina energy.
The final look radiates in molten gold. Miss Colombia Vanessa Pulgarin's costume draws inspiration from pre-Columbian art, which is the visual arts of indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, North America, Central America, and South America.
Pulgarin's costume has sculpted gold elements forming a breastplate of stylized faces and symbols. The skirt flows in shimmering golden fabric that moves like sunlight.
Her arm pieces explode outward with jagged, shimmering spikes in metallic red and green, resembling radiant sunbursts. The headpiece features upward golden plates that evoke both rays of the sun and ceremonial crowns. She looks like a living relic, fierce, elegant, and glowing with ancestral power.
A Night of Heritage, Art, and Unapologetic Grandeur
What made the Latinas stand out wasn’t just the magnitude of their costumes, but the storytelling woven into every bead, plume, and shimmering textile. Their looks reminded the audience that national costumes aren’t simply outfits; they’re love letters written in fabric.
They’re celebrations of Indigenous roots, African influences, colonial history, modern artistry, and the unshakeable cultural identities that shape Latin America.
These queens carried entire worlds on their shoulders and made it look like a party. The energy was electric, the creativity fearless, and the craftsmanship breathtaking. It was a night where culture transformed into couture, and the Latinas made sure no one would ever forget it.