Why was the ‘Miss Russia’ pageant held in Paris for so many years? (PHOTOS)

It was all due to the Bolshevik Revolution and Civil War in Russia, which forced hundreds of thousands of its citizens to flee to Europe. In 1926, the Russian émigré community in Paris came up with the idea of ​​holding a beauty pageant.

Initially, it was called ‘Queen of the Russian Colony in Paris’ and participation was limited to residents of the French capital. Three years later, the competition was expanded to all of Europe and the name was changed to ‘Miss Russia’. This was necessary, so that the winner could compete in the ‘Miss Europe’ and ‘Miss Universe’ pageants.

Candidates were selected from among unmarried Russian women aged 16 to 25, who were allowed to travel to Paris accompanied by older family members. A refugee passport was a crucial requirement. When it was discovered that Valentina Osterman, the 1928 winner, held German citizenship, her crown was taken away.

The competition was held “in an atmosphere of impeccable morality”. No swimsuits or bikinis were allowed! Contestants walked the runway in “ordinary city attire”, although they could also wear a coat and hat.

The judging panel was truly star-studded. The contestants’ beauty was judged at various times by writers Alexander Kuprin and Ivan Bunin, poet Nadezhda Teffi, ballerina Olga Preobrazhenskaya and artist Alexander Benois.

Among the pageant's winners were Nina Severskaya, sister of famous Russian and American aircraft designer Alexander Prokofiev-Seversky; Tatyana Maslova, winner of the 1933 ‘Miss Europe’ title; and Marina, daughter of renowned opera singer Feodor Chaliapin. The latter recalled that her mother forced her to participate:

“I didn't want any part of it! In those days, to be declared a beauty in front of everyone was a disgrace! <…> I deliberately didn't wear makeup or any special clothes. I showed up pale as death, with a sleek, ‘ballet’ hairstyle and even wrapped my head in an Orenburg shawl, because, out of distress, I even managed to catch a cold. The other girls were pretty and well-dressed. And they chose me, such a monstrosity…!”

In 1939, after the outbreak of World War II, the pageant was canceled. It wasn’t revived until 54 years later, this time in Russia itself.