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According to Miss Universe, Masset’s ensemble was an homage to the late Atahualpa Yupanqui, a legendary singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose songs reflected “the heart of Argentine culture.”

The pageant queen wore a metallic gold bodysuit and matching knee-high boots, as well as a gold cape that sparkled onstage. She also sported a backpiece covered in fiery orange and red feathers, which matched her headdress.

It was a fitting costume for the 25-year-old model, who can play three instruments and became the lead singer for the band Agapornis in 2022.

Peiliker-Visser’s national costume was inspired by the diverse and colorful ecosystem of Bonaire National Marine Park. She wore a bold backpiece covered in orange, pink, and purple coral and a shimmering blue bodysuit with a net attached to one sleeve and a flowing cape attached to the other.

At the centerpiece of the bodysuit was an octopus, designed to embody “the strength, intelligence, and adaptability of Bonaire’s women,” according to Miss Universe.

The 42-year-old pageant queen, who is a mother of four, was inspired to pursue pageantry after her youngest daughter won Mini Miss Universe.

Lacerda’s costume is a tribute to Our Lady of Aparecida, also known as the Virgin Mary. The image of the saint — hands clasped in prayer and shoulders covered in a regal blue cape — is famous throughout Brazil.

The pageant queen sported a navy-blue dress decorated in metallic gold designs and a matching blue cape. She swapped Our Lady of Aparecida’s crown for a gold headpiece.

Lacerda, 24, currently works for a nonprofit that supports the families of missing persons. She hopes to someday specialize in religious journalism.

The pageant queen’s costume was inspired by Bulgaria’s nickname, the “Land of the Roses.” The country is the world’s largest producer of rose oil, and hosts an annual festival at its famous Rose Valley.

Guha sported a leotard covered in silver and pink sparkles that matched her towering headpiece. Petals in various shades of pink, flanked by white leaves, flowed from the top of the headpiece and across the shoulders of her voluminous cape.

A longtime model, the 26-year-old has worked with brands including Gap and Elie Saab.

Seymour’s dramatic ensemble is an homage to Yemaya, an orisha from the Yoruba religion, who is considered the mother of the ocean. According to Miss Universe, Seymour wanted her costume to be a “call to look after the coral reefs.”

The pageant queen wore a long-sleeved, blue-and-gold bodysuit with matching boots. The centerpiece of her ensemble was the shimmering gold wings of her backpiece.

Seymour, 22, has a degree in politics and international relations and is pursuing a career in acting and modeling.

Moll wrote that Torres del Paine represents the “greatness of our land and the indomitable spirit of Chile” in an Instagram post about her costume. The park’s mountains were illustrated on a cape that Moll displayed as she walked in a shimmering silver ensemble.

Soaring above her silver headpiece were replicas of two white doves, which were designed to “symbolize environmental stewardship,” according to Miss Universe.

Moll, 28, has been modeling since the age of 8 and now has a successful YouTube channel.

Called the “Wings and Spirit of DR Congo,” Dienda’s costume “celebrates the Congolese woman: proud, radiant, and indomitable,” according to a caption on her Instagram post.

Dienda’s metallic golden wings were a tribute to “light, renewal, and the eternal rise of the Congolese spirit.” The leopard head that she held as she walked across the stage was an homage to “bravery and leadership,” while Dienda’s flowing gold cape was inspired by the Congo River.

The 30-year-old pageant queen works as an art merchant and runs her own wine and spirits business.

Yacé’s ensemble featured hand-beading and the traditional Akan cloth. Its red, yellow, and black pattern covered her miniskirt, boots, and dramatic gold wings.

Her top was decorated with a gold sculpted head of an elephant, the official animal of Côte d’Ivoire.

Yacé, 27, previously represented Côte d’Ivoire at the Miss World 2021 competition, where she won the title of Miss World Africa.

Luaces’ red, white, and blue outfit evoked the colors of Cuba’s flag. Its famous star and stripes were featured on her bodysuit, which was adorned with crystals, pearls, and sequins.

Her dramatic feathered headdress and backpiece were fit for a showgirl. Luaces also carried Cuban dominoes as a tribute to the popular pastime in her country.

Luaces, 23, is a professional model who has worked with brands including Victoria’s Secret.

The pageant queen explained the hidden meanings throughout her costume in an Instagram post. The blue and yellow colors of the dress — decorated with bright-pink Bougainvillea flowers — paid homage to the Caribbean’s sea and sun. Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao and a UNESCO World Heritage site, was illustrated at the bottom of her skirt.

Attached to the Curaçao flag that Thomas carried across the stage were dolls representing Africa, Asia, and Europe, a tribute to their contributions to the island.

Thomas, 26, graduated from a military academy in North Carolina before returning to Curaçao to co-own a restaurant and help run her family’s farm.

Ventura’s national costume was inspired by the Bayahibe Rose, a cactus with pink flowers that only grows in the Dominican Republic.

The pageant queen wore a shimmering bodysuit covered in pink, blue, and purple sparkles. But it was her backpiece — a bright-pink flower in bloom — that stole the show alongside her feathered pink-and-blue headdress.

According to Miss Universe, the pink hue of the flower symbolizes “tenderness, hope, and beauty, qualities that embody this nation’s vibrant spirit.”

Ventura, 27, is a civil engineer and the CEO of her own construction company.

Maged wore a shimmering gold dress fit for a queen — or a goddess — as she walked across the Miss Universe stage. Her ensemble was decorated with Nephthys’ vibrant purple, blue, and gold wings.

According to Miss Egypt’s Instagram, Nephthys is “the embodiment of a woman who can transform grief, struggle, and darkness into purpose — true values of a Miss Universe.”

Maged, 23, has modeled throughout Asia and the Arab world.

“Libahunt” tells the story of a young woman who is accused of being a werewolf because she is different — yet she refuses to conform to society’s expectations, according to Miss Universe.

Schaback channeled the famous protagonist with her ensemble, which featured a fur-lined dress, boots, and a large wolf’s head that she wore as a hat. She accessorized the costume with a sword, proudly carrying it across the stage.

The 28-year-old pageant queen was a professional model in New York City before she returned to Estonia to study computer science.

Known as the “Winged Victory of Samothrace,” the Greek masterpiece is currently on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Chatzipavlou’s cape, emblazoned with the words “Take Our History Back,” appeared to reference her country’s long-standing efforts to have the sculpture returned to Greece.

Chatzipavlou, 31, works as a model and economist. She recently appeared on Greece’s version of “Big Brother.”

According to a post from Mézino’s Instagram page, the pink pearl of lambi — as it’s called in French-speaking Caribbean countries — is Guadeloupe’s cultural symbol.

Mézino walked across the Miss Universe stage in a sheer bodysuit covered in pearls, which also adorned her shoulders and ran down her legs. She accessorized the ensemble with a sculptured bright-pink backpiece, designed to resemble the top of a conch shell.

Mézino, 26, is a model and actor who has appeared in the Netflix series “Lupin.”

Bérété, 24, honored “Simandou 2040,” a massive mining initiative in Guinea, with her ensemble, which consisted of a sparkly jumpsuit and a silver headpiece designed to resemble a mountain. The entire outfit was covered in silver sparkles, and green detailing on the bodice gave the look an earthy feel.

Bérété studies fashion in Milan and champions new support for women with postpartum depression.

Baljor, a 23-year-old studying medicine and surgery alongside public health, drew inspiration from the Guyanese legend of “The Old Higue,” which tells the story of a woman who turns to flame each night.

She wore a ball gown with a skirt designed to resemble flames, with flame motifs also adorning one of her shoulders. A coordinating headpiece made it look like fire was bursting out of her head.

The 22-year-old’s costume was modeled after the Hispaniolan trogon, Haiti’s national bird. A massive backpiece covered in blue, red, green, and white feathers was the star of her look, forming wings and a tail. Her headpiece tied the outfit together, as it looked like a bird’s head, complete with a beak.

Sapini is a broadcast journalist and model based in the US. She appeared in a Super Bowl campaign for Dunkin’.

Vishwakarma, 22, paid homage to Buddha’s moment of enlightenment, which took place under a Bodhi tree, with her costume.

Her gold ball gown was adorned with intricate beading and featured sweeping sleeves and a train. Her round backpiece was likewise adorned with beading, as was her pointed headpiece.

Vishwakarma balances her time between being a student and a model.

The 29-year-old’s look honored Ishtar, a Mesopotamian goddess of war, love, and fertility who is often associated with lions and the sun.

Qoreishy incorporated both kinds of imagery into her yellow and gold costume, which featured a sparkly bodysuit with a backpiece made of feathers and glittering adornments. She also carried a mask with a gem-encrusted lion on it.

Qoreishy, a legal assistant, dedicates much of her time to supporting children in Iraq. The cause is near to her heart, as she had to flee her home country as a child after experiencing violence.

Lee, 30, took inspiration from a Hanbok, the traditional attire of Korea, and the illustrations on Netflix’s beloved “KPop Demon Hunters” for her costume.

The dress had the silhouette of a Hanbok, but it featured a miniskirt instead of the traditional floor-length look. Florals adorned the skirt, which showed off her knee-high, black-and-gold boots. Lee carried a sword to complete her ensemble.

Lee is an actor herself, making her “KPop Demon Hunters” look even more appropriate.

Kyrgyzstan is renowned for its specialty eagle hunters, known as “burkutchu,” who partner with golden eagles on their hunting expeditions. Kuvakova, a 19-year-old marketing specialist and model, became an eagle during the costume contest in their honor.

The base of her look was a sparkly black dress paired with a gold bodysuit, which accentuated the massive wings she wore on her back. The wings were covered in gold and brown feathers.

Rosenberg, 23, wore a teal dress adorned with sparkly beading in the shape of ocean waves on the bodice. Her back and headpieces were also designed to look like waves, as were her arm cuffs and a prop she carried.

Rosenberg has been a model since she was 11, and she also works as a hairdresser and stylist.

The 27-year-old paid homage to the Blue Rock Thrush, Malta’s national bird, with her costume.

Her bodysuit had floral detailing, and a massive train flowed out behind her in tiers of ombré blue feathers. A coordinating backpiece sat on her shoulders, and she also wore feathered arm cuffs.

Cluette is a successful runway model, but she also studied psychology and education.

Manalo, a 28-year-old who has been competing in pageants since she was 10, celebrated the rich fiesta culture of the Philippines with her costume.

The short-sleeve bodice featured floral detailing, while her tiered skirt was covered in glittery fabric in pink, green, and yellow.

A colorful crown completed her festive ensemble.

Yasmin, 28, turned herself into van Gogh’s “Almond Blossom” painting by wearing three-dimensional flowers.

A blue, high-low dress served as the base of the look, showing off her sparkly tights, while the flowers sat atop the dress and curved around her head.

Yasmin works as a senior associate at Audit and Assurance Group.

The 28-year-old embodied Lake Tekapo, known for its turquoise waters, in a gem-encrusted dress made from recycled plastic. Peplums flowed out from each side of the skirt, floating next to Sturgin as she walked.

She also wore a pink, floral headpiece and carried a coordinating scepter.

Sturgin, who works as a police officer, loves spending time on the New Zealand coast, making her costume all the more fitting.

The 30-year-old model paid tribute to the turquoise-browed motmot in her sparkly, colorful outfit.

Her bodysuit featured daring cutouts on the sides and gem detailing at the center. The bodice flowed into her oversize backpiece, which was designed to resemble wings.

The wings were made of pastel, sparkly shades of blue, purple, and green, and they matched the feathered headpiece that sat on Castillo’s head.

Basil, 25, celebrated the sacred palm tree of Igboland, the area in southern Nigeria where the Igbo people live.

She transformed herself into a moving palm tree, wearing a dress with textured fabric that flowed out from her arms, a cape, and a headpiece. Layers of beaded necklaces accented the look.

Basil works as a biochemist and advocates for access to healthcare for mothers in Nigeria.

The 22-year-old incorporated Panama’s pre-Columbian history into her costume, honoring the traditions of goldsmithing and pottery. Her bodysuit was trimmed in gold detailing, and it was complemented by intricate beading forming animals.

Bouche carried a large gold scepter, and a backpiece covered in red feathers accented the look.

In addition to her pageant work, Bouche wielded her fashion and marketing degrees to launch her own fashion line, Pálquea by Mirna Caballini.

She wore bedazzled pieces over a bikini set, strappy heels, a crown with a glowing center, and a backpiece decorated with white petals.

On Instagram, she said she wanted the outfit to represent the “delicate yet resilient” bugs, which are being affected by habitat loss and light pollution. The costume also serves as a call to protect Paraguay’s forests and wildlife.

Ojeda, 28, is a lawyer, notary, and dance teacher who speaks multiple languages.

The 33-year-old screenwriter was inspired by Mount Huascarán, which stands 22,205 feet tall. A hobbyist climber herself, Bacigalupo previously scaled part of the mountain.

Her costume included sheer pants with crystal detailing, a mesh crop top featuring more sparkles, and a crown that looked like it was made from icicles.

She also wore white gloves and carried large fans decorated with a snowflake print.

Rivera, a 26-year-old ballet dancer, wore a crystal-encrusted bodysuit, a green-and-blue tutu, tights decorated with multicolored gemstones, and gloves with sparkling wings.

She also donned pointe shoes and a helmet-esque headpiece that resembled a hummingbird’s face.

The costume showed her love for ballet — she danced across the stage — and the grace of hummingbirds, which are found widely across Puerto Rico.

She wore a sheer catsuit adorned with silver and red gems, a tall metallic crown featuring attached roses, and a backpiece crafted from stems of the flowers.

She also wore knee-high leather boots, a rose-embellished train, and carried two rose bouquets. The outfit was inspired by her island’s La Rose Festival.

Smith, 21, is studying neuroscience and volunteers as a mental-health advocate.

The strapless ball gown featured sequined imagery of nature, clocks, a train, and the city of Belgrade.

The dress glimmered as she walked, and more of its details were revealed every time the 28-year-old turned around.

Egorova is a mentor and public speaker who speaks Serbian, English, Russian, and French.

The 28-year-old arrived onstage wearing a bedazzled bralette with cap sleeves, high-waisted shorts, a crystal chain, and over-the-knee boots decorated with the same sequins.

For accessories, she wore feather wings and a sequined, feather headpiece. The outfit was inspired by the Canarian houbara bird, which is endangered but contributes greatly to Spain’s biodiversity.

Valero runs her own travel agency and is an advocate for women’s empowerment.

She wore a brown, asymmetrical gown in the color of tea and a thick gold necklace as she stood inside the teapot.

The latter is a symbol of her nation’s warmth and hospitality, as well as its tea industry, which is one of the largest in the world.

White, 27, has a degree in international business management and works as the operations manager of her family’s company.

Her long-sleeved, mermaid-style gown had gold embroidery, beaded fringe, and a sheer panel down its bodice. She also wore a headpiece and feathered clocks attached to her back.

The 20-year-old’s outfit was inspired by Switzerland’s watch industry and the Zytglogge clock tower in Bern.

Acosta grew up between Switzerland and Mexico. She’s now pursuing a degree in hotel management.

Onstage, it was announced that her costume was meant to represent the industrious nature of bees and the resilience of Tanzanian women.

She wore a black strapless minidress with a wide, layered skirt resembling a honeycomb, large orange wings, and a headpiece featuring bug eyes and antennae.

Yona, 28, is a mother and an entrepreneur who has founded numerous businesses.

She wore armor, gold boots, and a mask to resemble a yaksha, or a guardian giant that protects temples in Thailand.

On Instagram, Singh, 29, said the costume felt more like a piece of Thailand’s culture and legacy than an outfit.

She previously studied at Thammasat University, supported by a full scholarship.

She wore a beaded bodysuit, matching leg pieces, and a backpiece decorated with feathers and traditional masks.

On Instagram, Morris said the Carnival-esque outfit was inspired by her African maternal grandmother and her East-Indian paternal grandmother. It was meant to blend both cultures.

Morris is the 32-year-old founder of the BBL Movement, which stands for Building A Better Life. It helps young people develop healthy lives and promising futures.

Dickenson, 22, wore a golden set decorated with sparkles, pearls, and crystals. It matched her feather-inspired backpiece, her knee-high boots, and the pelican puppets she carried above her head.

On Instagram, she said the ensemble honored the bird’s strength and grace, which both represent the people of her island.

She’s deeply inspired by her mother, who raised Dickenson on her own.

She wore a headpiece shaped like a butterfly, and her bodysuit featured sequins in a pattern similar to that on the insect’s wings. Though monarch butterflies are orange, her costume was blue.

There were also wings attached to her sleeves, which featured the flags of the numerous countries from which members of the Latino community in the US are from.

Hernández, 29, studied communications and film in school.

Eckert, 23, dressed as America’s national bird. She wore a sheer bodysuit crafted from crystals, fuzzy brown boots, large feathered wings, and arm pieces that came together to create an eagle’s face.

Its beadwork was inspired by Indigenous artistry, and the overall look was meant to showcase heritage and hope, according to the Miss USA Instagram page.

Eckert works as a social media and marketing coordinator for a human rights fashion brand called Sapahn, which is based in Thailand.

She hit the stage in a see-through catsuit, which was decorated with strategically placed crystals in white, pink, and purple. She also wore platform sandals, a netted cape, a shell backpiece, and a coral crown.

Turtle statues rolled along the stage next to her. Her outfit honored Venezuela’s archipelago and endangered species.

Abasali, 25, has been traveling since childhood. So far, she’s lived in Venezuela, the United States, and Australia.