Farida Joyce
Reigning Miss South Africa, Lalela Mswane has become the first black woman to win Miss Supranational.
“I am overwhelmed. It feels surreal,” said Mswane after she was crowned.
The event was held at Strzelecki Park Amphitheatre in Nowy Scz, Poland on Friday.
Miss Supranational is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by the World Beauty Association. The innagural edition of the pageant was held in Poland in 2009.
The KwaZulu-Natal beauty came into the contest as a strong favourite after making it to round two of the influencer competition before the finals and placing among the top 10 models of the year list.
She represented South Africa in a pageant against stunning women from Thailand, Venezuela, and Indonesia along with competitors from 69 other countries. Miss Vietnam placed in the top five, followed by the other three.
She impressed the judges with a national costume that honours her Zulu culture.
The dress was designed by Cape Town-based designer Lloyd Kandlin, who also worked on Zozibini Tunzi’s wardrobe for Miss South Africa 2019, a year before Tunzi won the Miss Universe contest.
“I am deeply thankful to all the amazing people who supported and uplifted me. I couldn’t have done it without them,” she said.
She thanked the organisers, the Polish people and her South African fans.
“This title is not mine alone. It is South Africa’s victory,” she said.
Image source: @PageantCircle
