The most famous Italian Miss, from beauty queens to showgirls

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80 years of history, 80 years of beauty. The evolution of an entire Country, of its society, of the standards of beauty, told through a beauty contest, famous in all the world. This year, too,  “Miss Italia” returns on Friday the sixth of September, live on RaiUno, to celebrate an historical goal, tied the sociocultural evolution of the Peninsula.

Everything starts in 1939, when the fourteen-year-old Isabella Verney is elected “Miss Sorriso” ( Miss Smile), that can be considered the first Miss Italia, in the range of a photographic selection conceived by Dino Villani in collaboration with the writer Cesare Zavattini, to sponsor a toothpaste brand. From the partecipants’ pictures published on the weekly publication, the initiative shortly became a national event.  The war stopped the dreams of the young Miss candidates, but after a new, splendid sun arrived. The contest knew its first significant evolution: gathering of the girls and parade on the catwalk. So, this adventure starts in 1946 in Stresa.

From 1959  the leader of the contest is Enzo Mirigliani, that becomes the uncontested patron of the event. In 2013, when he passed away, his daughter  Patrizia replaced him. The several Miss Italia editions, follow the changes of the trends, the evolution of society. In 1990 Maurizio Costanzo suggests the abolition of the estabilished sizes 90-60-90: thus arises the myth of the girl next door, that doesn’t need to have a model body to partecipate. In 1991 starts Miss Italia in the World, the Contest that rewards the most beautiful Italian girl resident abroad.

The times change and also Miss Italia: the event opens the doors to the black Italian women, and it’s a girl from Santo Domingo that wins the title. Miss Italia winners follow one another, the faces change, but not the essence: the simplicity is rewarded. On the kermesse stage mothers and daughters  take turns, winning after years, the same title, such as  Marisa Jossa in 1959  and Roberta Capua in 1986.

From 1998 Miss Italia winner is elected in Eurovision, on RaiUno, every year: famous presenters of the small screen alternate in the contest’s presentation. From Pippo Baudo to Mike Bongiorno, from Marco Columbro to Milly Carlucci, many are the masters of the house that have said the name of all the Miss Italia from 1939 to nowadays. The winner is chosen by a panel of experts and presided by famous people, such as Alberto Sordi, in the case of Miss Italia 1999, or Dino Risi  in the edition of Miss Italia 1998. From 1950 to 2011, Miss Italia has been in Salsomaggiore. From 2011 to 2013 in Jesolo and in 2018 the contest has arrived in Milan.

Famous Miss Italia, winners and vincitrici e partecipants

Among all the Miss Italia winners and all the partecipants to the contest, it’s possible to draft a  list of the famous Miss Italia, well known in the History of this contest and of the Italian show, and those who have achieved the biggest success from the kermesse, using it  as a springboard for an extraordinary career . From Sophia Loren to Miriam Leone, Miss Italia continues to be an opportunity to enter in the world of the cinema,  of the tv or of the fashion. Let’s find out the most famous faces among all the Miss Italia of the Italian beauty contest par excellence.

1. Sophia Loren

Just like the contest, Sophia Loren, too  is 80 years old in September. The famous Italian actress, to whom we have dedicated one of our Iex Stories, arrived in Rome when she was 15 and she was looking for success, under her mother’s control. After the partecipation to many beauty competitions, also for Sophia Loren arrives Miss Italia in 1950. She doesn’t win, but to reward her beauty it’s introduced a title deliberately for her, Miss Eleganza.

2. Anna Falchi

She was born in 1972 and she is considered a real sex symbol, and also for Anna Falchi, Miss Italia has been a springboard: in 1989 she came second, winning the title of Miss Cinema.

3. Gina Lollobrigida

An amazing career, acknowledged on an international level. The Italian actress, born in 1927, has taken the first steps in the show world partecipating to Miss Italia in 1947, coming third, but attracting the attention of all the authorized personnel.

4. Simona Ventura

From the partecipation to the TV presenting: Simona Ventura, born in 1965, arrives to Miss Italia as a partecipant in 1986, afeter winning “Miss Muretto” event in Alassio. She doesn’t win, but starts her adventure in Italian TV, where she became famous. 

5. Francesca Chillemi

Claudia Cardinale crowns her Miss Italia in 2003: the young eighteen year old  today has become an accomplished Italian actress, protagonist of many successful fictions.

6. Martina Colombari

One of the most loved: in 1991 a  confident and an energetic girl wins the title of Miss Italia, she was born in 1975, and during the years she became a showgirl. Model, anchorwoman, actress, but also wife anche happy mother.

7. Cristina Chiabotto

Born in 1986, she partecipated to Miss Italia in 2004, winning the kermesse with the blessing of Giorgio Panariello, president of the panel. From then that girl with a captivating smile has been successful, choosing the anchorwoman and model career.

8. Lucia Bosè

Lucia is only 16 when, in 1947, in Stresa, she wins among many girls who partecipate to Miss Italia. From that moment she takes many leading roles in the Italian cinema ‘s panorama. The beautiful actress is the mother of the singer and composer Miguel Bosé.  

9. Roberta Capua

Being Miss, in this case, is a family’s tradition. After  her mother Marisa Jossa, in 1959, also Roberta, born in 1968, wins the title assigned to the most beautiful of Italy, in 1986, starting to work on the little screen, as an anchorwoman.

10. Anna Valle

A simple face, perfect and clean. Anna decided to interrupt the Law studies in 1995 and to partecipate to the contest with the title of Miss Sicilia: a choice that is winning, she was rewarded with the most desirable crown. Today Anna Valle can be mentioned among the most loved Italian actress.

More than a beauty contest, an event that belongs to the “Bel Paese”’s culture. The opportunity to live a fairy tale, to fulfill a wish, to transform a dream in a reality: on the Italian common girls the spotlights of a brilliant future light up. And the history of the kermesse teaches that you can continue to dream and to shine, even when “ for you Miss Italia stops here”, because never as in this case, the important thing isn’t winning, but partecipating,  attracting the attention of the show world.  

This post is also available in: Italiano