From a country that once played the role of simply “sending contestants to compete”, Vietnam has now become the founding nation of a major international beauty pageant. Miss Charm, speaking the language of intellectual beauty, culture, and education, is not just a beauty contest — it is a confident declaration of Vietnam’s new position on the global soft power map.
Overcoming prejudice: Vietnam no longer the “chaser” in the beauty world
For decades, countries like the United States, Venezuela, and the Philippines have been regarded as the “powerhouses” of beauty pageants. But for the first time, an Asian nation outside the traditional “Big Four” has shown the courage and capability to create its own global stage. Miss Charm, founded by Nguyen Thi Thuy Nga (Chairwoman of Elite Vietnam), not only marks the maturity of Vietnam’s beauty industry but also reflects the ambition to build a “global cultural legacy” rooted in women’s beauty and intellect.
The competition, first held in 2023 in Ho Chi Minh City, immediately impressed with its professional scale, international management team, and a distinctive message: beauty is not just physical appearance, but intelligence, compassion, and spreading humanistic values.
Talking figures and the kick start of a novel beauty empire
Right from its first season, Miss Charm attracted representatives from 38 countries and territories. The final night was broadcast live on international platforms, garnering millions of global viewers. The stage was meticulously designed to meet international standards, from sound and lighting systems to broadcasting technology.
The crown for the winner was handcrafted by a Mexican artisan, valued at over $150,000, symbolizing “the fusion of intellect and heritage”, embodying the pageant’s core philosophy: Beauty can be a tool for social transformation.
Two first icons of a new era
Luma Russo – Miss Charm 2023 (Brazil), the Brazilian woman, impressed not only with her classic, cinematic beauty but also with an impressive background: commercial pilot, makeup artist, and having studied in the US and UK. Her answer “Freedom is the most important value” in the Q&A helped Luma win the first crown, creating a new model of a beauty queen: beautiful, strong, and idealistic.
Rashmita Rasindran – Miss Charm 2024 (Malaysia), a graduate in Linguistics and Communication, is currently a social activist for gender equality in Malaysia. Rashmita represents the modern generation of Asian women: intelligent, charming, and skilled in using her personal voice to create social impact. Under the stage lights, she is not only a beauty queen but also a true ambassador of cultural education.
The “charm” ecosystem: When a competition becomes a multidimensional cultural platform
Miss Charm doesn’t stop at just one night of competition. Under the guidance of founder Thuy Nga, this pageant has gradually become a global ecosystem with many accompanying initiatives:
- Share With Charm: An international dialogue forum on education, culture, and gender equality.
- Charm Love You: A community project network implemented by the beauty queens after their crowning.
- Charm Voyage: A journey exploring the heritage and identity of Vietnam, from Hoi An, Ha Long to Ninh Binh and Ho Chi Minh City.
Miss Charm is “exporting” Vietnamese culture to the world through the footsteps of international beauties, on a journey that is not only beautiful but also rich in cultural depth.
Miss Charm 2025: Extended version empowered by AI and the community
In 2025, Miss Charm will welcome over 60 countries and territories, with a series of side events held across many localities throughout Vietnam, from Hanoi to Hue, Dalat to Phu Quoc. Notably, this year’s competition will introduce new categories related to artificial intelligence (AI), digital education, and ESG values (Environmental, Social, Governance), integrating beauty into the global sustainable development flow. Miss Charm 2025 is expected to be broadcast on multiple platforms with wider coverage than ever before.
Miss Charm is not just a beauty pageant but a global-oriented cultural product created by the Vietnamese for the world. In an era where beauty increasingly goes hand in hand with intelligence and social impact, Miss Charm offers not only a crown but also an opportunity to affirm national identity in the most modern language: the language of inspiration and vision.
