Swimwear is one of the decisive stages in Miss Universe Brazil
The confinement of Miss Universe Brasil 2026 officially begins on June 13th. With it, the beginning of one of the most awaited phases of the competition: the swimsuit preliminary.
The candidates will present themselves at the Morro dos Anjos Resort headquarters, in Bandeirantes, Paraná, where they will be confined until the grand final, scheduled for July 25th, in São Paulo.
The evaluation is part of the set of tests that help define the semifinalists and represents an important moment in the journey of the 33 candidates towards the national crown. In addition to the preliminary phase with swimsuits, there will also be preliminary interviews, a gala and traditional attire.
Far beyond physical beauty, the swimsuit parade evaluates posture, confidence, ease, elegance, stage presence and the ability of each candidate to convey confidence in front of the judges. Over the years, this stage has undergone several transformations, following changes in society's behavior and the evolution of beauty contests themselves.
The transformation of the swimsuit in Miss Brazil
In the early years of Miss Brazil, in the 1950s and 1960s, the swimsuit was one of the main criteria for evaluating candidates, reflecting the aesthetic standards of the time. Over the decades, the test stopped focusing on just body measurements to value attributes such as health, physical fitness, self-esteem and authenticity.
Today, at Miss Universe Brasil, the presentation seeks to highlight real women, confident in themselves and prepared to represent the country on one of the largest female empowerment platforms in the world.
The history of the competition is also marked by memorable parades. One of the most remembered is that of Natália Guimarães, Miss Brazil 2007 and vice-Miss Universe that same year. Her presentation in a swimsuit became one of the emblematic moments of the competition, highlighting elegance, confidence and excellent stage performance, characteristics that contributed to her historic campaign on the international stage.
Currently, the businesswoman is part of the Miss Universe Brasil organization as strategic director, bringing to the management of the contest the experience acquired on stage and behind the scenes over almost two decades.
"I know exactly the butterflies in the stomach that each candidate feels before entering the catwalk. I lived that moment and I can say that the swimsuit was never just about aesthetics. It's when the candidate needs to show confidence, balance and believe in herself. Often, it's there that she starts to see herself as a true Miss", explains Natália to CNN Brasil.
During confinement, the candidates still participate in interviews with the judging panel, rehearsals, recordings, photo shoots and other activities that make up the official program. Each stage adds points to the overall evaluation and can be decisive in determining the semi-finalists.
The expectation is that the swimsuit preliminary will reveal not only the physical fitness of the representatives of the states and tourist routes, but also their stories, personalities and the confidence built over months of preparation for the country's main beauty contest.
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Source: CNN