Estelle Curd, a CRM, HR and H&S manager from Auckland, has been crowned Miss Universe New Zealand 2018 in front of a live audience at Skycity Theatre, watched by a local network TV audience on Bravo TV New Zealand and around the world on a live stream.
The 27-year-old master’s degree holder entered for the first time in 2014.
Curd said, ‘I entered four years ago but did not get into the Top 10. I came back knowing what sort of woman I wanted to be.’
She said she found the experience the second time around ‘empowering’ but did not expect to win.
Curd takes the keys to a new Citroën C3 for the year of her reign, along with prizes from Caithy Organics, Arture, Beau Visage, Lovelysmiles, Nygle Skincare, and couturier Sidney Eculla, among others.
Milena Taryan, an Armenian-born New Zealander from Wellington, was runner-up. Ms Taryan, 26, is a dental assistant and ballroom dance teacher.
Lucy Brock, 23, placed second runner-up.
Rounding off the top five were Jewel Harris, who won the Entrepreneurial Challenge and raised a record amount for Variety, the Children’s Charity, and Nurul Shamsul, the competition’s first hijabi entrant.
Sonia Gray hosted the live event, while audiences were treated to performances from Frankie Stevens, Razé, Russell Dixon, and Le ART.
Stevens joined the judging panel alongside talent manager Evana Patterson, make-up supremo and SRA founder Samala Robinson, model, actress and Miss Universe New Zealand 2016 Tania Dawson, and former Miss Universe New Zealand finalist, designer and DJ Prerna Sinha Raniga.
In the six years since Miss Universe New Zealand was revamped, the competition has raised over $175,000 for Variety, the Children’s Charity.
This year’s finalists also enjoyed a retreat in Thailand, with the help of Tourism Thailand Experts, and hosts Pathumwan Princess Hotel and Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya.
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