That contest transformed into the most famous beauty contest, called Miss World thereafter. In 1951 a bikini contest in the UK awarded Kerstin "Kiki" Hakansson from Sweden the title of the first "Miss World"
Sputnik looks back at Miss World winners throughout the contest's long history to show you how beauty standards have evolved over time.
The first Miss World, 1951 – Kiki Håkansson from Sweden.
Denise Perrier, an 18-year-old Lyon student, who was elected "Miss World" on October 19, 1953 at Strand High School in London.
Catharina Lodders, representing the Netherlands, is elected Miss World on November 8, 1962 in London.
Lesley Langley (C) from England flanked by (from left), Miss Tahiti, Miss Ireland, Miss USA and Miss Austria reacts after being crowned Miss World 1965 on November 20, 1965 in London.
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© AP Photo / Press Association
Miss World, Hafi Karlsdottir, 23, of Iceland relaxes with keep-fit equipment at the newly opened Morley's Heathrow health and leisure club at Hounslow, London on June 16, 1986.
Miss World - 18-year-old Lisa Hanna, the new Miss World 1993 from Jamaica in an oldtimer at the Essen Motor Show on Wednesday, December 1. 1993. Lisa Hanna inspected several cars. (AP-Photo/Heinz Ducklau)
Miss World 1994 Aishwarya Rai of India poses for photographers a day after winning her crown in Sun City, November 20, 1994.
Miss World, Diana Hayden, 24, kisses a child a day after she was crowned in Victoria. Hayden, who was born in Bombay but who also has English blood, quoted Irish poet William Butler Yeats after she won before a crowd of 1,000 people, saying: "In dreams begin responsibilities."
Nineteen-year-old Linor Abargil of Israel smiles 27 November at Mahe Beach, Seychelles, the day after winning the Miss World 98 crown, as photographers surround her.
In this file picture taken on July 9, 2003 former Miss Universe Priyanka Chopra poses for a portrait during the shooting of Bollywood crime thriller "Plan" in Mumbai. As stated in a story dated November 16, 2008 leading lady Priyanka Chopra made the break into film through modelling after a childhood spent following her father from army posting to army posting. Her first success came in the Miss India World contest, then the coveted Miss World crown in 2000.
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© AP Photo / Themba Hadebe
Agbani Darego of Nigeria smiles after being named Miss World, during the 2001 beauty pageant at Sun City, South Africa, Friday, Nov. 16, 2001.
Rosanna Davison of Ireland sports a bikini with fellow Miss World 2003 contestants in Sanya, 27 November 2003, in southern China's Hainan Province. Davison was heavily favored to win the competition among her country's and London-based bookmakers after she was voted sexiest in a bikini a week before beating out 105 other women to win the title in December in China's first-ever staging of the international beauty pageant.
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© AP Photo / VINCENT YU
Miss Peru Maria Julia Mantilla Garcia, left, is crowned by Miss World 2003 Rosanna Davison of Ireland at Miss World 2004 in Sanya on south China's Hainan Island Saturday, Dec. 4, 2004.
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© AP Photo / Xinhua, Zhao Yingquan
In this photo released by China's Xinhua news agency, Miss China Zhang Zilin performs during the 57th Miss World Competition in Sanya of south China's Hainan Province, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007. Zhang was honored the title of best model.
Ksenya Sukhinova from Russia smiles on December 13, 2008 after being crowned Miss World 2008 at the miss world pageant held at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Kseniya Sukhinova was crowned Miss World 2008 after beating 108 other international beauties in a glittering African extravaganza.
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© AP Photo / Alexander F. Yuan
Miss USA Alexandria Mills, front center, gestures with other contestants after being crowned the winner of the 2010 Miss World pageant contest at the Beauty Crown Cultural Center in Sanya, in southern China's island province Hainan, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010.
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© AP Photo / Kirsty Wigglesworth
Miss Venezuela Ivian Sarcos reacts as she is crowned winner at the Miss World competition held at Earls Court in London, Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011.
Miss World contest winner Megan Young of the Philippines waves to the crowd at a welcoming parade in Manila on October 11, 2013. The triumph of 23-year-old Megan Young was the main headline in major newspapers, who noted that it gave the Philippines a winner in all major beauty pageants after several victories in the Miss Universe and Miss International contests.
Miss India Manushi Chhilar wins the 67th Miss World contest final in Sanya, on the tropical Chinese island of Hainan on November 18, 2017.
