Her appearance evoked the image of a Vietnamese schoolgirl: a white ao dai, a conical hat bearing the Vietnam flag and a bicycle as her sole accessory. Rather than theatrics, she chose stillness, letting the simplicity of the costume speak for itself.
Vietnam’s representative Huong Giang wears the ao dai traditional long dress at the Miss Universe 2025 costume showcase in Bangkok on November 19. (Video: Miss Universe).
Reflecting on the choice, the transgender contestant said she had long dreamed of wearing the white ao dai she never had the chance to wear at school. “The dream may come late, but it arrives in the most beautiful way,” she said.
She hoped the image of a schoolgirl heading to class would serve as a nod to Vietnamese youth and the cultural memory shared by generations.
According to the Miss Universe website, Huong Giang is known in Vietnam as a singer, model and producer. After first gaining public attention on Vietnam Idol, she became the country’s first Miss International Queen and has since worked to champion acceptance and greater visibility for the LGBTQ+ community.
Just hours before the showcase, she also placed in the top three in the Beyond The Crown category through online voting.
Miss Universe 2025 is taking place in Thailand from November 2 to November 21, featuring 123 contestants from across the world. This year marks a significant shift, with the competition opening to married women, mothers, transgender contestants and participants of any age. Huong Giang is the only transgender contestant in this year’s line up.
