“We’re going to make your shoot more fashion,” I blurted out upon meeting Miss World 2024 Krystyna Pyszková. This was last July when she was in Manila to attend the Miss World Philippines 2024 finals along with Miss World CEO Julia Morley.
With widened eyes and radiant smile, Pyszková replied, “Oh I love fashion. I miss doing shoots like this.”
The 72nd Miss World, who is from the Czech Republic, and the second Czech woman to win Miss World, is no stranger to the world of fashion. Following in the footsteps of famous Czech glamazons like Victoria Secret Angel, Karolína Kurková; Versace muse Eva Herzigová; and model- philanthropist Petra Němcová, to name a few, this 6-ft tall stunner made it to the cover of Vogue Czechoslovakia and to a fashion spread in Czech Esquire Magazine only a few weeks after winning Miss World 2024 in March. Recently she was special guest of Louis Vuitton and flew to Paris to watch the equestrian competition in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
It is no surprise that fashion and modelling are very special to her. She started modeling at age 14. The first country she visited outside of the Czech Republic was Spain, for one month of modeling stint. She recalled how her mom was in tears as she was leaving. But Pyszková had no regrets about leaving home—she learned how to be independent, “When I arrived, I didn’t even know how to use the subway. We didn’t have internet in our phones, there was no Google maps then. So I bought myself a physical map and I tried to learn to use the public transportation,” she said in a past interview. It was a big wake-up call; she learned how to take care of herself.
Last January, she graced the catwalks of Paris Haute Couture for Lebanese couturier Zuhair Murad and Greek couture house Celia Kritharioti.
Krystyna Pyszková in Zuhair Murad (left) and Celia Kritharioti (right) during Paris Couture Spring Summer 2024
That is why the theme for TheDiarist.ph shoot was very ‘90s’ supermodel vibe—away from the usual heavy, ornate, ultra-bling clothes, thick pageant makeup, and over-filtered photography.
The styling mix? When minimalist is king, or should I say “Queen.” With barely-there makeup, not so made-up hair, unconventional colors of the clothes, from metallics to bold solid reds and blues from top Filipino designer Lesley Mobo, to the designs of emerging ones like Joel Escober and June Samson Pugat from Ilocos.
Behind the scene, wearing June Samson Pugat
Photo by Alonzo Domingo
The staff of the newly opened Grand Westside Hotel, which happened to be the host hotel where Pyszková and the rest of the Miss World entourage stayed, was gracious enough to accommodate our photo shoot, even allowing us to set up a make-shift studio. Given her tight Manila itinerary, the Miss World Philippines org was very supportive of TheDiarist.ph in this exclusive shoot.
Her modeling stint really prepared her to be a beauty queen, and eventually for becoming Miss World, the oldest and one of the top beauty pageants in the world.
Modeling taught her the fundamentals—how to work with people, for instance. And like a pro, Pyszková just glanced at our styling brief and knew already what to do, given that she had only a little over an hour to shoot.
Krystyna the beauty queen
Aside from being a model, Pyszková is after all the 71st Miss World who won in India in March. This was her second time in the Philippines. She was here December last year to pageant-train and to do charity work. She visited an elementary school and distributed school supplies, and gave a talk to students about self-confidence, self-development, education and achieving one’s dreams. “I think children need to realize that they can be whoever they want if they’re going to work hard for it, and not to give up on their dreams,” Pyszková said.
Wearing Joel Escober’s halter V-neck dress.
“Beauty pageants are something else,” Pyszková said during her first press conference back in December. “It’s just more than being a model. You can be a beautiful and successful model but doesn’t mean you can be a successful beauty queen. It can also be the other way around; you can be an amazing beauty queen but it doesn’t mean you can be successful in getting into Fashion Week.”
Miss World is one top beauty pageant with an authentic advocacy—“Beauty with a Purpose”. It was established by Julia Morley 52 years ago, who coined the phrase to inspire young women, particularly the Miss World candidates, to use their talents and position to help less fortunate people. And thanks to Morley’s humanitarian efforts, she was conferred the honor of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2022, as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Birthday Honors list.
The Blue Crown
“It’s the symbol of fundraising,” Julia Morley described the iconic Miss World blue crown which the winners have been wearing since 1979, including the likes of Hollywood celebrity Priyanka Chopra (2000), Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai (1994), former L’Oreal ambassador Agbani Darego (2001) from Nigeria, and the Philippines’ Megan Young (2013).
The crown was made by London jeweler David Morris. “It was made for free. Because they love the charity, they love the work we do. This is a unique crown,” Morley said.
Behind-the-scenes shot of Krystyna in Lesley Mobo multicolored pailette and velvet dress. (Photo by Alonzo Domingo)
And what makes it more unique is that Miss World winners don’t really get to have fashion portraits of them wearing the blue crown, compared to Miss Universe winners who get to do those kinds of shoots. TheDiarist.ph was privileged enough to capture this moment, especially with a muse like Pyszková, who will make the most out of her year as Miss World, traveling the world as goodwill ambassador, and to help raise funds for charitable institutions, especially for children. Once she passes on the blue crown to her successor next year in March, she plans to return to fashion. She’s only 25 years young and the universe, or should I say, the world, is her oyster.
Photography Jerick Sanchez
Styling and Creative Direction Luis Carlo San Juan
Videography Julian Reantaso
BTS Photographer Alonzo Domingo
Editorial Assistant Juan Marco Tubo
Makeup Carissa Medved
Hairstyle Florenz Torrontegui
Shot on location Grand Westside Hotel special thanks to Nico Velasquez
Special thanks to Arnold Vegafria of Miss World Philippines, Julia Morley and Henrique Fontes of the Miss World Organization, Francis Chee, Aldrich Maru Dabao, Chuchie Ledesma, and Dior Beauty
This shoot is dedicated to the memory of pageant enthusiast, Paul Palmero
