Croatia’s Zrinka Ćorić sets off for Miss Universe in Mexico

Zrinka Ćorić (Photo: Emanuel Mancy, PR MUH)

The 73rd Miss Universe will take place on 16 November in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico.

130 stunning contestants from across the globe will grace the stage at the DCMX Arena in front of a crowd of 18,000.

Representing Croatia is Zrinka Ćorić, a 23-year-old from Dubrovnik who claimed the title of Miss Universe Croatia 2024 back in May at the Emerald Ballroom of the Esplanade Zagreb Hotel.

“I’m incredibly excited! These past six months have flown by, though the prospect of going to an international competition initially seemed far off. I’ve never been to Mexico, so I’m really looking forward to exploring Mexico City, meeting new people, and experiencing their culture alongside the other contestants,” Zrinka shared.

Zrinka’s preparations for the world stage began right after her victory in the Croatian competition in May.

Zrinka Ćorić (Photo: Emanuel Mancy, PR MUH)

“Our candidates know from the outset that the duties and preparations for the newly crowned Miss Universe Croatia begin the moment the sash and crown are placed on her head. Miss Universe is no longer just a beauty pageant.

They aren’t looking for a runway model but a role model. Each contestant must choose a humanitarian project or a social issue close to her heart, which she will work on as an ambassador, helping find solutions where possible,” explained Marija Kraljević, director of Miss Universe Croatia.

In partnership with Mouawad, a Thai jeweller and crown sponsor, the Miss Universe Organisation continues the special initiative “Voice for Change,” a competition involving all contestants this year. “Voice for Change” at Miss Universe is an initiative emphasising the importance of positive social change.

This platform is used to raise awareness about a variety of global issues, including equality, education, health, and environmental concerns. Through their stories and projects, contestants from all over the world aim to inspire others to engage and contribute to creating a better world,” said former Miss Universe Croatia Ivana Delač. Zrinka, too, has her project.

“Even before I entered Miss Universe Croatia again, I had planned to spend a few months this summer volunteering in Tanzania with an organisation that helps educate young women about menstrual health and hygiene, providing them with access to essential sanitary products.

Sadly, there are still parts of the world where girls and women are forced to leave school and eventually give up employment simply because menstruation is almost seen as a stigma. Unfortunately, due to commitments in Croatia, I couldn’t make the trip, but I hope my project will be one of those awarded, enabling me to support the initiative financially as well as through volunteering.

I’d like to thank the Miss Universe Croatia Organisation and Igor Vignjević for assisting us with filming and editing my project materials,” Zrinka added.

(Photo: Emanuel Mancy, PR MUH)

Alongside her full-time job, Zrinka began studying at the Zagreb School of Economics and Management this autumn.

“I’ll admit it’s not easy juggling a full-time job with university lectures, and I’ve also started improving my English at Berlitz language school. Thankfully, before the summer, we had makeup training with the Bipa backstage team, where I learned professional techniques, and stylists from the Studio Marcela salon chain taught me to style my hair for both daily events and glamorous evenings,” Zrinka shared.

Hard-working Zrinka is leaving nothing to chance. Though she participated in Miss Universe Croatia four years ago, she’s prepared meticulously for her second attempt.

“Competing for the first time in 2020 was a turning point for me. I lacked confidence, and stepping onto that stage was a huge leap. But that was where everything began. I realised that achieving anything in life requires persistence.

If you fall, you must rise again. Competing then allowed me to address my vision issues, as the contest enabled me to have corrective eye surgery at the Svjetlost Clinic, for which I’m incredibly grateful! The feeling of freedom from glasses and contacts is indescribable! I wanted to pursue modelling, so I went to Istanbul and spent time in Turkey working in a field I love.

For this year’s Miss Universe Croatia, I found a coach from the Philippines to help with walking, posing, and general pageant preparation, and we held all our sessions over video calls. We’re continuing our work for the international competition as well,” said Zrinka.

Competing in such a large international event is also a significant promotion for Croatia.

“We’re proud that Croatia will again have a representative on this world stage, viewed by audiences in 180 countries. For all of the 28 years that the competition has been held in Croatia, even during the pandemic, we’ve weathered challenges with the hope that people will distinguish between a beauty pageant with a 73-year tradition and those that only operate nationally and whose winners do not go on to a global competition because there isn’t one. However, we are grateful that there are still people and companies like Nova Rent-a-Car who have faithfully supported us,” said Vladimir Kraljević, the license holder for Miss Universe Croatia.

To avoid any last-minute stress, Zrinka began packing her suitcase over ten days ago:

“I like to pack in peace, and for such an important trip, I started early, planning outfits for each occasion. I’m bringing day and evening dresses by Bariba, shoes from Baldinini and Humanic, Pletix swimwear, and jewellery from Zlatarna Dodić. I’ve also packed makeup from Aura Cosmetics, Silky haircare products, and top-notch skincare by Dr Vivian Estetics, as my skin will need nourishment and rest from all-day makeup.

I’m bringing a suitcase full of gifts from the Croatian National Tourist Board for the other contestants and hosts. My heartfelt thanks to them for everything,” Zrinka said with a smile.

The national costume presentation is also crucial. Zrinka chose a design by Gorana Nedić, owner of Miau Couture, whose creations she wore at the “Rijeka Steps” event.

“It was love at first sight. We’ve incorporated the colours of our national flag, with red as the base—a personal favourite—and the other colours and the chessboard pattern appearing in the details. I want to feel comfortable and beautiful in the dress, and I hope the hosts will love it too,” said Zrinka.

We wish Zrinka a safe journey and the best of luck at the Miss Universe competition, along with a memorable experience in Mexico.

You can follow all the news on Zrinka’s Miss Universe journey on social media: Facebook: Facebook.com/MissUniverseCroatia, X: @MissUniverseCro, and Instagram: @missuniversecroatiaorg.

The current Miss Universe® is 23-year-old Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua, an advocate for mental health and an audiovisual producer from Managua, Nicaragua.

She has dedicated her year as Miss Universe to mental health awareness, having personally struggled with anxiety. Coming from a country where this issue is seldom discussed, she launched an initiative called “Understand Your Mind,” in which she interviews mental health professionals in television segments.

She has produced events and other audiovisual projects on this topic. Her life goal is to serve humanity, leading content production and advertising projects for international brands.