Armi Kuusela

Armi Helena Kuusela is the first ever titleholder of the Miss Universe pageant. She is a Finnish American charity worker, model and beauty queen. In 1952, she won the Finnish national beauty contest Suomen Neito (Maiden of Finland), which qualified her to compete in the first Miss Universe pageant, which she eventually became titleholder of. At the time of her Miss Universe crowning, Armi was only 17 years old. Among Kuuselas many prizes, she received a new car and a long-term movie contract with Universal Studios. As titleholder of both Miss Universe and the Maiden of Finland, she became a Goodwill Ambassador for both corporations.