Vietnamese bread, known locally as Banh Mi, worn by H’Hen Nie at Miss Universe 2018 is named among the ten most unexpected national costumes in the pageant’s history.

According to Spot.ph based in Manila, the Philippines, the national costume segment is widely considered to be the most anticipated part of the Miss Universe pageant. Most notably, it is usually the segment which receives the most attention as women from all over the world represent their countries by taking to the stage in the most elaborate of ensembles.

The website has recently listed the 10 most unexpected national costumes worn by Miss Universe candidates throughout the past decade, with the bread outfit worn by Vietnamese representative H’Hen Nie in the 2018 contest making the list.

“Vietnam's candidates sure know how to steal the show. In 2021, their candidate "hatched" on stage in an elaborate white outfit that resembled an egg; in 2019, their candidate wore a huge version of their instantly recognisable coffee filter as a headpiece, but before all that, H'Hen Nie slayed the stage in a banh mi dress,” as described by the website. 

The Vietnamese outfit finished among the Top 12 of the best national costumes featured in Miss Universe 2018, marking the nation’s highest achievement in the segment to date.

H’Hen Nie, Miss Universe Vietnam 2017, represented the country in the world beauty contest and secured a Top 5 finish, the best result ever achieved by a Vietnamese contestant in the Miss Universe pageant.

Also among the list selected by the website are the national costumes worn by Miss Bahamas Shauntae Miller in 2020, Miss Malaysia Shweta Sekhon in 2019, Miss Laos On-anong Homsombath in 2018, Miss Singapore Zahra Khanum in 2018, and Miss Puerto Rico Kiara Ortega in 2018.

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