Beauty contests have been known since time immemorial - many cities, towns, countries and peoples chose their beauty queen, nominating her as their representative. But what to do to those who at that moment, due to circumstances, were far from their homeland, but wanted to participate in it in any way. This is how Miss Russian Colony appeared.
A little preface about Russian emigration. It began en masse in the 19th century. On the eve of the First World War, 35,016 "subjects of the Russian crown" were officially registered in France, and after the October Revolution, 45,000 Russians lived in Paris alone.
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Russian emigration in Paris is a very special phenomenon. There was a Russian émigré committee, which entered into negotiations with the League of Nations on the situation of Russian refugees living not only in France, but also in other countries. Secondary and higher educational institutions were opened in Paris: the Higher Technical Institute, the Higher Russian School of Social Sciences, Russian branches at the Sorbonne, as well as the Theological Institute, which was established in the year of the opening of the Sergievsky Compound (1925).
And of course, in so many Russians living, it was impossible not to choose your queen, especially against the backdrop of fashionable Parisian beauty contests
The idea of holding a beauty contest among Russian emigres under the auspices of the "Illustrated Russia" magazine arose due to the fact that there were many Russian fashion models and photo models among the "Russian colony". Since 1926, a competition has been held, which was originally called "Miss Russian Colony", and then since 1929 - "Miss Russia".
Thus, for three years in a row - in 1926, 1927 and 1928. - our chosen one was married with the ephemeral crown of the “queen of the Russian colony”. Then, starting in 1929, she began to receive the more democratic, but also more responsible title of "Miss Russia".
Participation, not to mention the victory, in this competition was very honorable. Girls ascended to the skies, entered the most elite corners of the Russian emigration, the most prominent figures, patrons and figures of the Russian emigration took part in the competition.
The girls were evaluated on a 20-point scale, the jury looked at the facial features, head fit, figure, gait, and manners of each girl.
In 1926, Larisa Popova became the first queen of the Russian colony of Paris.
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In 1927, a new queen of the Russian colony of Paris was elected - 19-year-old Kuban Cossack woman Kira Nikolaevna Sklyarova (center). And the future queen of 1928, the model of the fashion house Lanvin, Nina (Nika) Nikolaevna Severskaya (after Duvan's marriage) is the second from the left.
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In 1929, the first title "Miss Russia" was first received by an 18-year-old native of Rostov-on-Don, Valentina Konstantinovna Osterman.
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But later she was caught in forgery - her passport was not Russian, but German, and this was strictly prohibited by the terms of the competition. thus, Osterman lost the title, and her place was taken by 16-year-old Irina Nikolaevna Levitskaya.
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It is noteworthy that this moment only increased the attention to Osterman, she became popular and began acting in films.
The title "Miss Russia 1930" was won by 18-year-old Irina Nikolaevna Wenzel (Wentzel).
Born in Yessentuki, her father was the vice-governor of Kutaisi, after his death she fled with her brother and mother, was recognized as the most beautiful reader of "Illustrated Russia"
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“I was immensely happy about the fact that now she would have to travel around the world and represent Russia - she always dreamed of this,”
- Irina exclaimed.
In 1931, the title "Miss Russia" was received by Marina Fedorovna Shalyapina, daughter of the famous singer Fedor Shalyapin
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In Paris, Marina danced at the studio of Matilda Kshesinskaya, performed at evenings and concerts
Many years later, Marina confessed that participation in this competition was a shame for her - she is not a beauty at all, but a dancer, but not the most beautiful woman in Russia - “Yes, I was a real frightening one” (c). Moreover, she was chosen even before the competition itself, she knew about it, but was forced, at the insistence of her mother, to take part in a competition in which everyone except her did not know that the winner had already been elected.
In 1932, 19-year-old Nina Aleksandrovna Pol won the Miss Russia title.
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In 1933, 19-year-old Tatyana Aleksandrovna Maslova won the Miss Russia competition, becoming the first Russian beauty to win the Miss Europe 1933 international beauty contest.
Maslova is the daughter of an officer of the Black Sea Fleet who was shot during the Civil War in southern Russia
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In 1934, the title "Miss Russia" was won by 18-year-old Ekaterina Semyonovna Antonova
She was born in 1916 in Terijoki near Petrograd, emigrated, worked as a dressmaker.
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Her letter to the editor is interesting:
Dear Mr. Editor! In view of the approaching end of the term for which I was elected Miss Russia 1934, I consider it my duty to address you with this letter. The awarding of the Miss Russia 1934 title to me, in addition to my participation last year in the festivities in France and England associated with the Miss Europe elections, as well as in many large balls in Paris, had purely practical consequences for me, since opened the way for me to become a film artist. Over the past months I have starred as a soloist in a number of films at Paramount's Paris studios. This gives me reason to ask you, dear Mr. Editor, to accept my sincere gratitude for the continued assistance that I have seen from Illustrated Russia and to wish my deputy complete success in her new career. Please accept the assurances of deep respect and sincere devotion.
In 1935, the Miss Russia contest was won by Marianna Borisovna Gorbatovskaya, daughter of the owner of a lingerie atelier in Paris
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In 1936, 18-year-old Ariadna Alekseevna Gedeonova becomes Miss Russia
As a child, she ended up in Egypt, was brought up in a French monastery. She lived in Cairo.
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In 1937, Irina Nikolaevna Ilyina, the daughter of a Russian naval officer, received the title "Miss Russia". In 1921 she was taken by her parents to Tunisia. After 1925 she lived in Paris, worked as a fashion model
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In 1938, 24-year-old Evgenia Dashkevich, a fashion model, won the Miss Russia competition
After the revolution, her family settled in Germany, and in 1929 moved to France.
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The last winner of the Paris Miss Russia contest was in 1939, 17-year-old Irina Borodulina. She was fond of Russian and French literature, dancing and dreamed of becoming an artist.
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