Miss Puerto Rico National Costume at Miss Universe 2024 Inspired by Childhood Barbie
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 14: Miss Puerto Rico Jennifer Colin participates in the The 73rd Miss Universe Competition - Preliminary Competition at Arena Ciudad de Mexico on November 14, 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
The Miss Universe competition is all about accomplishing dreams, even those beyond winning the Miss Universe title and crown. Miss Universe Puerto Rico’s Jennifer Colón had dreamt about representing Puerto Rico in a traditional Jíbara dress since childhood, and her dream came true in a big way, as her traditional dress was a near replica of the 1996 Puerto Rican Barbie by Mattel.
“It was an ensemble that I had always dreamt about since I was a child,” says Colón, in a Spanish video interview posted on Tik Tok. “I played with the Puerto Rican Barbie and I pretended to be Miss Universe dressed as a Jíbara. For me, it’s a dream come true,” adds Colón.
The traditional Jibara dress that Colón wore in the preliminary round was a voluminous dress with a frilled skirt along a transparent tulle that lit up to showcase silhouettes of Puerto Rican history and traditional objects. The white dress featured ornate detailing, such as pearl straps, a sequined bodice and sleeves, and a pink ribbon stitched along the edges of the traditional Jíbara silhouette.
The dress is a near replica of the collectible Puerto Rican Barbie released by Mattel in 1996, which also featured Barbie in a lacey white Jíbara dress with a pink ribbon stitching, a wide pink belt, and a hibiscus flower in the doll’s hair. The dress was designed by the Boricua designer, Joshua Aponte, who also shared a time lapse of the design.
Users across social media joined in on the excitement and nostalgia of Miss Universe Puerto Rico’s ode to the Puerto Rican Barbie. User’s were sharing their special memories of the revered doll that represents their culture and pride for Puerto Rico.
One user shared their own Puerto Rican Barbie with Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” playing in the background.
Others went on to give a little more background on the culture surrounding this look.
Some were calling her look “a moment.”
