She also took to the runway in a peace dove-inspired gown by Nguyen Phuc Tuan, crafted from Bao Loc silk and infused with a distinctly Vietnamese spirit.

The Top Model competition of Miss World 2026 took place on the evening of August 27 as part of the 17th Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest, naming the four strongest regional representatives. Miss World Dominican Republic won for the Americas and Caribbean, Miss World France for Europe and Miss World Nigeria for Africa, while Le Nguyen Bao Ngoc claimed the victory for Asia.

Under the competition rules, all four regional winners automatically advance to the top 40. The strongest performer among the four will earn a direct place in the top 20, to be announced during the grand final.

On the same night, organizers presented four World Designer awards to designers whose creations received the highest evaluations in each region. Miss World China PR won for Asia and Oceania, Miss World France for Europe and Miss World Mauritius for Africa. In the Americas and Caribbean, Miss World Canada took the regional title wearing a creation by Vietnamese designer Thuong Gia Ky.

For the competition, Bao Ngoc chose a gown by designer Nguyen Phuc Tuan inspired by the dove, a universal symbol of peace. Made entirely from Bao Loc silk, the design featured a minimalist sheer halter-style bodice embellished with raised motifs of bird wings and flowering branches, paired with a strip of silk draped diagonally across the shoulder. Its voluminous, multilayered skirt transitioned gently from powder pink to beige.

Nguyen Phuc Tuan said this was the second time he had accompanied Bao Ngoc on an international stage, following the ocean-blue gown that sparked debate three years ago. This time, he wanted to tell a gentler story about peace through the language of fashion, weaving the beauty of nature into every strand of silk alongside images of Vietnamese women and a love for the homeland.

The Top Model victory marks an important milestone in Bao Ngoc’s Miss World 2026 journey. Earlier, in the Head-to-Head Challenge, the Vietnamese representative reached only the Asia-Pacific top 20 and did not secure a direct ticket to the overall top 40.

With her August 27 victory, Bao Ngoc - Miss Intercontinental 2022 and standing 1.85 meters tall - has officially secured her first place in the competition’s top 40. She also has a chance to advance further if she surpasses the other three regional winners to become the season’s overall Top Model.

Miss World 2026 marks the first time the international beauty pageant has been held in Vietnam, bringing together more than 130 contestants from around the world, including representatives from five countries making their debut.

The grand final will take place on September 5 in Khanh Hoa, where the new Miss World will be crowned by reigning Miss World 2025 Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand.

Huy Minh