Venezuela, age 18, 5’ 8”; South Africa, age 25, 5’ 11”; Dominican Republic, age 23, 5’ 11”; Kosovo, age 18, 5’ 9”; Czech Republic, age 26, 6’0”; Switzerland, age 19, 5’ 10”; Puerto Rico, age 20, 5’ 10”, USA, age 22, 5’ 7”; and France, age 19, 5’ 11”. With a five-inch and eight-year variance between all the remaining delegates, the task of judging Miss Universe became a lot more difficult.

Always poignant, the personal vignette showcasing the remaining delegates allowed the viewing audience a brief

glimpse of their individual personalities while awaiting the glamorous and eagerly awaited Evening Gown presentation. Serenaded by the synth beat hit “When Love Takes Over” by DJ David Guetta and singer Kelly Rowland, the Evening Gown presentation featured a prism of color and design elements. From bold to demure, heavily beaded to lightly accented, body sculpted to elegantly flowing, the most recognized and most glamorous part of the event offered something for every taste in sheer sophistication and beauty.

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AROUND THE WORLD: (Clockwise from top) Top 10 finalists in swimwear show off the results of their healthy lifestyle; including Stefania Fernandez, Miss Venezuela; the penultimate Miss Universe Top 10 contestants advance to the eveningwear round; Miss Universe 2008 Dayana Mendoza joins hosts Billy Bush and Claudia Jordan.