Miss Lithuania: history, winners and how the pageant works

For almost three decades Miss Lithuania was one of the most watched entertainment shows in the country. Finals were broadcast live, contestants went on to become TV hosts, actresses and entrepreneurs, and the winner travelled to the biggest international pageants. The contest was also criticised: for the swimsuit round, for narrow beauty standards and for how little a crown sometimes changed in a young woman's career.

This guide collects what is known about the pageant's history, its winners, the route to Miss World and Miss Universe, why it stopped, and what a young woman who dreams of the stage or the runway can do today. We checked facts against news archives and official sources. Where something could not be verified, we say so.

What is Miss Lithuania

Miss Lithuania is the national pageant that chose the country's beauty queen. It was open to young unmarried women, and the winner earned both the right and the duty to represent Lithuania abroad. Almost every national pageant works this way: an international organisation such as Miss World or Miss Universe grants a licence to a local organiser, who then runs castings and a national final.

A typical final had several parts: introductions, sometimes a national costume segment, swimsuit and evening gown rounds, and questions from the judges. Besides the main crown there were extra titles such as Miss Photo, Miss Elegance or Miss Audience, chosen by viewers.

History: from "Beautiful Vilnius Girl" to the long break

Lithuania's first beauty contest took place in Vilnius in 1988 under the name "Gražioji vilnietė-88". It was won by Ingrida Mikelionytė, and the contest was later renamed Miss Lithuania. Most sources date Miss Lithuania itself from 1989, the first year it ran under that name.

The pageant did not happen every year, and after the 2014 final the break became permanent. In December 2015 the pageant's chairman, businessman Benas Gudelis, told 15min that there would be no casting that year and therefore no Lithuanian delegate at Miss World or Miss Universe. He blamed the sale of the Miss Universe rights and the legal processes around it, and promised a one-year pause. The pageant never returned: in spring 2025 former winners said in interviews that Lithuania no longer crowns a national beauty queen.

The reality show years

At the height of its popularity the pageant was more than one evening. In 2009 Lietuvos rytas TV aired the reality show "Iššūkis – Mis Lietuva" (Challenge: Miss Lithuania). Twenty contestants spent months on tasks: presenting the weather forecast, learning etiquette and public speaking, raising money for children in care homes and even crawling through mud at an army training ground. The show ended with the national final, and viewers voted online for Miss Audience.

Miss Lithuania winners

The list below follows the pageant's official history (archived mislietuva.lt) and news reports. Years where sources disagree are left out.

Life after the crown

For many winners the title opened doors to television and the beauty business. Miss Lithuania 2013 Rūta Elžbieta Mazurevičiūtė took part in TV dance and singing shows, acted in a series and hosted programmes before retraining as a cosmetologist and founding a skincare company. Miss Lithuania 2010 Gritė Maruškevičiūtė worked with a French make-up brand and later built her own business teaching make-up. Both say the same thing: a crown gets you noticed, but you still have to build a profession yourself.

The route to Miss World and Miss Universe

According to the chairman's explanation in 2015, the Miss Lithuania winner was obliged to compete at Miss World, while the first runner-up went to Miss Universe. Lithuania sent delegates to Miss World from 1993 and to Miss Universe from 2012. Using both licences this way also solved age problems: if the winner did not meet one pageant's age rule, another finalist could go.

Lithuanian delegates never placed high at the two biggest pageants. At Miss World 2014 in London, Agnė Kavaliauskaitė did not reach the quarter-finals, and at Miss Universe 2014 in Miami Patricija Belousova was not among the 15 semi-finalists out of 88 contestants. The best result by a contestant with a Lithuanian surname belongs to Venezuela's Ly Jonaitis, second runner-up at Miss Universe 2007.

The current entry rules for the big international pageants are covered in our guide to Miss Universe requirements.

Does Miss Lithuania still exist?

No. The national final last took place in 2014 and was not held in 2015 or since. That does not mean Lithuanians no longer compete abroad. In 2023, for example, Irmina Preišegalavičiūtė represented Lithuania at Miss International, and smaller regional contests such as Miss Aukštaitija sometimes give their winner the right to represent the country at a pageant abroad.

Licences for the big pageants (Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth, Miss International) are granted country by country and change hands often. There is no reliable, publicly confirmed list of who holds each licence in Lithuania today, so before you register, ask the organiser to show a current licence or letter from the international organisation.

How to enter a beauty pageant from Lithuania

While there is no national Miss Lithuania, the path to the stage usually starts with a regional pageant or with a casting run by an international pageant's national director. The steps are similar everywhere:

1. Find out who runs it. Look for an official website, proof of licence, last year's results and real contacts.
2. Read the rules. Age, citizenship or residence, marital status, height rules (if any), fees and your duties if you win.
3. Prepare photos. Usually a headshot and a full-length shot without filters, the same principles as a model composite card: natural light, face and figure clearly visible.
4. Apply and attend the casting. Castings often look at posture, walk, speaking and motivation.
5. Rehearse. Finals take weeks of preparation: choreography, walking in heels, answering questions, choosing gowns.

A pageant walk is close to a runway walk, only slower and with more stops in front of the judges. Our guides on how to walk like a model and how to walk in heels will help, and the types of dresses guide explains gown silhouettes.

Requirements for contestants

Each pageant sets its own rules, and international pageants add theirs on top. Miss Lithuania was historically a contest for unmarried young women. International rules now differ: since 2023 Miss Universe accepts married women and mothers, and since 2024 it has no upper age limit (the minimum is 18). Other pageants are stricter. Common requirements:

• being an adult (at least 18 at the big international finals);
• citizenship or legal residence in the country;
• a clean public image, sometimes no nude photos online;
• a signed contract covering duties during the reign (events, charity, travel, image rights).

The major pageants are not for minors. For teenagers interested in fashion, a reputable modelling agency that only works with minors with parental consent is the safer route.

Pageant or modelling agency?

Many young women assume a pageant is the first step into modelling. That is rarely true: they are two worlds with different goals. We cover this in detail in pageant vs modeling; here is the short version.

The two can complement each other: stage experience helps at castings, and modelling teaches posture and posing. If your goal is modelling work, start by choosing a reputable agency and preparing for model castings. Supermodels, the leading agency in Lithuania, is always looking for new faces: women aged 14 to 22 and men aged 16 to 25 can apply through the Supermodels open call. The agency does not run beauty pageants and is not connected to them.

Criticism and change

Pageants around the world are changing. Some have dropped the swimsuit round, many put more weight on charity work, education and each contestant's cause, and rules on age and marital status are loosening. Critics point out that pageants still judge appearance by narrow standards and can create pressure around the body. Before entering, be honest about what you want: stage experience, visibility, travel or a career. We write about wider shifts in beauty standards in body diversity in fashion and modelling.

What to avoid

• Paying for a "guaranteed" placement or title. An honest pageant guarantees nothing.
• Competing without a contract. Before the final you should know your duties and who owns your photos.
• Crash diets before the stage. Judges see a tired contestant, and your health pays the price.
• Expecting a crown to replace a profession. Former winners say themselves that the title is a start, not a job.
• Confusing a pageant with an agency. If you want to model, look for an agency that signs a contract and only takes commission from your jobs.

FAQ

When was the first Miss Lithuania?

Lithuania's first beauty contest, "Gražioji vilnietė-88", took place in Vilnius in 1988 and later became Miss Lithuania. The pageant has run under the Miss Lithuania name since 1989.

Is there a Miss Lithuania in 2025 or 2026?

No. The last final was in 2014, the 2015 edition was cancelled and the pageant has not returned. Lithuanians reach international pageants through separate organisers.

Who was the last Miss Lithuania?

Agnė Kavaliauskaitė from Klaipėda, crowned in 2014. She competed at Miss World 2014 in London, while first runner-up Patricija Belousova went to Miss Universe.

How can a Lithuanian enter Miss Universe or Miss World?

Only through the national director who holds that pageant's licence for Lithuania. Ask for proof of the licence, read the rules and take part in the casting. See our guide to Miss Universe requirements.

Does winning a pageant help you become a model?

Rarely directly. Pageants teach stage presence and speaking, but modelling work comes through an agency that looks at proportions, how you photograph and how reliable you are.

Does Supermodels run beauty pageants?

No. Supermodels is a modelling agency that finds new faces through its application form and castings. It does not run pageants and is not connected to them.