Miss Côte d’Ivoire pageant bans wigs to promote true African beauty.
In its bid to bring authenticity and project true beauty, an African Pageantry, Miss Cote d’Ivoire has banned the use of weaves, wigs, and any other hair extensions in the 2025 edition.
The preselection stages of the competition will ensure contestants showcasing their natural hair which could be long, short, braided, or shaved.
This aims at promoting self-acceptance, confidence and the natural African beauty amongst contestants.
Other adjustments of the pageant include the minimum height requirement which has been adjusted from 1.68 meters to 1.67 meters.
The age limit has also been extended from 25 years to 28 years.
The organizing committee emphasized that the moves were to also preach authenticity, encouraging contestants to showcase their natural hair and embrace their true selves.
This in many ways would reflect a shift towards empowering women to feel confident without relying on artificial enhancements.
The president of the organizing committee, Victor Yapobi, referenced past participants at the Miss Universe pageant that presented themselves with short natural hair.
This new requirement was also influenced by Marlene Kouassi who was crowned Miss Cote d’Ivoire in 2022 with short hair.
