Bagym Baltabayeva, the winner of the "Miss Kazakhstan-2024" title, will depart on August 7 to represent Kazakhstan at the "Miss World-2026" pageant. Ahead of her departure, a press conference was held in Almaty where she discussed her preparations and the concept of her national costume, reports infohub.kz.
According to Baltabayeva, this year Kazakhstan decided to move away from the traditional image of the warrior queen Tomiris. Instead, the national costume is inspired by a swan. However, the outfit was not revealed to journalists.
"Usually, Kazakh women are portrayed as strong and warlike. I wanted to show another side—beauty, tenderness, wisdom, and inner harmony. That's why the swan became the main symbol," she said.
The model noted that the swan symbolizes purity, fidelity, and spiritual strength, and is also associated with the Caspian Sea and Kazakhstan's natural heritage.
Despite guests' expectations, the national costume was not presented at the press conference. Organizers explained that this is due to the rules of the "Miss World" competition. The outfit must remain a secret until the contestant officially appears on the international stage.
"We really wanted to show the costume, but unfortunately, the competition's requirements do not allow it. So, for the first time, audiences will see it during 'Miss World'," organizers said.
However, a small detail of the costume was revealed. The designer working on Baltabayeva's outfit posted a fragment on Instagram. The footage shows a white and blue palette, voluminous decorative elements resembling wings and feathers, crystal embroidery, and a headpiece with a tall white feather.
Baltabayeva also shared that she is most looking forward to the presentation of her charity project, on which she has been working for about a year and a half.
"For me, this is the most inspiring stage. I have put a lot of effort and time into this project, so I especially look forward to presenting it," said the Kazakh representative.
In addition to defending her social project, contestants will face sports competitions, a talent show, photo sessions, interviews with the jury, and cultural immersion. This year, the 75th anniversary "Miss World" will be held in Vietnam and will gather about 130 participants from around the world.
Baltabayeva is originally from Ust-Kamenogorsk. She graduated from Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University with a degree in primary education and is a prize-winner of scientific olympiads in pedagogy, as well as a recipient of awards from the university rector and the akim of the East Kazakhstan region.
The final of "Miss World-2026" will take place in September.