CATRIONA GRAY : Journey after crown .

In brief .

To be crowned Miss Universe is to be crowned the most beautiful woman in the world.

For some, it is a lifelong dream.

For others, it is an opportunity that comes along by happenstance.

For Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, it was a means of acquiring a platform that would bolster backing for her charitable causes.

Not the typical pageant candidate , she had no affiliations with any beauty camp, and was often told she was neither Filipina enough nor fierce enough , Gray sought to break the mould the world insisted she fit best in .

All eyes were on her when she stepped out in the resplendent Adarna gown done in collaboration with designer Mak Tumang, wowing audiences with her much lauded lava walk.

But the striking figure she cuts is only part of who she is, for it is her heart that makes her truly deserving of the crown.

Gray is a woman of purpose; she puts effort into building better futures for children in impoverished areas, helps raise awareness for HIV, and lends her voice in support of social justice and equality for all.