196. Miss Universe 1952: Finland's ARMI KUUSELA, Celebrity Endorser

ARMI KUUSELA, as photographed for a Camay ad, "the soap of beautiful women"

As the Miss Universe 2018 contest heads for its climax this Dec. 17, we look back at the extraordinary life and times of the first Miss Universe crowned 66 years ago in 1952—Armi Helena Kuusela of Muhos, Finland.

Born to parents Arrne Kuusela and Martha Elisabeth Kyro on 20 Aug. 1934, Armi grew up in a household of 5 girls (a sister died young) and a boy. She attended local schools and was into gymnastics; she had planned on going to the University of Helsinki Gymnastics Institute.

But fate intervened when, at 17, she won the title of Miss Finland in May 1952---and the right to represent her country to the first ever Miss Universe Pageant in Long, Beach, California. 

From a field of 30 world beauties, the 5’5”, 108 pound teen had the distinction of being crowned as the first Miss Universe on 28 June 1952, turning her into an instant international celebrity. She was feted back home in Finland with a biographical movie entitled Maailman kaunein tyttö (“The World's Most Beautiful Girl”) where she played herself.

The tour package that came along with her prizes included a trip to the Philippines in February 1953, where she would meet young businessman Virgilio Hilario in Baguio. They would fall madly in love and after saying “yes” to Gil’s proposal, Armi decided not to continue with her reign to marry him in Tokyo, on 4 May 1953.

WATCH ARMI KUUSELA OF FINLAND'S

CROWNING MOMENT HERE:

After a short honeymoon in the U.S. , Hawaii and Europe, the Hilarios settled in Manila where Armi was besieged with showbiz offers, interviews, invitations to countless socials, and lucrative endorsement deals.

WATCH ARMI KUUSELA IN "NOW & FOREVER" HERE:

The first thing that the Hilarios accepted to do was a movie offer that resulted in the film based on their love story, ”Now and Forever”, produced by Deegar Cinema, directed by Rolando del Mar. The movie quickly introduced her to and adoring nation who took to Armi's beauty and charm, claiming her their own.

ARMI KUUSELA AS CAMAY GIRL, 1953

Armi was also signed up to endorse many prestigious products that included  CAMAY Beauty Soap, “the soap of beautiful women”. She was the only foreign beauty who appeared alongside early Camay girls like Gloria Romero, Rosita Noble, Charito Solis, Norma Blancaflor and Nida Blanca.

ARMI KUUSELA HILARIO IN A COKE AD, 1953,Credit: Jeune Brave

Aside from CAMAY, she did advertisements for COCA-COLA, and the launch of her ad was timed with the release of her movie in 1953 and the 16th anniversary of Coke in the Philippines.

ARMI & CHILD, IN A DARIGOLD MILK PRINT AD, 1958

The Finnish beauty also had a long-running campaign for DARIGOLD MILK. By this time, her children had started coming along,  so she was the perfect brand endorser for this wholesome milk brand. The Hilarios would have five children: Arne, Anna-Lisa, Jose/Jussi, Eva-Maria and Miguel/Mikko. The children were featured in the DARIGOLD ads. The last advertisement where Armi and her children were featured was for a SCOTT’S EMULSION Cold Liver Oil print ad, in the early 1970s.

ARMI KUUSELA-WILLIAMS today,
by Tomi Hinkkanen

Sadly husband Virgilio died of  heart attack on 7 Sep. 1975. Armi carried on, buoyed by the love of her children. In 1978, she met American diplomat Albert Williams, who was posted in Spain at that time.

The two fell in love, and Armi moved to Barcelona to start a new life with him. From Spain, Williams was assigned to exotic Turkey, until he retired with wife Armi in an exclusive enclave in La Jolla, California.

Armi settled into a simple, quiet life of a retired socialite, and kept busy with her charity works and philanthropies. In 2012, Armi Kuusela was awarded by a grateful nation with the Order of the White Rose of Finland, with the rank of Knight.

Armi Kuusela may have left th Philippines, but for many Filipinos who grew up in the 1950s, she would always be regarded as an adopted daughter of the country, worthy of also being called as a Philippine Miss Universe.

SOURCES:
NOW & FOREVER movie:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vgWQC9Tqaw
Published 21 Jan. 2013, by Miguel Hilario.

ARMI KUUSELA'S CRWONING MOMENT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wKAyGqgV-I
Published 1 Mar. 2012, by Portal Miss

PHOTO OF ARMI KUUSELA TODAY: http://finntimes.com/?p=265, Credits to : Tomi Hinkkanen