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Miss St Lucia World Aiasha Gustave will compete in China come October. (Photo by Rick Wayne)
Aiasha Tierra Rebecca Gustave is not an unfamiliar face. Particularly if you’re an avid reader of the SHE Caribbean magazine. In that case you’d have likely seen her gracing the pages of the magazine in fashion by some of the most highly regarded designers in the region. Aiasha Gustave first started modeling for SHE at the age of 14. Since then she’s been on photo shoots with the likes of models such as Barbadian Leah Marville, Jamaican Sedene Blake and Crystal Cunningham, to name a few. The 17-year-old graduate of the International School of St Lucia recently appeared in the St Lucian segment of Centric TV’s Splash travel as an upcoming model/singer. It was only a matter of time before Aiasha made an even bigger splash.
Sunday, July 25th found the past student of the International School, St Lucia onstage at the Miss St Lucia World pageant rendering Beyonce’s, ‘Why Don’t You Love Me,’ during the talent segment, after a short, cleverly delivered skit accompanied by some serious eye candy. Gustave, sponsored by Jalousie, had the audience captivated from start to finish with her striking beauty, confidence and natural persona onstage. Her talent was along the theme of one line, “If you don’t love and respect yourself first, how can you expect anyone else to?”
Aiasha was the youngest contestant for the night, and the girl most in the audience felt would steal the crown. At the end of the night, the judges for the show, held at the Indies Night Club agreed wholeheartedly. She would do St Lucia proud.
“When they called my name my heart dropped,” Aiasha told the STAR. It was such a moment. When they called the first runner up Tahnee Hippolyte my heart was racing. This was my first pageant. I went into the competition to get a feel of the stage and to see how well I’d do. I thought all the girls were talented, it was a tough competition. I didn’t really expect to win. I also won the prizes for Miss Congeniality and Best Interview.”
When asked how she felt about representing St Lucia at the Miss World Pageant in China come October 30, Aiasha was lost for words. Win or lose she felt the experience would mean more than anything in the world. Initially, Aiasha said one of the reasons she’d decided to compete was because she believed the experience could open many windows of opportunity in the future. Aiasha felt St Lucia was unrepresented in a meaningful way on the international market, and that was the reason she wanted to be Miss St Lucia World. With the title, she hoped to be an ambassador, “sharing the rich culture, livelihood and beautiful, humble people of the island” to others worldwide. And what a beautiful ambassador she is! Move over Defoe!
“I will do my best to represent all the positive aspects of St Lucia and I would be more than honoured to share with the world my amazingly beautiful home.”
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congrats…….i think you will make stlucia proud…………….good luck
First off let me congratulate the young lady. I am sure she did well on the night and will do her best to make St. Lucia proud.
That said, I feel that we continuously send girls to represent us on the international stage and according to my knowledge with the exception of Cathy Daniel who made it to the top 14 (semi final round) of the Miss Earth Pageant that was held in Philippines, our girls do not get past the preliminary round in these pageants. Why is it that countries like USA, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Trinidad to name a few always make it to final round and St. Lucian girls have not. I would like to urge the local organisers of this international pageant to first off choose our representative a good 10 months or so in advance to the Miss World/ Universe pageant. How well are those girls prepared before heading out there - exercising to get that perfectly toned body, nutrition, education, participation in humanitarian and community projects, etiquette. Is it being ensured that they prepared in so much that they stand out and are able to woo the crowd and judges on the int’l stage. Just a few points to consider.
she is stunning..good luck
You are as Beautiful and Splendorous as you Island country…You are definitely going to make St.Lucia and St.Lucians proud! I totally agree with you that St.Lucia unrepresented on the world stage and WE BELIEVE action needs to be taken…..In China you will be as STUNNING of a BEAUTY as the world’s famous PITONS!!!!! Good Luck!
You will make us proud….All the Best..
I say that she will make us proud! Beauty is but one aspect of this globally popular contest, however, it is not the only factor. Talent, Charisma,Confidence and importantly - Intelligence, are all attributes that are under scrutiny during this contest. Venezuela has an Academy dedicated to producing their winners. We and most countries do not, I believe Aiasha, with her years of ballet training, eloquence, A+ grade averages and passion for perfection in all she does, has the same chance of placing as the “usual” favourites. Let’s hope the SPONSORS come forward to cover the expenses! Good luck Aiasha with Miss World and your upcoming single!
Aiasha you really are beautiful. As you know real beauty comes from the inside and is personified externally. You have the confidence,the brains, the talent to be the best embassador for St. Lucia. If anyone can succeed it will be you. Just enjoy the trip, appreciate the experience and be the best that you can be. We, in St. Lucia will all be cheering you on. Go for it girl. You have the total package.
Where are all the natural beautiful dark skinned African pricesses that live in St Lucia? Don’t they get a chance to compete,or our judges favour the women who look European and think they are the only ones with a chance to win?
Well Done Aiasha. From a beautiful little girl I knew, you have grown into a beautiful woman. St.Lucia can be proud of you with the excellent guidance from Mum (Angie).
I wish you good luck, health, happiness and to look upon this as one of your adventures of a lifetime.
Boy that chick looks good - don’t see why you shouldn’t win
You go Girl!!!!!!!!! you are beautiful and intelegent. Rep St. Lucia on the international Stage with Pride.
IT HAS A LONG TIME COMING……….SUCCESS IS 90 % PREPARATION AND SO YOU ARE ALREADY ON YOUR WAY TO SUCCEED
I couldn’t agree with Bazzil more!!!.If she is so beautiful I would love to see her compete in beauty pageants across America or Eastern Europe so there can be 100’s of other girls who look like her. Call it hating but we need to start sending candidates who at least look like a true Caribbean woman.I have yet to see Trinidad or Barbados win a Miss Universe competition with a European look alike. Who the hell make these annual selections. This young lady is no different from our last representative Sasha. Rather than picking our friends to represent St. Lucia how about we coach our models and have a proper selection process because there are many beautiful girls in the south of the island who are not appreciated!!. Stop with the propaganda because in St. Lucia Ms. Gustave is extraordinary and unique but to the world she is nothing more than average. Time to let our pure natural African women who can represent St.Lucia achieve a fair and balance opportunity to become a shining star!!
Don,
You said “I have yet to see Trinidad or Barbados win a Miss Universe competition with a European look alike.” I agree - particularly in more recent pageant history.
I did not see the show, but am assuming the best girl won, and the last thing I would recommend is to be pigment-ist. I’m just thinking strategically.
Looks-wise, most, if not all the contestants are stunningly pretty, so good looks just mean that you are in the game, not that you have an advantage.
What you need is to stand out, and a wily tactician would realise that in a sea of pale princesses, the darker-hued empresses would immediately draw attention - just because of the imbalance in numbers. If that dark-skinned girl had unusual features that weren’t like those of the classic beauty queen (think Agbani Darego, Wendy Fitzwilliam) she would command all eyes.
All a girl with that look would need is to be articulate, intelligent and possessed of an arresting, engaging, winning personality, so that she would be able to trap that attention once she got it. An added plus would be an interesting back-story or life experience. These last qualities are what sets the gems aside from the run of the mill beauty queens.
does skin colour really matter?i am sure the young lady deserves a chance just like any dark skin young lady.she is st.lucian and if she can win it why not?you cannot fault her colour ,i wish her good luck .
plus she is drop dead beautiful…look like angelina jolie …….good luck
Skin color doesn’t matter however coming from the Caribbean it does. On our flag the black represents the 90% African heritage and White white represents the 10% of European influence. We all know that these selection processes are flawed because our last 3 representatives have all been from the North!!….Because in St .Lucia we have this mentality that once you white you either rich or beautiful!! and that’s a load of CRAP!!.In St. Lucia she is gorgeous but to the world she is another average contestant!!. Its time we reform the selection process and recruit beautiful females from all over the island and who can represent us culturally!!
In any event Aiasha Gustave is mixed-mulatto, her mother is white and her father black. So at the end of the day SHOULD race really matter. St. Lucian audience is very HARD to please and as the article says the audience felt hands down the crown belonged to her. It is obvious she has talent, and grace and beauty to possess such a title. Well deserved and congratulations!.
P.S. There is always some form of negativity when someone succeeds in life. ALWAYS!