Beauties from 90 countries descend on Miami for annual Miss Universe

• Nearly 90 contestants from around the world have landed in Miami for contest
• Preliminary competition includes evening gown, swimsuit and the interview rounds and happens on January 21
• Final is held on January 25 - Gabriela Isler of Venezuela took home last year's crown

Published: 11:57 EST, 6 January 2015 | Updated: 02:53 EST, 7 January 2015

In a city famed for its beautiful people, you might think they would blend right in.

But when the world’s most beautiful women descended on Miami on Monday ahead the 2014 Miss Universe pageant, even the most hardened heads in Florida’s party capital were turning to have a look.

Nearly 90 contestants from around the world have landed in the little-known town of Dorel to compete in this year's competition.

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The Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the Miss Universe 2014 crown to be decided on 25 January 2015 in Miami. Here, Miss Universe India 2014, Noyonita Lodh, has her hair done by a stylist backstage

The preliminary competition, which includes evening gown, swimsuit and the interview rounds, will take place on Wednesday 21 January - but that doesn't mean the preparations haven't begun.

Women from dozens of countries - including Albania, El Salvador, Great Britain and Haiti - have been preparing backstage for the biggest week of their lives.

The event's official photographer followed the women, who are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete, and captured the lengthy preparation processes, from getting their haired coiffed to having dresses fitted.

In the photo series, the likes of Miss Hungary 2014, Henrietta Kelemen, can be seen getting her hair done while Miss Universe India 2014, Noyonita Lodh, slips into a dazzling sequin embellished dress.

Following on from the preliminary round, the top 15 women will be chosen and they will go straight into the National Costume round the same night.

The finals will be held at the FIU Arena on Sunday 25 January, when Venezuelan Miss Universe 2013, Gabriela Isler, will hand over her crown.

Josselyn Garciglia, Miss Mexico 2014 (L) Noyonita Lodh, Miss India 2014 (C) and Silvia Prochadzkova, Miss Slovak Republic 2014 pose in swimwear in Miami

Miss Australia 2014 Tegan Martin sits down with Miss Universe Chief Photo Editor Francis L. Szelwach to review her photos after posing in swimwear at the 63rd annual Miss Universe pageant

Miss Hungary 2014, Henrietta Kelemen, gets her hair done at the 63rd annual Miss Universe Pageant in Miami, Florida, ahead of the grand finale

Silvia Prochadzkova, Miss Slovak Republic 2014, gets her hair done while she poses for photographs ahead of the event

Aiday Issayeva, Miss Kazakhstan 2014 poses in her evening gown as she joins pageant contestants who are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the crown

Johana Riva Garabetian, Miss Uruguay 2014, poses in her dazzling pink evening gown

Miss Puerto Rico 2014 Gabriela Berrios poses in her evening gown, left, and Miss Italy 2014 Valentina Bonariva poses with her country flag, right

The contestants, including Niketa Barker, Miss Universe Guyana 2014, left, and Miss Hungary 2014, Henrietta Kelemen, right, get primped and primed by the make-up artists backstage

Henrietta Kelemen tries on her Sherri Hill gown with wardrobe assistant Mark Zappone backstage at the event in Miami

Miss India 2014, Noyonita Lodh, has her hair tousled backstage as she and the other women prepare to go head-to-head in the pageant

Donald J. Trump and Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, recently revealed that Today show host Natalie Morales and MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts will host the 63rd pageant, a three-hour show that airs on NBC.

It has also been rumoured that Filipino boxer, Manny Pacquioa, will be a judge, although he is yet to confirm his place on the panel.

Among the notable contestants is Miss Great Britian, Grace Levy, an events executive from London.

Grace, who studied psychology in Bristol, worked as an event manager of her own annual charity event and starred on popular British dating show, Take Me Out.

Miss Australia, 22-year-old Tegan Martin, hails from Newcastle, the same town as Miss Universe 2004, Jennifer Hawkins.

Tegan, who worked as a model in Paris, came second in Miss Universe Australia twice before she won on her third and final attempt.

Nia Sanchez, Miss USA 2014, left, is interviewed by Director of New Media, Dena Muehlfeld, upon arriving to Trump National Doral Miami

90 of the world's most beautiful women descended on Miami to compete in the annual Miss Universe competition

How do I look? One Miss Universe contestant checks back her photo taken by one of the competition's photographers

Tegan, who is studying for a Bachelor of Nutritional Medicine, has hopes of raising awareness of mental health in youth. She is also part of a youth mentoring program helping schoolgirls struggling with confidence.

Miss USA, 24-year-old Nia Sanchez, is half Hispanic, and has travelled across the world on countless mission trips.

After working as a full-time model for the past seven years, she landed a face character role at Hong Kong Disney World.

The popular contest was established in 1952 as a local 'bathing beauty' competition spearheaded by Catalina Swimwear in Long Beach, California.

Speaking about the pageant, a spokesperson for the event said: 'These women are savvy, goal-oriented and aware. The delegates who become part of the Miss Universe Organization display those characteristics in their everyday lives, both as individuals, who compete with hope of advancing their careers, personal and humanitarian goals, and as women who seek to improve the lives of others.'

This year's event hasn't come without controversy; tensions are rife in the event's city of Doral, who pledged $2.5million from its reserves to support Trump’s beauty pageant, according to the Miami Herald.

Nia Sanchez, Miss USA; and Zuleica Wilson, Miss Universe Angola; try on their Sherri Hill gowns upon arriving to Trump National Doral Miami

Doron Matalon, Miss Universe Israel, relaxes while waiting to pose in Yamamay for Miss Universe swimwear

Zuleica Wilson, Miss Universe Angola, gets makeup done by an OP Makeup Studio Cosmetics artist

After having their hair and make-up perfected, the competitors pose for a series of official Miss Universe photographs

Miss Myanmar Sharr Eaindra poses in her evening gown. She competed in the Miss Universe Myanmar 2014 pageant, which was only the second time in over 50 years the pageant was held for the country

Mary Jean Lastimosa, Miss Philippines, left, and Jimena Espinosa, Miss Peru, right, pose in their evening gowns

Miss Paraguay poses for a scenic snap ahead of the competition kicking off

The contestants, including Miss Brazil and Miss Kosovo, prepare for the swimsuit round

MISS GREAT BRITAIN REVEALS HER 'PATRIOTIC' NATIONAL COSTUME

Grace Levy, Miss Great Britain, recently revealed her national costume on her Facebook page.

Grace Levy, Miss Great Britain, recently revealed heR 'patriotic' national costume on her Facebook page

Alongside the image, she wrote: 'My national costume is the epitome of Great Britain, and mostly London where I live.

'My costume portrays a sense of how I feel about being a modern day woman in my city; passionate, strong and empowered, whilst at the same time giving me the the opportunity to represent something which people immediately know as British.

'It also reflects the protection of the monarchy and how patriotic I feel towards them.

'I spent days exploring my city to find inspiration and I discovered that London is a city which is completely dedicated to them; hence why I finally decided to base my national costume on the Royal Guards of Buckingham Palace.

'My costume was designed by myself and handmade using the same textiles and embellishments from the same factory that make all official regalia for the royal family and their guards.

'This has made my costume that little bit more special. The factory also happens to make the costumes for smash hit British TV series Game of Thrones.

'I can't wait to represent the greatness of Britain on stage in Miami! To the people of GB..... This is for YOU.'

Fashion writer Simon Glazin (theverysimong.com) said: 'This, she says, shows how she feels about the Monarchy. Not a great deal, by the looks of it!

'How she thinks it is OK to parade on stage representing Great Britain, or in her words "the people of GB", in this get up is beyond me. It's sending up completely the wrong message.

'It looks more like a cheap, tacky tribute to Cheryl Cole with a dead animal on her head.

'There is nothing here that will protect the Monarchy. In fact, if I was the Queen, I'd make sure she's ousted from the country immediately.'