Stella Araneta

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María Stella Márquez de Araneta (born 4 May 1939) (née Márquez Zawadski), often styled as Madame Stella de Araneta, is a Colombian – Filipino pageant Director and beauty queen. She grew up in New York City and moved back to Colombia, where she became a pageant titleholder. As Miss Colombia, she was crowned the first Miss International in 1960. Araneta was the former National Director of the Miss Universe and current Director for Miss International franchises in the Philippines, under the Binibining Pilipinas organization.

She also has served as Chairman of the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Incorporated for sixty (60) years.

Araneta was born in Cali, Colombia to Arturo Eduardo Marquez Acevedo, from Tumaco, and Stella Zawadski Navia, from Valle del Cauca. She moved to the United States in 1954. She is the eldest sibling of two younger sisters. At the time, she was a high school student at Marymount School of New York in Manhattan. Initially, her father, a Senator and Civil Engineer decided to take her out of the school to Colombia on a temporary vacation. As a young student, Araneta classified herself as a Gringa, noting that she was completely unable to relate to the Colombian culture, including its national dance Cumbia. [2] After high school, Araneta enrolled in Marymount College, Tarrytown, New York to continue her major both in Psychology and the French language. In 1957, she gained an honorary prize as a beauty model for Pan American Airlines, though not necessarily a pageant contest. During that time, she was also sent by the nuns from her school as one of the “court princesses” for the 1957 homecoming event in Loyola Marymount University as a gesture of solidarity among affiliated Catholic schools for women.[3]

During her stay in Colombia, Araneta learned the value of social work and became acquainted with the local Roman Catholic Church there to fund charities. The first charity she helped manage was named “Banquet of the Millionaires” by the famed Catholic priest, Father Rafael Garcia Herreros (1909-1992). Araneta was chosen as the representative of her country in 1959 by winning three local titles, Miss Tumaco, Miss Nariño, and Miss Queen of Spain. Her victory under the Department of State of Nariño was notable for not having sent a candidate in twelve years while her travel visa permit to stay in Colombia was limited to two months.

During her national competition, she used the Colombian national costume as a Sibundoy Indian princess, wearing a gold headband and a Ruana shawl as a veil. After winning Miss Colombia in 1959, she was congratulated and photographed with former Colombian President, Alberto Lleras Camargo. [4] [circular reference]

During the Miss Universe 1960 competition, the swimsuit assigned to her during the national competition was a one-piece blue cerulean swimsuit with gold cleavage ornamentation (the other contestants were assigned yellow and pink). Ultimately, she competed and won the title for Señorita Colombia, gaining access to become the national Colombian representative in Miss Universe 1960 as 6th-Runner up, then to Miss International 1960 (Winner Placement), which she won. Cumbia.^[2]

[The historic Lafayette Hotel, where Marquez won the first Miss International title in 1960. Since 1969, it has served as a luxury condominium building. She became Miss Colombia in 1959 and was able to compete in the Miss Universe 1960 pageant held in Miami Beach, Florida placing as 6th – runner-up placement.

Accordingly, Colombia sent her again as a national representative through the financial patronage of Max Factor cosmetics. As part of the promotional entourage group, she was given a tour with Conrad Hilton Sr. at the new renovation of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Hilton Sr. himself, jokingly asked Araneta if she would consider marrying his firstborn son and hotel heir Conrad Hilton Jr. in case he divorces again from Patricia McClintock, which consequently occurred in 1965. [5]

At age 21, she competed in the first Miss International pageant held in Long Beach, California in 1960,[6] becoming the first Miss International, and also the first Latin American titleholder in that line of pageants. [7] During the press presentation at the former Lafayette Hotel, Araneta openly declared that she preferred to wear a figure-tight swimsuit that would showcase the pageant body she worked hard to achieve rather than the loose playsuits sponsored by the pageant organizers. She won the first evening gown competition out of the three rounds (1/3) at the pageant. Her measurements for the swimsuit competition which paved for her victory were recorded 95 – 62 – 95 at exactly 170 centimeters. Ultimately, she won the title and received the following total prizes:  Cashier’s check of US$10,000, sponsored by the Mayor and the Port of Long Beach  An 18-karat yellow gold floral ring valued at US$3,500  A Japanese diamond-encrusted wristwatch valued at US$300  The Miss International pageant trophy, sash and crown After her championship, she was hired as a tourist promoter for a European tour package company, as well as an endorser for the New Year’s Day 1961 Rose Bowl and 72nd Tournament of Roses parade in Pasadena, California. The parade float was titled “Lovely to Look At” and featured Araneta on top of the large 17-foot-tall fountain with surrounding nine basins of spraying water.

During the Cold War in 1961, she became fearful for her safety and decided to ship back to New York City her most precious belongings, the grand piano of her mother, wedding dresses and wedding crown as well as her evening gown at Miss International 1960 along with its original crown and trophy for safekeeping at her sister’s residence.

During the 48th edition of Miss International 2008, Araneta participated as one of the designated panel of judges during the pageant competition held in Macau, China.

[[File:Victor H Hernandez Cali Catedral.jpg|thumb|The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Peter in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Peter in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, where Stella and Jorge Araneta celebrated their wedding in 1962.

She married Jorge León Araneta, a prominent Filipino businessman, at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Peter in Santiago de Cali, [8] Colombia. Their grand wedding reception was held in Hotel Alferez Real, a well-known hotel in the city which was demolished in 1972. When Araneta first arrived in Manila, she was pleased that the country was similar to Hispanic cities and expected a more oriental culture similar to neighboring territories like British Hong Kong and Japan. She toured many parts of the Philippines, then organized by her husband.

On her birthday in May 1964, she was assigned by her father-in-law Jesus Amado Araneta y Sitchon as the organizer of Binibining Pilipinas (English: Miss Philippines), which sends its winners to the Miss Universe and Miss International competitions.

To date, Araneta has produced four Miss Universe titleholders, six Miss International winners, and numerous semi-finalist placements.

Araneta is of Spanish and Polish heritage. She has a fond novelty of collecting premium Emeralds, a gemstone highly valued in her native Colombia. She is also a known traveler, along with her husband.

In 2013, Araneta was inducted to the Eastwood City Walk of Fame in Quezon City, Philippines.

1. ^Jump up to: a b c “Colombia girl is selected Miss International”. Park City Daily News. Associated Press. August 12, 1960. Retrieved 13 October 2010.

2. ^El Tiempo (Colombia) – 24 May 1994 – http://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/ MAM-135127

3. ^Loyola Marymount University – https://digitalcollections.lmu.edu/ Documents/Detail/homecoming-queen-and-princesses-1957-1958/15526

4. ^ Stella Marquez Zawadski.jpg

5. ^Stella Marquez Zawadski at the Beverly Hilton Hotel with Conrad Hilton Sr. – http//www1.srtacolombia.org/m/userfiles/Untitled-1.jpg

6. ^Maria Stella Marquez with Mayor Edwin Wade – http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pvIGw7gNamI/VcPRoGaGGmI/AAAAAAAADKk/eHyXrJNiABM/s1600/1960%2Bmayor.jpg

7. ^ “Another Crown in the Cosmos: Miss International 1960”. Geocities. Archived from the original on 2009-10-21 [unreliable source?]

8. ^La gran boda Catolica de Maria Stella Marquez de Araneta con Señor Jorgê Leon de Araneta – La Catedral Metropolitana de San Pedro Apostol - https://i1.wp.com/www.colarte.com/graficas/Fotografos/ReinadosdeBelleza/1962/Reifzq72.jpg

9. ^ Fernando, Jeff. http://push.abs-cbn.com/2017/3/24/fresh-scoops/stella-marquezaraneta-refuses-to-comment-on-issue--143173 push.abs-cbn.com.

10. ^ “Stella Araneta on Miss U: ‘I’m Colombian but I would choose Philippines’”. Rappler. 1 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.

• Miss International official website - Past titleholders Archived 2016-06-16 at the Wayback Machine

Awards and achievements
First	Miss International 1960	Succeeded by Stanny van Baer
First	Miss Colombia International 1960	Succeeded by Wilma Kohlgruber
Preceded by Olga Pumarejo	Miss Colombia Universe 1960	Succeeded by Patricia Whitman
Preceded by Luz Marina Zuluaga	Miss Colombia 1959	Succeeded by Sonia Heidman