Deise Nunes | |
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![]() Nunes in 1994 | |
Born | Porto Alegre, Brazil | March 30, 1968
Occupation | model |
Children | 2 |
Awards | Miss Brazil 1986 |
Deise Nunes de Souza (born 30 March 1968) is a Brazilian model of African descent. [1] She was the first woman of African descent to be named Miss Brazil. [2]
Nunes was born in Porto Alegre and was educated at Santa Inés College. [3] Her ethnicity is pardo . [4] [5]
In 1977, Nunes was elected Miss Congeniality of her school and in 1984 she became a professional model. [3] She participated in many beauty contests, [2] such as being crowned the Queen of the Rio Grande do Sul Swimming Pools in 1984. [6]
In 1986, in São Paulo, she was the first woman of African descent to be named Miss Brazil. [7] [8] Some members of the Brazilian public caused an outcry at her Miss Brazil win, [5] while Nunes announced that she intended to use her throne to raise awareness about racial prejudice in Brazil. [9] [10] She received the key to the city of Porto Alegre. [6]
After winning Miss Brazil, Nunes participated in the Miss South America contest in Venezuela. She came third place and won the award for best traditional costume. [6] She then placed sixth in the international Miss Universe competition held in Panama City, Panama, in July 1986. [3]
After her beauty pageant career, Nunes established the Deise Nunes Modelling School in Porto Alegre, which prepares models for the fashion industry. Marthina Brandt (Miss Brazil 2015) was one of her students. [6] She has also made appearances on Brazilian television, such as in one of the episodes of the series Tarcísio e Gloria and as a guest judge on Cassino do Chacrinha, both on Rede Globo. [11]
She dated the Spanish singer Julio Iglesias [3] and the Brazilian footballer Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé) in 1986. [12] She later married businessman Lair Ferst and they had 2 children. [3]