Miss Colombia

Valerie Dominguez Tarud

What are your interests and what do you enjoy doing the most?
I have always been interested in fashion and jewelry design, which is more of an art than people realize, and I enjoy reading about it. I am also constantly reading nutrition/health literature to keep up on the latest trends and discoveries. Beyond that, I enjoy sports and traveling and immersing myself in different cultures. I left home when I was 19 to study in Italy. Being able to fully assimilate into the culture and learn to speak the language fluently was an amazing experience.

Name one person other than your parents who has had the most influence on your life. Why?
My aunt Elizabeth who passed away when I was a teenager. She had her own clothing company and was an important example to me on both the personal and professional levels; she gave me the freedom of knowing that such a path is possible.

What is your career ambition and what are you doing or plan to do to accomplish that goal?
I hope to be a boldly original jewelry and accessories designer, which is why I studied fashion design and then did my Master's in jewelry design. I participated in the Miss Colombia pageant partly because I felt it might also open doors for me professionally in my country.

Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like.
Colombia is a very cheerful country of great contrast with very rich cultural diversity. I grew up in Barranquilla, which is a blasting industrial port city on the northern coast. (It is also the scene of the world-famous Carnival.) I had a very happy childhood, attending the same bi-lingual school from pre-kindergarten through high school and surrounded by family and friends (and a bunch of French poodles). I loved going to my grandfather's farm where I got to ride a donkey.

What makes you unique and different from the other contestants?
I am a 25-year-old college graduate and also have a Master's degree. My professional preparation coupled with my living away from home has given me a kind of calmness, maturity and independence that sets me apart from many.

Miss Colombia's Wallpapers

Miss Colombia's Gallery