Anya Ayoung-Chee
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
Anya at the Miss Universe 2008 Pageant
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| Born |
Anya Ayoung-Chee October 17, 1981 New York, United States |
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| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Hair color | Black |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Title(s) | Miss Trinidad & Tobago Universe 2008 |
| Major competition(s) |
Miss Trinidad & Tobago Universe 2008 (winner) Miss Universe 2008 Project Runway season 9 |
Anya Ayoung-Chee (born October 17, 1981) is a Trinidadian fashion designer, model and television host. She was Miss Trinidad & Tobago Universe 2008 and was a contestant in the Miss Universe 2008 pageant. She was the winner of Project Runway's ninth season in 2011. She founded the fashion lines Anya de Rouge and Pilar and the online fashion retailer cANYAval.
Anya Ayoung-Chee was born to Trinidadian parents in New York City but moved to Trinidad at the age of two; she therefore holds dual Trinidadian and American citizenship. She is the only daughter in a family of eight. From an early age she pursued classical ballet training. During her attendance at an all-girls secondary school, St. Joseph's Convent (Port of Spain), that she became passionate about art and design. She continued her education in London and New York, studying graphic and interior design at Parsons School of Design and Central St Martins School of Art and Design. She remained in New York until 2007, when her brother, Pilar died. She then returned home to Trinidad.
Following her return to Trinidad, Ayoung-Chee entered the 2007 Miss Universe competition and won the title of Miss Trinidad & Tobago. She is the second title Miss Trinidad & Tobago in the franchise's 44-year history to be of Chinese descent. When asked, "Is your Asian heritage an issue since you represent a country with an overwhelming African and Indian heritage?" Ayoung-Chee replied, "Trinidad & Tobago is unique in its ethnic make-up because it is a country with people of all races. I am of mixed origin, mainly Chinese, Indian and Caucasian, and although my particular mixture is a minority, I represent the unusual combination of ethnicities that defines us as a people."
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