Alternative Miss World

Join us live from London at Shakespeare’s iconic Globe Theatre for the 50^th Anniversary of Alternative Miss World, renowned sculptor Andrew Logan’s celebration of transformation, creativity and beauty that goes beyond gender, age, race and sexuality. Since its humble beginnings in Logan’s London studio in 1972, and first inspired by the British dog show Crufts, the celebration has become an internationally renowned beacon of glittering light, colour and joy, attracting artists, performers, and misfits of all kinds. 

The event has gained celebrity status, with notable judges, co-hosts and contestants such as Divine, Leigh Bowery, David Hockney, Zandra Rhodes, Jarvis Cocker, Derek Jarman, Grayson Perry, Brian Eno and the stars of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

At its heart, as the host and hostess, Andrew Logan embodies the role of high priest of colour and joy. He shepherds his flock of colourful creatives and ingenious innovators, all gathered together in the church of artistic celebration that is Alternative Miss World. Over the years, designers such as Zandra Rhodes, Rae Spencer Cullen, Bill Gibb, and Lawrence Corner Stones have helped dream-up and create the iconic outfits worn by Andrew. The male and female sides are split down the middle in each, symbolizing the ideas central to the Alternative Miss World.

There are three categories for the contestants to create looks for — daywear, swimwear and evening wear. Some choose to adorn themselves with high-fashion garments, others change their silhouettes completely to become more than human — and some choose not to wear anything at all! Each performer brings something truly unique to the stage. 

Logan has described the show as his ​“most important artwork”, which perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the event. Performance art, pageantry, and sculpture all come crashing together for one night only, in a spectacle that must be seen to be believed.

Andrew Logan is a scene-maker whose work spans the fields of sculpture, theater, pageants, jewelry, and interior design. Logan crosses cultures and embodies artistic fantasy in a unique and unprecedented way, and his work is the art of popular poetry and metropolitan glamour. From his early fame amongst London’s fashionable crowd, he has become an influential artist of international stature. The Andrew Logan Museum of Sculpture in Wales is the only European museum dedicated to a living artist.

In partnership with Alternative Miss World.

Series presenting partners: Detroit Public Television and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Radio.