The three-day extravaganza that is the 禁漫天堂 national beauty pageant to crown Miss Italia, will be broadcast live on television this coming week-end. Miss Italia will be named on Monday the 10th of September in an evening finale event televised on Rai1.
But who thinks that beauty pageants are only a matter for beautiful girls in Italy is mistaken, as next week, Italy will also crown the nation's most handsome and charming man "Mister Italy" in a competition created by fashion mogul Claudio Marastoni.
In Pescara's Stadio Del Mare on the 14th and 15th of September, 30 male contestants will don sleek black briefs and convince judges that they possess not only the looks, but also the grace, intelligence, and cultured background that befits the Mister Italy title.
Throughout the summer, local competitions in regional capitals up and down the peninsula have whittled the initial 120 contestants down to 30 finalists, representing every corner of Italy.
To be eligible for the competition, contestants must be between 17- and 32-years-old, at least 1.76-metres tall, and photogenic. All the finalists also sport shining bronze tans, smooth chests, and chiselled stomach muscles, though these attributes aren't specifically stated as criteria.
According to Marastoni, the competition can launch talented contestants into careers in fashion, publicity, film, and television.
