Maëva Coucke

Maëva Coucke (born 28 June 1994) is a French model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss France 2018. She represented France at Miss World 2018, where she placed in the top twelve, and also represented France at Miss Universe 2019, where she placed in the top ten. Coucke is the third Miss France winner from Nord-Pas-de-Calais within the span of four years, following Iris Mittenaere (2016) and Camille Cerf (2015).

Maëva Coucke
Coucke at the 2018 Tour Auto Optic 2000 in Paris
Born	(1994-06-28) 28 June 1994 Fougères, France
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 ^1⁄2 in)
Title	Miss Pévèle 2016 Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais 2017 Miss France 2018
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair color	Red
Eye color	Green
Major competition(s)	Miss France 2018 (Winner) Miss World 2018 (Top 12) Miss Universe 2019 (Top 10)

Early life and education

Coucke was born in Fougères in Ille-et-Vilaine, and raised in Ferques in Pas-de-Calais.[1][2] Her father is a gendarme, while her mother is a childcare assistant originally from Avesnes-sur-Helpe.[3] She has an older sister, Victoria, and a twin sister, Alizée.[4] Her parents divorced when she was 13, and she was then raised by her mother.[5]

In 2011, Coucke participated in the Elite Model Look contest with her twin sister.[6] She later received her baccalauréat with a focus in management in 2013. Then, Coucke received a BTS in international business in 2015.[7] In 2017, Coucke was a first year law student and wanted to become an in-house counsel.[8] After being elected Miss France 2018, she decided to pursue an acting career.[9]

She is a natural blonde, but has been dyeing her hair red since 2016.[10][11]

Pageantry

Miss France 2018

Coucke started her pageantry career in 2013, when she was crowned Miss Boulogne 2013.[7] In October 2016, Coucke was crowned Miss Pévèle 2016 and therefore, was allowed to compete in the Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais 2017 competition.[12] On 23 September 2017, she was crowned Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais 2017 in Orchies, then represented Nord-Pas-de-Calais at Miss France 2018.[13] Coucke won the competition, and was crowned Miss France 2018.[14][15][16] She is the third woman from Nord-Pas-de-Calais to win the title, following Miss France 2016 Iris Mittenaere and Miss France 2015 Camille Cerf.[17][18]

Coucke began to raise awareness for breast cancer after her mother was diagnosed with the disease in 2012.[19] As Miss France 2018, she promoted the development of breast cancer prevention and screening.[19] She was involved in make-up and dance workshops in hospitals to help women undergoing cancer treatment feel more confident in themselves.[20] On 1 October 2018, she launched the Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the Eiffel Tower which was lit up in rosy pink lights to support Breast cancer awareness.[21]

Miss World 2018

Coucke represented France at Miss World 2018, where she placed in the top 12.[22] At Miss World 2018, she won the Top Model fast track event, giving her direct access into the top thirty. She is the first French representative to win the Top Model event.[23] She was also Top 5 in the Multimedia competition and won the first round of the Head to Head challenge.

Miss Universe 2019

After Vaimalama Chaves opted not to compete in an international pageant, the Miss France Organisation confirmed on 23 September 2019 that they had appointed Coucke to represent France at Miss Universe 2019.[24]

During the preliminary competition, Coucke slipped and fell on stage, along with several other contestants who also fell in the same spot. The incident was widely reported in the Francophone media, but it did not prevent her to place in the top ten.[25][26][27][28] She ultimately went on to advance as one of the top five contestants from Europe, ultimately finishing in the overall top ten.

References

1. Verdot-Belaval, Anthony (17 December 2017). "Miss France 2018 est Maeva Coucke !". Paris Match (in French).
2. "MISS NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS 2017" (in French). TF1. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
3. "Maëva Coucke, Miss France 2018, est née à Fougères" (in French). Actu.fr. 17 December 2017.
4. Blanquart, Jeanne (16 December 2017). "Maëva Coucke, future Miss France ? "Je crois bien que je vais pleurer", anticipe sa maman" (in French). France 3.
5. Méliné Ristiguian, « Maëva Coucke, Miss France: Une reine venue du nord », Paris Match, 22 décembre 2017.
6. "VIDEO-Miss France 2018 : il y a 7 ans, Maeva Coucke était filmée par M6 et elle a beaucoup changé" (in French). Gala. 18 December 2017.
7. "Miss France : 10 raisons de penser que Maëva Coucke, Miss Nord Pas-de-Calais, va gagner" (in French). France 3. 16 December 2017.
8. "Miss France 2018 : qui est Maëva Coucke, Miss Nord Pas-de-Calais 2017 ?" (in French). TV Magazine. 30 November 2017.
9. "Maëva Coucke : "Après Miss France, je veux devenir actrice"" (in French). TV Magazine. 25 October 2018.
10. "Maëva Coucke, Miss France 2018, en 5 anecdotes". Paris Match. 17 December 2017. la couleur naturelle de Maëva Coucke est le blond foncé, comme en témoigne ce cliché qu'elle a posté en mai 2015 sur Instagram
11. "Miss France 2018. Six choses à savoir sur la gagnante Maëva Coucke". Ouest France. 17 December 2017. Elle n’est pas naturellement rousse. La Ch’ti voulait sortir du lot avec sa chevelure rousse. " Je pense que c’est un avantage, pour les photos de groupe peut-être ", avait-elle confié au magazine TV Mag avant l’élection. C’est un pari réussi pour celle qui a les cheveux naturellement blonds foncés.
12. Dupeux, Emmanuelle (24 September 2017). "Qui est Maëva Coucke, Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais, originaire de Ferques ?" (in French). La Voix du Nord.
13. "Maëva Coucke est la Miss Nord – Pas-de-Calais 2017".
14. Boquet-Vautor, Lorelei (17 December 2017). "Miss France 2018 : La grande gagnante est Maeva Coucke alias Miss Nord Pas de Calais" (in French). TF1.
15. "À CHÂTEAUROUX, MAËVA COUCKE, MISS NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS DEVIENT MISS FRANCE 2018 !" (in French). Wit. 16 December 2017.
16. "Maëva Coucke, Miss Nord Pas-de-Calais, wins Miss France 2018". Lucire. 17 December 2017.
17. Vaillant, Frédéric (16 December 2017). "Après la blonde Camille, la brune Iris, la rousse Maëva ?" (in French). La Voix du Nord.
18. "Maëva Coucke, Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais, sacrée Miss France 2018" (in French). Le Phare Dunkerquois. 17 December 2017.
19. "Maeva Coucke Miss France 2018 : son geste fort après le cancer du sein de sa maman" (in French). Gala. 18 October 2018.
20. "Miss France émue lors d'une visite à des malades du cancer: «Vous n'êtes pas seules»" (in French). 20 minutes. 8 June 2018.
21. "Maëva Coucke (Miss France 2018) lors de la soirée de lancement de la 25ème édition Octobre rose sur la péniche Pavillon Seine à Paris, France, le 1er octobre 20" (in French). Purepeople. 1 October 2018.
22. https://www.20minutes.fr/arts-stars/people/2390651-20181208-miss-monde-2018-maeva-coucke-eliminee-portes-top-5
23. "Miss World 2018: a Top Model competition special review". Global Beauties. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
24. "Miss Univers 2019 : Vaimalama Chaves remplacée par... Maëva Coucke !". programme-television.org (in French). 24 September 2019.
25. "Maëva Coucke chute lourdement pendant les présélections de Miss Univers". Le Parisien (in French). 7 December 2019.
26. "Miss Univers: la Française Maëva Coucke chute pendant le défilé en maillot de bain". BFMTV. 8 December 2019.
27. "Miss Univers : la Française Maëva Coucke chute lors du show préliminaire". LaDepeche.fr (in French). 7 December 2019.
28. "Miss Univers: un podium glissant et 5 terribles chutes". RTL.be. 8 December 2019.

External links

• Maëva Coucke on Instagram

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Eva Colas	Miss Universe France 2019	Succeeded by
Preceded by Ugochi Ihezue	Miss World Top Model 2018	Succeeded by Nyekachi Douglas
Preceded by Aurore Kichenin	Miss World France 2018	Succeeded by Ophély Mézino
Preceded by Alicia Aylies	Miss France 2018	Succeeded by Vaimalama Chaves
Preceded by Laurine Maricau	Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais 2017	Succeeded by Annabelle Varane
Preceded by Charlotte Bobb	Miss Pévèle 2016	Succeeded by Meggy Pinte