Palisadian to Compete in Mrs. Asia USA Pageant

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Palisadian Michelle Villemaire will participate in the Mrs. Asia USA pageant on Saturday, November 22, at 4 p.m. at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center.

She will be competing as the Mrs. Thailand USA delegate in the 37th annual iteration of the pageant, which is hosted by Virgelia Productions. This will be her first pageant.

“At some point after the fires, in Carhartt slippers, knee deep in receipts, I took off my Pali Strong hat, rubbed my head and asked the universe to put me on a different path,” Villemaire said on November 1. “And the universe replied, ‘Really girl? You sure?’ And I was like, ‘Why you gotta say it like that?’”

Villemaire—who, in addition to being a TV host, is an interior designer—described the pageant as a chance for herself to be the “design project.” She spoke about her “incredible team,” including a Thai designer who crafted all of her gowns, with silk hand-loomed in Thailand.

The competition includes National Costume and Evening Gown events, according to Villemaire. There is also a swimsuit portion, which is a presentation and not judged, Villemaire explained.

“There’s so much I could say about this—the impact it’s had on me, what I’ve learned about myself, beauty, aging, entrepreneurship, leadership, sisterhood … ” Villemaire wrote about the pageant. “Overall it’s been incredibly and surprisingly positive.”

A longtime resident of the Palisades, Villemaire has been responsible for “yarn-bombing” Palisades Village Green in March for Women’s History Month and for Fourth of July in 2020.

“It took my village burning down to realize I wanted a redesign for the second half of my life,” Villemaire wrote. “[Mrs. Asia USA] began as a shiny object to distract me from the cruel reality of having a home in the burn zone. But I had no idea how many beautiful connections I’d make while leaning into my Thai culture.”

Tickets for the pageant are available through Villemaire, with general admission starting at $85. She can be reached on Instagram.

“I would love to have a Pali cohort screaming their heads off for me,” Villemaire wrote. “We were told that being loud is encouraged, so I just want to bring the energy in the way only Palisadians can.”