Kate Moss, eat your heart out, for on Saturday Italy crowned its twenty-first “Miss Ciccione d’Italia” or “Miss Chubby” in the village of Forcoli, near Pisa.

The winner, Angela Scognamiglio of Naples, weighs 170 kilos [375 lbs or 26.785 stone] and said she was very moved and felt as if she had won the lottery. Her prize was an enormous cake to share with everybody.

There is only one entry requirement for the contest: you have to weigh over 100 kilos [220 lbs or 15.7 stone]. Contestants paraded in evening gowns in front of 2,500 people and some of the braver ones wore undergarments. But the decider was the weigh-in and the chubbiest beauty won.

The organiser of the contest, Gianfranco Lazzareschi, says it offers a new perspective on beauty. Contestants say that the occasion gives them a chance to regain their self-esteem as they are often mocked and discriminated against. They are also able to meet other women with weight problems at the contest.

This is far from the only “different” kind of beauty contest in Italy this summer, however: today a “Mister Facebook” will be crowned in Rome [the Miss Facebook contest having already taken place] there is to be a “Miss Sexy Motociclista” competition and on 20th August there will be a “Miss Ritocco” [Miss Retouched] contest, in which judges will vote for the beauty with the best plastic surgery results.

Do you think beauty contests are outmoded?