Navika, the face of news and business

Clad in newspaper isn’t the way many would picture themselves on the catwalk.

Yet Navika Ramkissoon pulled off the look with ease, ending the Miss Newcastle 2016 finale with the title of Most Creative Dress and a place in the top six.

The Newcastle Advertiser ambassador said her success was ‘totally unexpected’.

“I never imagined myself in a pageant, but entered for the experience. When they made the announcements, it was a shock to me.”

Her prowess on the catwalk has justified the long hours Navika put into both her recycled material dress and at the halls of Fancy That Models.

Plus, it has boosted her own self-worth. “Nicole (Le Grange) made me feel extra pretty and I have made many new friends.

“This experience has given me confidence and self esteem.” A familiar face at the Advertiser, formerly a receptionist and now a Classified Sales Representative, Navika was coaxed into the Miss Newcastle pageant by Nicole Le Grange and Editor, Reveshni Douglas.

She now looks back at this with some amusement. “I would love to enter the pageant again, but I have stepped aside to allow other young women to have the same chance I did.

“There are many who deserve to feel the way I felt.”

The link between Navika and her newspaper dress is obvious – she immediately researched designs and had a chance meeting with talented designer, Lucy Greyling. Together with her sister, Niksha, they spent almost an entire day creating the outfit.

“The dress had to be made of recycled materials; we used good recycled paper and had a pullout made for the design.” A marvel of functional fashion, Navika’s dress held on the ramp, and will be put on display at the Advertiser offices soon.

The dress remains a true showstopper. “The initial reactions to the dress were great, so I started to believe the design was a winner.”

Wrapping up her Miss Newcastle experience, Navika explained the best part was her final walk, to the tunes of Fall Out Boy – Centuries.

“I felt like I owned the stage at that moment,” she enthused. Navika said the most difficult part was overcoming her shyness, particularly in swimwear.

However, she thanked family, friends and colleagues for standing by her with constant support, and the Advertiser for sponsoring her magical opportunity. “Reveshni and Nicole especially, made this experience truly amazing for me.”

Concluding with a message to the women of Newcastle, Navika said no matter one’s opinion of themselves, they all possessed a beauty which had to be displayed.

“We don’t have to conform to someone else’s standards – beauty comes from within us.”