Local Model Turns Mackay Life Newspapers Into Pageant Dress

Mackay and Sarina local Zoe Place has created an eco-fashion dress from recycled newspapers, including Mackay Life, ahead of her Miss Diamond International pageant in Brisbane. Photos supplied

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A local Mackay and Sarina based model has created a dress out of newspapers, including Mackay Life, for her upcoming pageant, representing her region and hometown on the runway as she vies for Miss Diamond International in Brisbane.

Zoe Place will be competing this weekend in the three-day event, beginning this Friday 2^nd October and ending on Sunday 4^th October.

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The young model spent around a month creating her eco-fashion outfit, using old newspapers as the main material and transforming them into a bodice, skirt and flowers.

Red elements were also incorporated into the design to give the dress a bold and glamorous pageant feel.

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Zoe said, “The entire concept was really about taking something that would normally be thrown away and turning it into something beautiful and meaningful.”

Her eco-fashion creation will form part of a busy weekend in Brisbane, with the Miss Diamond International event including photo shoots, interviews, an eco-fashion show and the final pageant.

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Zoe has been preparing for the event by practising her strut and walking, preparing for interviews and getting comfortable in the different outfits she will wear throughout the weekend.

Alongside her love of modelling, pageantry has also provided Zoe with a platform to raise awareness about causes close to her heart, including mental health, while fundraising for Beyond Blue.

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“Pageantry has given me more of a platform to combine my love for modelling with something that is really important to me.”

“When I first started, I was more nervous about putting myself out there and worried about what others would think about me – but I’ve changed a lot through my journey in pageantry.”

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“Pageantry has also taught me that it’s not about how you look on stage. It’s about the person you are when you step off it.”

“Every woman has their own unique journey and that journey is something we should all be really proud of.”

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“To me, it represents confidence, empowerment, kindness, and using your voice to make a difference.”

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Zoe said she was looking forward to meeting the other contestants, making new connections and creating memories.

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“I’m definitely looking forward to meeting all the new contestants and making new connections and creating memories that I will carry with me for a lifetime.”

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While Zoe hopes to eventually move to the city, her sights are set even further afield, with a dream of one day walking in New York Fashion Week.

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