A dress by a designer from Quaama has been shortlisted for the Miss World National Costume Competition.
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Polls have opened for the public to decide which of four should be worn by this year’s Miss World Australia Madeline Cowe at the international competition in the USA next month.
It was “a bit of a shock” when ex-Bega High School student Megan Dive discovered her dress had been shortlisted.
“I’d never entered a competition before so to be shortlisted in my first competition was definitely exciting!” she said.
What is the main inspiration for her creation? The delicious iconic Australian spread – Vegemite.
“I love Vegemite! My fiance hates it, but our daughter loves it and he makes it for her every day,” she laughed.
“My first memory of Vegemite would be when I was three or four and I thought it was Nutella so put a lot on a sandwich then regretted it horribly!”
The idea for the dress came after she and her fiance hosted some exchange students who wanted to do Australian activities like try the salty spread.
She said while Vegemite is owned by an American company, it was still recognised as an iconic Australian food.
There is also the Australian Aboriginal flag on the back of the dress, to represent the time Ms Dive went to the the Tiwi Islands in 2012 to assist in an art workshop where artworks were made and sold to raise money for the local community.
“If I didn’t spend six weeks there I don’t think I’d be the artist I am today, so I wanted to acknowledge that,” she said.
The criteria for the competition involved making a dress that represented iconic Australiana and was theatrical in nature.
Ms Dive studied fashion design at RMIT University and has loved making clothes from a young age.
She now lives on the Sunshine Coast and owns her own businesses – Studio Evolve – where she mentors new designers.
The Elucent Skincare National Costume Competition winners are announced on November 21. To vote and see all entries click here.