Miss South Africa 2022 Ndavi Nokeri is in New Orleans in the United States for the 71st Miss Universe taking place this Sunday.
The rules have changed this year. Instead of bringing a national gift from their country, Miss Universe contestants were required to customise a blank cape that they received from the pageant organisers, taking inspiration from anything that could be related to their cause or the country that they represent.
The contestants will then wear the capes during the swimsuit competition before auctioning them, with proceeds going to charity.
For her design titled “Perfectly Imperfect,” Nokeri worked with graphic artist Ashlyn Atkinson from iDesign South Africa and Sinead Fletcher, who painted the cape along with the voices of South African women.
“Throughout the centuries, women have been made to feel unworthy based on any physical characteristics that might not have been desirable for the male gaze. With the South Africa cape and as part of a broader message of the Miss Universe platform, women are reclaiming the narrative around their bodies and what makes them beautiful,” said Nokeri.
She added: “For me, the design represents liberation to be free from other people’s expectations of what I or any woman should look like in order to be considered beautiful. Beauty has no definition, it has no skin tone, it has no size, and it is definitely not perfect.”
The Miss Universe finale takes place on Sunday, January 14, in the US and will be broadcast live on 1 Magic (DStv Channel 103) from 3 AM on Monday, January 15.
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