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71st Miss Universe pageant to air live from New Orleans on 1Magic on Sunday 15 January at 03h00, with a repeat on Monday 16 January at 22h00. Even though it's happening in 2023, it's actually the 2022 pageant. Miss SA Ndavi Nokeri represents. Ceremony will be hosted by How Do I Look? presenter Jeannie Mai and Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo. >>

TVSA Team
12 Jan 2023 15:11

Ndavi in New Orleans:

And in her Miss Universe preliminary dress by Juan Visser:

With her parents Moses and Betty:

In her national dress:

Details from the release about it:

From the Miss South Africa Organisation’s creative director Werner Wessels: “This year we wanted the national costume to have a distinctly African feel. We love the fact that Ndavi is proudly Tsonga.

"It is at the very core of who she is, and so part of the costume is inspired by her Tsonga culture and it is beautifully represented in the choice and use of fabrics.”

The inner costume is made by Sello Medupe of Scalo Designs, who also designed the national costume for Thato Mosehle at Miss Supranational last year.

“The audience should expect vibrant bright colours reflective of our rainbow nation and an African goddess. I am delighted to be showcasing raw African culture in a modern way,” said Medupe.

The national costume also includes a set of wings built by Henk Henderson of Henderson Worx.

Said Wessels: “With the wings we wanted to showcase flight and represent something that is ascending because African women in the world are busy rising; we are seeing this in so many pop culture moments such as The Woman King and Wakanda Forever.

"Audiences are really taking notice of African culture - specifically focused on African women - and Ndavi is proud to represent that.”

He went on to describe the inspiration for the design.

“For the first time in our national costume we also wanted to have Africa represented. One part of the wing will be the South African flag, which we are proud to carry across the world stage.

"However, there's another element that we really wanted to showcase, which is that Ndavi is part of a greater global community and proudly African.

"The other part of the wing features all 54 African countries to emphasise we are part of a universal network.”

TVSA Team
15 Jan 2023 13:18

The results... Ndavi made the Top 16 and wore this as her finale dress - by Juan Visser of Juan William Aria:

The pageant was won by Miss USA R'Bonney Gabriel - a fashion designer, schmodel and sewing instructor:

Runner-up was Miss Venezuela Amanda Dudamel:

And 3rd place went to Miss Dominican Republic Andreína Martínez: