The winner of a beauty pageant celebrating Asian women says it is “still sinking in” after being invited to hit the catwalk at the New York Fashion Awards.
Anita Kaur, from Bradford, was inspired to sign up for the Ms Empress Asia UK Pageant in March to “push herself out of her comfort zone”.
She went on to be crowned winner of the 46-60 years age category and Role Model of the Year, before securing the chance to fly stateside in September.
Kaur said: “It’s still an out-there thing for me, I don’t think it’s hit home until I get there, [then] it’ll feel more real that a girl from West Yorkshire is representing in New York.”
“When I say it out loud it’s incredible and I can’t quite believe it,” she added.
Her decision to enter the pageant was “made on a whim”, she explained, “shocking a lot of people because this is just not me”.
She said she almost pulled out but was convinced to continue by the pageant director.
“It just felt things were aligning and this was the path I was meant to go on,” she said.
Support from family and friends, including her daughter and sisters, have also helped to encourage her.
