INTERVIEW with Cat Shepherd || Miss World Australia Preliminary Finalist 2024
Above: Photo by Mark Flower
SD: Hi Cat. Can you introduce yourself to my readers who don’t know you yet?
CS: Hello! My name is Cat Jane Shepherd and I’m an actor, model, and costume designer from Perth, Western Australia. I have a Bachelor of Performing Arts from WAAPA and am currently studying a Master of Strategic Communication at UWA. I am a track runner and bikini bodybuilder who writes romcoms in my spare time, publishing online as Ivy Kix. Recently I have developed the Cat Jane Sustain website, which includes information on sustainable fashion, art for wellbeing and my Miss World Australia Beauty with a Purpose Initiative. (https://catjaneshepherd.wixsite.com/catjanesustain)
SD: You’re Miss World Australia Preliminary Finalist 2024. Can you tell us more about it?
CS: Miss World aims to promote Beauty with a Purpose to encourage women to live compassionate and humanitarian lives. Charity work is integral to the Miss World ethos and part of the brief to contenders in each country is that they volunteer their time and fundraise within their communities.
One of the main reasons I chose to nominate for Miss World Australia was because the organisation supports a children’s charity. Variety: The Children’s Charity provides essential support for children who are sick, experiencing disadvantage or living with disability, through the provision of timely grants, programs, scholarships, and experiences. I have volunteered to assist children living with physical disabilities in sport in the past and wholeheartedly support Variety’s vision for all Australian children to attain their full potential, regardless of ability or background.
As part of the "Beauty With a Purpose" initiative which is at the heart of Miss World I chose to support Variety: The Children's Charity through my sustainable fashion project, turning unwanted second-hand denim jeans into new items. Repurposing old caps and covering them in scrap denim, I have also been making bucket hats and denim dog bandanas from old jeans.
It takes around 1,800 litres of water to make a single pair of jeans which means it is crucial to re-use this material that has already caused damage to the environment by just being made, ensuring it does not go straight to landfill. With a garment so popular, denim jeans are a resource we should be turning into alternate items and garments once we're done wearing them.
Above: Photo by Mark Flower
SD: How did you become interested in pageants?
CS: I have always been interested in supporting charities and have volunteered in the past for Rebound Whiz Kidz, who help children living with disabilities play sport on weekends. Hearing that Miss World is a platform for women to have a real-world impact through developing their own Beauty with a Purpose projects was of great interest to me. Having gone to an all-girls school, I have always been aware of what women can do when they band together, so pageants seemed like a wonderful way to network with other like-minded people who love rolling up their sleeves for a cause and love glam.
SD: What’s in your makeup bag right now?
CS: So much! I love makeup because I believe it’s a form of art, painting on a face instead of a canvas. My top five products: concealer, blush, mascara, lip gloss, and liquid contour.
SD: What is your vision of success?
CS: While I have prepared a thousand mind maps, yearly planners and my diary is full of inspirational quotes, I truly believe my vision of success comes down to one word: JOY. If I can bring joy to others through pursuit of the arts and service with charity initiatives, I think I’ve been successful.
SD: If you could give one piece of advice to your 14 year old self, what would it be?
CS: My advice would be do not dye your hair blonde to the roots every few weeks. Recovered now, but that was not a good idea. And some less superficial advice would be stick to being authentically yourself and enjoy friendships that match your quirky ways.
SD: Who are you most inspired by in the Pageant World and why?
CS: I am very inspired by Priyanka Chopra, Karolina Bielawska and Kristen Wright. All these women are incredibly individual and authentic, each aiming to help people in need.
SD: How have beauty pageants impacted your life and your career?
CS: Miss World Australia has helped me explore charitable causes and develop my humanitarian goals. I want to continue to expand this area and support from Miss World has enabled me to forge a pathway to be more useful in the pursuit of helping others that are disadvantaged.
SD: What is your best beauty secret?
CS: My best beauty secret is wearing a daily moisturiser with sunscreen as an ingredient and drinking a lot of water. Keeping smooth clear skin while staying sun safe is vital in Australia, especially being a track runner always out in the sun.
Above: Photo by Mark Flower
Cat’s Social Media Presence:
Website: https://catjaneshepherd.wixsite.com/catjanesustain
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catjane_shepherd/
IMDB: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm16233849
Miss World Australia Fundraising: https://miss-world-australia-2024.raisely.com/cat-shepherd