(Above (L-R): Jena Marican, Katijah Bee, Cheong Jiaxin, Vijayalakshmi and Estrella Tan)

Inspiration
Said 1.7m-tall Chinese-Indian beauty Jena Marican, a 28-year-old media analysis operations executive: “It’s fine with me. They do inspire us to do our best for the competition as they are pageant winners.

“Although it seems as if they were taunting us by sitting in front of us, we must keep in mind that this is the first plus-sized pageant. It’s inevitable that we need people who have done it before to guide us.”

Another participant, student Cheong Jiaxin, 19, thought it was good that the pageant winners came to show their support.

She added: “Next year, we will have this year’s plus-sized pageant winner sitting in the front row so there won’t be a difference.”

The participants’ confidence impressed the onlookers.

Said Mrs Kok: “The plus-sized models were very confident and sassy. Many of them were really pretty. I guess it’s the norm to think that it’s hard to look good when you’re overweight.”

Marketing manager Sylvia Foo, 28 said she now sees plus-sized women “in a new light”.

“The girls (on stage) were simply ravishing. What made them all the more attractive was that they were glowing. The way they moved was so sexy. Some of them look far better than skinny women.”

The beauty pageant winners were also impressed.

Elite Mrs Singapore Earth, Mrs Veronica Tan, 44, said she liked the girls’ positive attitude and felt they were “truly amazing”.

Glitches
But the fashion show wasn’t without a few glitches.

Before the contestants took to the stage, a plus-sized member of the audience fell when her chair broke.

Eye-witnesses who sat near her said the plastic chair she was sitting on gave way under her weight. Someone quickly helped her up.

Then the two comperes on stage had trouble when their microphones didn’t work.

The fashion show began with the evening wear segment after a few false starts.

As Chaka Khan’s I’m Every Woman blasted through the loudspeakers, the girls sashayed up a flight of steps before they preened and posed for the
photographers.

Looking stunning in a royal blue gown, Ms Estrella Tan drew enthusiastic applause during the Q&A session.

The 26-year-old, who is a full-time tutor and social work volunteer, said that her passion is working with children and youths.

She said: “I joined this competition to show what it means to have a healthy body image.

“Being plus-sized has not stopped me from developing my unique sense of style.

I would like the younger generation to know that one can be plus-sized and also stylish and beautiful.”

Another group of girls then strutted their stuff to Beyonce’s Crazy In Love.

The contestant with the grooviest moves was Ms Katijah Bee, a 28-year-old pupil placement officer who has also appeared on Vasantham Central dramas and variety shows.

She told the audience that she hadn’t given up dancing since her younger days and still performs occasionally.

“I didn’t want to be someone sadly hiding my talents because of my size.

“I’m working my minus point (of being plus-sized) to my advantage. Don’t be surprised if you see me in a Bollywood movie some day.”

But it was Ms Vijayalakshmi Vijayaratnam, a Chinese-Indian 21-year old student, who drew the most applause with her dazzling good looks and life story.

Two years ago, she was diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension, a neurological disorder characterised by nausea and headaches. Her doctor said it was caused by obesity.

“ I decided to take the first step in rebuilding my life and started exercising.

“I’m much healthier now. I know I will never be small enough to fit into a single-digit sized dress but I’m okay with it,” she said.

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This article was first published in The New Paper.