Her entrance to the fashion and beauty scene was not planned but once she developed a passion for the subject, there was no stopping her. From walking the ramp at some of the most renowned fashion weeks in the world like MBFW and CFW to bagging the Miss Earth Sri Lanka 2021 title, Diandra Soysa has made her mark in the glamour scene. She is currently prepping up to take on the challenge of facing the finals of the globally acclaimed beauty pageant which will take place on November 21.
“There’s always a lot of prepping to do when it comes to pageants. Due to the unfortunate pandemic, the pageant will be held virtually. Preliminary rounds are currently happening. It takes a lot more work than in a normal situation as we have a limited amount of time to get everything sorted out.
This pageant requires us to send in videos of a variety of different criteria as we cannot take part physically, and so we have to travel to destinations around Sri Lanka to shoot the videos for preliminary rounds. This platform is a great opportunity for us to promote tourism as well.
Jetwing Hotels has come on board as our hospitality and location provider to make this challenge a success. I think a little bit of a challenge always makes you stronger and new experiences are everything life is about!” Diandra added with a smile.
She stepped into modeling due to a request to model for the Fashionmarket.lk in 2018. She notes that she had zero knowledge about modelling then as she had just gotten out of school. However the experience really made her realize that she did have a great passion towards the subject. It was something she wanted to pursue.
“It also gave me an opportunity to walk for MBFW , one of the biggest fashion weeks in the world. then in 2019 I was scouted by The Agency Workshop and they really helped me come up with their constant support and guidance. They have given me even more opportunities like walking the ramp for CFW, and to work with some of the biggest designers in the Sri Lankan fashion industry,” she explained.
Speaking about taking part in Miss Earth 2021 Diandra says that as a title holder for the third largest beauty pageant in the world, she believes that it’s a great responsibility to represent Sri Lanka despite the situations that the country is facing and the crisis that the whole world is undergoing.
“I’m looking forward to making a difference together with the Miss Earth Sri Lanka team in creating awareness around the environmental related issues and about the pageant,” she said.
Due to the pandemic, the Miss Earth Sri Lanka organization couldn’t work on a physical pageant. Diandra had been nominated by the organization after careful considerations.
“I’ve always wanted to step into pageantry but also I wanted to leave a mark in whatever I pursue. Since this pageant is something with a great cause behind it and also since that cause is close to my heart, I decided to give it a shot. This burning passion I have reflect the people I have been associating with in my personal and professional career. That helped me clinch this title,” she expressed.
Diandra says that she always wanted to be part of a pageant where she could be more than who she is. “After doing a thorough research I knew this is the platform I want to be in since the passion I have towards protecting animals and love towards the nature is reflected in it’s cause,” she said.
Since she has always considered herself as an introvert, coming out of her comfort zone and venturing into an industry which is always happening and brimming with life had been a challenge for this beauty. However she notes that she received invaluable support and guidance from her family and The Agency Sri Lanka. This helped her overcome her fears and reach the top.
Queried about her family and her face brightens up. It is evident how much she is attached to them.
“I come from a family of five. I’m a sister to one younger brother and one older brother. Growing up I was the mischievous one, always up to something crazy. I consider my younger self a bit of a tomboy as I grew up with my brothers. I was lucky enough to have a very happy childhood filled with lots of love and happiness. I feel absolutely privileged to be brought up by two amazing parents who have always been by my side, guiding me and supporting me every step of the way. Due to these reasons I know the meaning and the value of love and compassion. Because of the never-ending support I got, I want to support others just like my parents have supported me as it completes me as a person to give back to society. I gain a sense of fulfillment by helping others,” she said.
She states that her family is simple. They spend a lot of time together as a family.
“One thing we all share would be our extraordinary love for animals. Ever since I was a kid, we’ve had so many pets and it in a way trained me to take up responsibilities, challenges and be strong. Today I own five dogs and five cats that I consider a part of my family. I think the most special thing for me about my family is the immense amount of love, unity, support and understanding that I have experienced all my life. Living in a country and a part of the world where gender discrimination takes place, I grew up with two boys and my parents never treated me like I was any different.
That influenced me to treat other people the same way. I feel blessed that I have the proper understanding and that influence made me believe and motivated me to influence people around me,” Diandra added.
She admires Yureni Noshika’s style profile as she believes that is unique and always on point. Diandra’s ambition was and will always be to excel in everything that she puts her heart and soul into. Right now her focus is on using her platform to effect meaningful and powerful change in the years to come.
“Ever since I was nominated I’ve been actively working on many environment related projects while working on my preliminary round videos and connecting with my global delegates. I’m hoping to partner up with many other organizations to give back to Mother Nature,” she mused.
Apart from that she will be taking part in CFW and MBFW this year.
“If you’re someone who’s passionate about making a difference in the world and making the world a better place, this is the right place to be. Start doing your research and work on your passion projects so that you have a better chance in the global platform. In addition to that, pursue your passion because pageants aren’t about good looks, fashion and cat walk. It’s also about confidence and believing in your self,” are her words of wisdom to contestants vying to become Miss Earth Sri Lanka in the future.
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