Co Down model in the running for Miss England title
A 20-year-old marketing student originally from Ballygowan in Co Down has secured a coveted national title on her path to the star-studded Miss England Grand Final.
Mackenzie Louise Porter, a professional model, made the decision to move from Belfast to Southampton in September of this year.
From working with extremely talented Belfast creatives such as Tess Carter to build her portfolio, to making her debut in Paris Fashion Week just three weeks after moving to England, Mackenzie is making waves on the international modelling scene.
Since her move to Southampton Mackenzie has been balancing achieving her marketing degree in the University of Southampton with her fast-rising professional modelling career.
Upon her return from Paris Fashion week Mackenzie achieved yet another career milestone when she was officially crowned "Publicity Queen" at the Miss England semi-final held in the Melton Theatre on October 11th.
Standing tall at 5ft 11in, the Belfast born model outperformed contestants from across the country to secure her spot as a Hampshire representative in the grand final on Tuesday, November 17th.
Beyond the traditional runway, Mackenzie has captured public attention through her modern, ethical approach to pageantry.
In a stark departure from the typical high-expense wardrobe associated with national finals, she completed her entire semi-final run wearing exclusively pre-loved, vintage, and charity shop garments sourced from Vinted, including a sentimental vintage top passed down by her mother that she worn on her successful Beauty With A Purpose Charity Day.
Mackenzie said: "Using the Miss England platform allows me to show that high fashion and sustainability can go hand-in-hand. Winning the Publicity Queen title is an incredible honour, and it gives me a louder voice to advocate for ethical fashion and support causes close to my heart."
As part of her Beauty With A Purpose campaign, Mackenzie has partnered with local sponsor Paultons Golf Centre to launch the "Golf for the Girls" charity initiative, raising vital funds and awareness for the Ann Conroy Trust, a cause deeply personal to her family.
Commenting on her advocacy work, Mackenzie said: "This campaign is about raising awareness more than anything.
"Just like any charity the Ann Conroy Trust needs funding to keep doing good work, but if people don't know this silent illness exists, the funding will never come.
"Seeing my mother struggle through countless tests before getting answers made me realise public awareness on this issue is far too poor. With the Miss England Platform, I will make it my mission to bring this cause to light through education, events, and social media campaigns."