Your votes have been counted! Meet the winners of the Miss FQ Revlon Influence Awards 2018 and find out why they took the top spots.
SUPREME WINNER + FASHION CATEGORY WINNERS:
Serendipity Ave’s Nami Shadbolt & Pascale Baker
Brought to you by Revlon
These best friends and lifestyle bloggers (who also happen to be wedding photographers!) took out our Fashion award this year, and it’s easy to see why. With a joint fashion obsession and an interest in everything from thrift shopping to luxe designer finds, they’ve nailed that high-low look that speaks to our souls and our bank balances. After studying marketing (Nami, 31) and fashion design (Pascale, 26) and whilst working full-time in the corporate world, the pair launched their Instagram account, @serendipity.ave, as a creative outlet. “Money? No. We have 100 other side hustles and our day jobs for that,” they explain. On and off the ’gram, where they have an impressive 40K followers, authenticity is their MO. “We are not perfect but we are honest and we are real. You won’t see us talk about anything we don’t genuinely love, otherwise, what is the point in it all?” It’s this straight-shooting approach that’s endeared them to Kiwi fashion obsessives and Miss FQ readers. And it’s their high volume of votes that made picking them as our Miss FQ x Revlon Influence Awards 2018 Supreme winners a no-brainer.
Meet all of the Miss FQ Revlon Influence Award Fashion category finalists here.
BEAUTY CATEGORY WINNER:
Shannon Harris
Brought to you by Revlon
She uploaded her first makeup tutorial to YouTube in 2009 as a way to make friends and help other Kiwis find makeup inspiration, and in just nine years, Shannon Harris — AKA Shaaanxo — has amassed more than 3 million subscribers. The 26-year-old sets herself apart from other beauty influencers by pushing the boundaries with her content and giving followers a glimpse into her real life. “I also encourage my followers to be conscious consumers, for example by donating what they no longer need to those who can put it to use, or by using plastic alternatives such as steels straws and menstrual cups,” she says. “And I use my own experiences, failures and wins to push myself to do better.”
Meet all of the Miss FQ Revlon Influence Award Beauty category finalists here.
TRAVEL CATEGORY WINNER:
Ash Owens
Brought to you by American Airlines
As a full-time content creator, Ash Owens, 22, has turned her travel obsession into her main hustle. She first caught the travel bug on a family trip to the Gold Coast at age four and now takes her 16K followers along for the ride as she jets around the world. Ash has doubled her following since winning our Up & Comer award last year and loves that social media allows her to connect with her followers. “I have heart-to-heart chats with them on the daily about problems to do with relationships, self-confidence and friendship issues,” she says. “When you are influential in terms of having a large social-media audience who rely on your opinions, it’s very important to be honest with your thoughts and feelings so that nobody is led in the wrong direction.”
Meet all of the Miss FQ Revlon Influence Award Travel category finalists here.
BUSINESS & TECH CATEGORY WINNER:
Donielle Brooke
As the founder of Designer Wardrobe, an online marketplace to buy, sell and rent pre-loved designer clothing, Donielle Brooke wears many hats. Along with looking after DW’s social media and its brand ambassadors, there’s buying for DW Rental, organising photo shoots and, most recently, facilitating the opening of the flagship Auckland rental store. It’s a pretty epic undertaking for someone who has no business or marketing degree — “although I wish I had, sometimes!” she admits. Designer Wardrobe was a project that Donielle saw had the potential to grow into something much more than her side gig while she was hairdressing, and actually came about while she was battling thyroid cancer at age 25. “I often have people reach out to me who are fighting cancer, or who have a business idea, and I always make sure I take the time to reply or meet up with them for coffee.”
Meet all of the Miss FQ Revlon Influence Award Business & Tech category finalists here.
SOCIAL CHANGE CATEGORY WINNERS:
Brittany & Johanna Cosgrove
The idea for Nopesisters came about after a T-shirt Brittany made to honour her mother, a breast cancer survivor, went crazy on social media. Brittany and her sister Johanna quickly realised that by selling these tees, they could raise money and start important conversations for causes they were passionate about. Today, they donate part of their profits to charity partners including Sexual Abuse Help Wellington, Youthline, Sexual Abuse Prevention Network, Wā Collective and the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ. They see the variety of charities they support, and the ethical practices behind the manufacturing of their T-shirts, as real points of difference. “We aren’t shy about talking to issues that aren’t always easy to discuss,” says Johanna.
Meet all of the Miss FQ Revlon Influence Award Social Change category finalists here.
HEALTH & WELLNESS CATEGORY WINNER:
Riley Hemson
Last year Riley took out our Supreme award and it turns out you guys are still mad for her fitpso updates, messages of encouragement and insane style game! Since landing our top prize, Riley has been working full-time as a graduate intern paramedic with Wellington Free Ambulance as well as continuing to provide real #healthgoals to her now 110K Instagram followers. Riley says growing up in a family of “strong, kind women” has had a huge impact on the way she lives her life, and now she uses her own influence to help inspire others around her. She tells us she lives boldly by “loving my body at every single stage and wearing what I want if it makes me feel good. I’ve learnt that it’s literally impossible to please everyone, so my motto is just: ‘Please yourself.’”
Meet all of the Miss FQ Revlon Influence Award Health & Wellness category finalists here.
UP & COMER CATEGORY WINNER:
Holly Wright
After having her first child — Alba, now three — former visual merchandiser Holly Wright was craving a creative outlet so began sharing snaps of her outfits, food and interiors on Instagram. A mummy blogger with a keen eye for fashion and beauty, her online community has grown organically and now she uses her blog as a platform to give back. Last year, the 31-year-old started an initiative called A Mother’s Love, where every second month she sends “one special mama in need” a tailored care package containing thoughtful treats for them and their family. “So many mothers we know are facing challenges every day and I love being able to support some of those amazing mamas and their families — even if it’s just by giving them some grocery items to get them through the week,” she says.
