People News Sunday, 16 October 2022

Marites makes her mark on the world: West's Pageant Queen

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Updated 22 Dec 2022

A WESTERn Sydney based real estate and fashion identity has taken over the reins as Australian director of Mrs Universe Australia.

The Mrs Universe pageant is on a “quest to discover the world’s most outstanding married woman who want to leave a mark on the world”.

Marites Novis, a serial entrepreneur committed to bridging the gap between property and fashion, has been appointed the new director of Mrs Universe Australia 2022/23 by pageant owner and identity, Maryrose Salubre.

Her business, QFirst Property Investment Group was founded in 2017 by real estate licensee Marites, along with her husband Francis Gerard Novis.

From humble beginnings with one small real estate office in Blacktown, QFirst’s dedication and commitment to customer service has lead many awards for business excellence.

These skills are an excellent fit for developing the Mrs Universe pageant.

“The Mrs Universe pageant is the perfect combination of fashion, modelling and pageantry – it’s time for Australia to take the world stage,” Ms Novis said.

Ms Novis said she intended to “revolutionise and grow the Mrs Universe pageant to never before seen heights” as she takes over as director.

“I intend for Mrs Universe to set a new standard for pageantry in Australia,” Ms Novis said..

“I was drawn to the ethos of the Mrs Universe pageant system - to empower, engage and inspire women of all cultures and backgrounds.

“The pageant aims to build the self-confidence of entrants whose goal is to become global ambassadors and inspire change in the world.”

Ms Novis, as founder and CEO of Qfirst Property Investment Group, has capitalised on her love of the fashion industry by establishing MFN Productions in 2018.

It is a specialist production company responsible for producing and sponsoring some of Australia’s most notable fashion shows and events including two spectacular fashion showcases featuring the late internationally renowned, avant-garde fashion designer to the stars, Rocky Gathercole.

“I wanted to give an international platform to hard-working and talented Filipino artists who deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated internationally,” Ms Novis said.

Love of fashion

With the events industry coming to a grinding halt due to Covid, Ms Novis, eager to continue waving the flag of the Philippines both in Australia and worldwide, decided to pivot and adapt by reaching out to two of her favorite Filipino fashion brands.

In December last year, Ms Novis acquired the local distribution rights of well-established Filipino ladies’ designer fashion labels Plains & Prints and Kamiseta.

She also and launched MNOVIS, a new fashion and homewares emporium at Westpoint Shopping Centre in Blacktown. A second MNOVIS bricks-and-mortar outlet opened at Castle Towers Shopping Centre in Castle Hill in June this year.

“As a Filipino with a love of fashion, I decided to franchise the well-known Filipino brands Plains & Prints and Kamiseta in the Australian market,” Ms Novis said.

“This has allowed me to help keep jobs for fellow Filipinos, and create more jobs here in Australia.”

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Ms Novis will also be stocking her own eponymous label at MNOVIS - a collection of ladies fashion for everyday wear, smart-casual and corporate.

Migrating to Australia from the Philippines in 2007, Ms Novis welcomes the challenge of her new appointment after having conquered the ultra-competitive male-dominated real estate industry as a female who is also culturally and linguistically diverse.

“I've always been driven to thrive in the real estate and fashion industries, but just like any other fields requiring motivation, commitment and a strong heart, I've encountered countless challenges,” Ms Novis said.

“I believe that whatever you’ve set your mind to, you most likely will achieve through the power of dreaming, working hard, and knowing your purpose.”

Where to apply

Applications for Mrs Universe Australia 2022/23 are now open, with the national gala crowning ceremony taking place on Friday, October 21 at Doltone House at Sydney Harbor’s Pyrmont. Tickets can be purchased at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/mrs-universe-australia-2022-mnovis-presents-passion-fashion-tickets-381992839867

More information about the Mrs Universe Australia pageant can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/mrsuniverseaustraliaofficial and Mrs Universe Australia 2022/23 hopefuls can email Elizabeth Sulla at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to obtain an application form and registration information pack.