COVER STORY

Lexie Brant on defining her Miss Universe Australia crown

Lexie Brant reflects on her year as Miss Universe Australia, balancing the crown with a full-time degree, and what’s next.

“Is this actually happening?”

There’s a particular kind of surreal feeling that comes with hearing your own name called out as the new Miss Universe Australia. For Lexie Brant, that moment is still one she hasn’t fully processed.

“Gosh, I still don’t think I’ve fully processed it. It was completely surreal,” Lexie said. “The moment my name was announced, everything almost went quiet. I couldn’t feel my feet, and I remember thinking, Is this actually happening?”

It wasn’t one feeling, but many, arriving all at once. “There was so much emotion all at once, excitement, disbelief, pride and honestly, a little bit of shock,” she said. “You spend so much time preparing for that moment and imagining what it might feel like, but nothing can really prepare you for hearing your name called.”

Looking back now, as her reign draws to a close, Lexie says she didn’t fully grasp how ready she was for what came next. “It wasn’t just winning a title and my name being called; that moment felt like the beginning of a completely new chapter of my life.”

From shy student to powerhouse

Ask Lexie how she’s changed since first entering the program, and the answer comes without hesitation: enormously.

“When I first entered, I was quite shy and reflective, and I definitely didn’t have the highest self-esteem,” she said. “I never really believed I could achieve everything that has happened over the past year. In my mind, my path was quite simple: graduate from university, get a normal 9-to-5 job and settle into what I thought my life was supposed to look like. I didn’t really believe that you could have both a career you’re passionate about and a life full of completely unexpected opportunities.”

That belief has been rewritten entirely over the past twelve months. “I’ve grown through every exciting, challenging and sometimes uncomfortable opportunity I’ve been given,” Lexie said. “The people I’ve met have changed me in ways I don’t think they realise. Every interaction has taught me something, whether it was about myself, other people or the world around me.”

Travel has been a major part of that growth. “I’ve also had the opportunity to step so far outside my own bubble. I’ve travelled, met people from completely different backgrounds and experienced things I never imagined I’d have the chance to do,” she said. “It’s given me a completely different perspective on life, particularly how quickly time passes. It’s made me love my own company, and be secure in the person I am.”

The constant travel also brought a new appreciation for home. “Interestingly, being so busy and travelling so much has also made me realise how much I had taken the simple things for granted, being close to my friends, my family and the people I love,” Lexie said. “I’ve really learnt to slow down and soak those moments in, because you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”

For Lexie, the biggest shift has been in how she sees her own agency. “I think the biggest change is that I no longer see my life as something that simply happens to me. I’ve realised that I can be intentional about the life I create. In a way, that’s exactly what I’ve done with this crown; I’ve taken the opportunity and made it my own.”

Juggling the crown with an occupational therapy degree

Throughout her reign, Lexie has been completing a full-time occupational therapy degree, and she’s now just weeks from graduating and handing over her title. Managing both at once, she says, has come down to two things.

“Discipline and time management have definitely been my best friends! It hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have people around me who have supported me throughout it,” she said.

Communication with her university was key. “I’ve tried to be really collaborative, open and honest with my university about what I’ve had going on, and they’ve been incredibly flexible in helping me find ways to complete my studies,” Lexie said. “There have definitely been moments where it has felt overwhelming, but I’ve always had to ground myself and remember that occupational therapy is something I’m genuinely passionate about. I’ve studied on planes, printed palm cards in airports and recorded presentations in hotel rooms. Every spare moment counts. If you want something, you make it work, as hard or tedious as it may be.”

Her role as Miss Universe Australia came with its own flexibility, too. “I’m also really lucky that my role as Miss Universe Australia has allowed me some flexibility. My directors Troy & Sophia have always been incredibly supportive of the fact that I’m studying and have encouraged me to continue pursuing my education alongside the crown.”

Lexie says she wouldn’t have done it any other way. “I’m about to graduate with a degree that I’m incredibly passionate about, while also finishing this chapter with the crown,” she said. As part of her prize, Lexie also received a $20,000 education grant from NSR Hire, which she is putting towards her occupational therapy career. “So I’m quite proud that I’ll be handing over the crown with a degree in my other hand.”

Representing Australia on the world stage

Lexie also competed at the Miss Universe final in Thailand, an experience she describes as incredible, yet challenging, in the best possible way.

“I made some amazing friends from all over the world, but I also grew up a lot during that experience,” she said. “Being away from home for such a long period teaches you a level of independence that you can’t really learn anywhere else. You are responsible for everything, your own makeup, your travel, your schedule, your responsibilities, and you’re constantly having to back yourself.”

“Representing Australia was something I never thought I’d be lucky enough to experience. Wearing the Australian flag was a really proud moment for me, and it made me incredibly grateful for home.”

The friendships she formed with women from around the world left a lasting impression. “I met women from countries and communities experiencing incredibly difficult physical, political and social circumstances, and hearing their stories gave me a completely new perspective on my own life,” Lexie said. “It also made me realise how fortunate we are to come from such an incredibly beautiful country, and I loved being able to share that part of Australia with the other women.”

“I genuinely felt like I left Australia a completely different girl to the one who came home.”

The experience reshaped how she thinks about beauty itself. “Of course, looking your best and presenting yourself beautifully is a huge part of a program like this, but I think the most beautiful thing ultimately shines through when you’re authentic, genuine and genuinely care about the people around you. You can’t fake that.”

A full-circle trip back to Vietnam

This year, Lexie returned to Vietnam, not as a finalist, but as a mentor to the next generation, a full-circle moment after taking part there the year before.

“It was definitely interesting because, on the plane over, I had the same butterflies of excitement that I had when I travelled to Vietnam the year before,” she said.

Having already met the girls through the state finals, seeing them again after they’d been sashed was a different experience entirely. “They had already matured and grown so much in such a short amount of time.”

By the end of the trip, Lexie was quite emotional. “One of the most special things was watching some of the shyest girls completely come out of their shells,” she said. “Seeing them go from being nervous and unsure to confidently strutting their stuff in walking practice was such a beautiful reminder of how quickly this experience can transform you.”

She also valued watching the finalists build each other up. “I also loved watching the girls support one another. It was really interesting to observe how they interacted and how their support system was beginning to grow. That’s such an important part of this experience.”

Having been in their position not long ago, Lexie made a point of connecting with each finalist individually. “I made a real effort to speak to every girl one-on-one because I remember exactly what it felt like to be in their shoes. It’s overwhelming! Being able to tell them that I had felt the exact same way, and easing some of the nerves, was really special.”

“I also loved reconnecting with the team from the year before and getting to experience some incredible events and opportunities again, but this time from a completely different perspective. Being on the other side of the journey gave me a whole new appreciation for it.”

Capturing the moment

During that same trip, Lexie shot a swim feature with photographer Eleanor Baillieu, running alongside this story.

“Hands down, Eleanor is one of the most talented photographers I’ve ever worked with,” Lexie said. “Her eye for style, composition and the little details that make a shot work is incredible, and she makes the whole experience so much fun that the time genuinely flies.”

Lexie says the resulting images feel true to who she is. “The images we created together are incredible, and I feel like they really capture the essence of me. That’s what I love most about a good shoot, when you look at the final images and feel like you’re actually seeing yourself in them.”

Despite her experience with international campaigns and modelling work, the thrill hasn’t worn off. “I’ve done international campaigns and travelled for modelling work, and the excitement never really goes away when you see the final images come together exactly as you imagined them. There’s something really special about watching an idea go from a concept to something tangible that you can actually hold and see.”

The legacy she wants to leave

As her reign comes to an end, Lexie is proud of the path she carved for herself.

“I’m really proud of the way I’ve led my reign. I’ve done something quite different from the winners before me, and I’m proud that I’ve been able to stay true to myself while doing it,” she said. “I balanced a full-time university degree alongside my reign. I advocated for the things that genuinely mattered to me. And ultimately, I’m leaving with both a crown and a degree.”

“I’ve never wanted to change myself to fit what I thought a Miss Universe Australia should be. I’ve wanted to mould the crown to fit me.”

Her advice to future titleholders centres on one idea. “If there’s one thing I’d like to leave behind, it’s the belief that intelligence and authenticity are some of the most powerful tools we have. You don’t have to become somebody else to be successful.”

For this year’s finalist’s, her message is simple. “I will shout this from the rooftops: be yourself. You bring something to the table that nobody else can. Don’t spend your time trying to work out what you think the judges want to see. The thing that makes you different is probably the thing that makes you most memorable.”

And for the next winner, she has one final piece of advice. “Embrace your support system. It is an incredible journey, but you absolutely need people around you. There is a lot to do, a lot of responsibility and moments where it can feel overwhelming. Let people help you. You don’t have to do it all on your own.”

A cause close to home

Lexie has also served as an ambassador for the Mother’s Day Classic during her reign, a cause with deep personal significance.

“This cause is incredibly close to home for me. My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 11, so using my reign as Miss Universe Australia to advocate for a cause that has had such a profound impact on my family felt like the least I could do for her.”

The experience has also made her acutely aware of others facing similar journeys. “What has really stayed with me, though, is recognising that there are so many other families going through experiences like ours, and not everyone gets the outcome that my family was fortunate enough to have.”

Her mother’s approach to the diagnosis shaped how Lexie views health and adversity more broadly. “She was always very honest with me. She didn’t hide what was happening or make it something to be afraid of. Her message was essentially: this is what has happened, and we’re going to do everything we can to fix it,” Lexie said. “That mindset has stayed with me throughout my life.”

For Lexie, advocacy should never feel like an obligation. “Being involved with the Mother’s Day Classic reminded me that advocacy and supporting a charity shouldn’t feel like a burden or simply something you ‘have to’ do because you have a platform. It should come from genuine care and empathy for other families.”

She plans to carry that commitment into her career. “Health advocacy is something I really want to continue carrying into the next chapter of my life, particularly because of my future career in occupational therapy. If I’ve been given a platform, I want to use it for something that genuinely matters.”

What’s next for Lexie

With graduation just weeks away, Lexie is preparing to step into her career in hand therapy.

“I’ve been really lucky to discover my passion within occupational therapy, particularly hand therapy, and I’m going to move straight into that area once I graduate,” she said. “I’m incredibly excited to finally step into a role where these are my patients, and I can have a direct, hands-on impact on someone’s health, independence and wellbeing. I’ve had experience through my placements, but graduating means I can finally start building my own career and seeing where that takes me.”

Beyond her formal career, Lexie has ambassadorships, travel, and plenty of state-hopping around Australia ahead of her. “And who knows, there might even be a move in my future!”

“It’s definitely a little strange to think about life after the crown, but I’m actually really excited about it. I feel like I’ve spent this year discovering what I’m capable of, and now I get to take all of that confidence into whatever comes next.”

Life on the Gold Coast

Lexie shares her Gold Coast home with partner Sam, who plays for the Gold Coast Suns, and the couple recently welcomed a new puppy, Philly. Given their busy, often mismatched schedules, downtime together is something they value highly.

“We absolutely love it up here! We rarely see each other; to be honest, we’re a bit like ships passing in the night because our schedules are so different, so when we do get downtime together, we really value it.”

One of their favourite spots is D’Bar Beach. “Sam loves to surf, and it’s such a beautiful, relaxed beach with the friendliest people. It’s also dog-friendly, which is a huge bonus now that we’ve got our puppy!”

No Name Lane Cafe is another regular . “They have the most beautiful food and the friendliest staff, and we love pairing breakfast or coffee there with a walk along the beach afterwards. It’s the perfect way to get outside and get the body moving before Sam heads off to play a game.”

Thanking her support network

As she wraps up this chapter, Lexie is quick to acknowledge the people who carried her through it, starting with her mum.

“My mum, without a doubt. She has single-handedly carried me through so much of this reign. From outfit advice and content ideas to being the person I could call when I needed a shoulder to cry on, she’s been incredible.”

Her mum travelled to Thailand to support her. “She travelled all the way to Thailand to support me and has been my number one supporter from the very beginning. Having her by my side has made everything that much more special.”

Partner Sam has also played a significant role. “My beautiful partner, Sam, has also been such an important part of this journey. Being in the media and having experience with public image himself has helped me navigate the public eye. His naturally breezy approach to life has taught me not to overthink everything, to take things one step at a time and, most importantly, never to take negative comments personally.”

Lexie also thanked the team behind the scenes. “I also want to thank the entire Pink Tank Events team for their dedication and constant support throughout my reign. There is so much work that happens behind the scenes that people never see, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had such a supportive team around me.”

And finally, her sponsors. “My incredible sponsors. They have supported me, believed in me and helped make so many of the opportunities I’ve experienced this year possible. I’m incredibly grateful to every person and organisation who has been part of this chapter.”