Alice rises above crowd

Alice rises above crowd

6-foot-1 beauty topped pageant

By VIVIAN SONG, TORONTO SUN

A hushed awe descended on the room as Alice Panikian -- all 6-foot-1 of her -- entered the room.

The new Miss Universe Canada silenced about a dozen reporters and photographers as she strolled into the Rosewater Supper Club yesterday for a press conference announcing a speaking tour across GTA schools starting next month.

COMMANDING PRESENCE

Panikian, 20, struck a commanding presence with her long, chestnut hair, dark eyes, flawless olive skin and most of all, her stature: The long-time model towered over most of the room in her stiletto sandals.

Dressed in a sequined corset top and hip-hugging jeans, Panikian -- crowned March 21 in Montreal -- acknowledged she has big shoes to fill after her predecessor Natalie Glebova, also from Toronto, won the Miss Universe title last year.

"It's important for me not to have any expectations," said the York University student and aspiring broadcast reporter. "I know there's a small possibility of two winners from the same country in a row. I'm doing this for the experience ... I'm going to be my own person."

Despite beating out 48 other Canadian beauties for the title, Panikian said she wasn't always self-confident, especially beca

"I don't do a lot of maintenance. A lot of people speculate I'm anorexic and I can understand that, but if anyone spent time with me, they'd see the kind of stuff I eat," she said.

'FEMINIST ATTITUDE'

When asked to comment on beauty pageants, Panikian balked, saying the term offends her.

"I think of it more as a competition, not a pageant," she said.

"It's more about intelligence. Beauty is definitely a part of it, but now it's changing towards a realistic look as opposed to the Barbie look."

But when it was noted that she's not exactly the girl-next-door, the Bulgarian-born beauty pointed out that her personality is.

"I think I'm real, I'm not rehearsed ... I know I'm not a typical Canadian woman. I was born this way. But I can use it to my advantage, it's my right to do so. That's a feminist attitude for me."

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