Miss England hopeful wants to win in second-hand outfits

Lisa Austin used to model for Gucci. Now she is scanning the rails of a charity shop in Essex. Her eyes move quickly along the racks, pausing at pieces she thinks could help her stand out and get crowned Miss England 2026.

The 25-year-old is attempting to win the beauty pageant wearing outfits that are all second-hand.

"Last year, I bought a brand new wardrobe [for the pageant], but this time I really did not want to do that," she says.

She needs to find outfits for each round: talent, interview, sports and the runway.

One of Austin's motives for shopping in charity shops and on second-hand clothes sites is environmental.

Climate change is being driven by human activity, with the United Nations stating that the fashion industry contributes up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Buying second-hand reduces those emissions as well as saving water and keeping unwanted items out of landfills, which helps to reduce waste and environmental pollution.

Research by the charity WRAP suggests that buying a second-hand pair of jeans rather than a brand-new pair can save more than 30kg of CO₂ emissions, about the same as making 600 cups of tea.

"People do try to shop more sustainably, but there is a long way to go, and if I can inspire change, then why not?" says Lisa.

Austin left modelling a year ago and entered Miss England for the first time in 2025, where she was crowned runner-up.

But her tactics for this year's competition are not entirely about sustainability.

After growing up on a council estate in London, she also wants to make pageants like this one - and the media in general - more inclusive.

"Cost is obviously a big part of it, so if I can lead by example, then hopefully more people can enter," she says.

Miss England said most of the outfits worn by its current winner were sustainable, second-hand or made from recycled fabrics and that it had been promoting recycling for many years with its 'ethical fashion round'.

As she browses in the Dog's Trust charity shop in Saffron Walden, not too far from her home in Newport, Essex, the store's manager, Jacqueline Granger, says she is a big fan of what Lisa is doing.

"Why pay £300 for a dress when you can go in a charity shop and get the same dress for £50?" Granger says.

"We get dresses brand new with tags on, and you can see the price. It is £200, and you are getting it for £30.

"Everybody wins, including the dogs… Mainly the dogs."

Although this shop is hitting its sales targets, the charity says that regionally and nationally, a lot of its stores have been suffering as people choose to sell their own clothes and items online rather than donate.

So far, Austin has spent £50 on her looks, not including the gold necklace she is now handing to the cashier.

As she leaves the shop, she remarks: "You will see me wear this at the Miss England competition."

The semi-final for the Miss England pageant takes place on 11th October in Leicester, with the final set for 17th November.

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