Katherine MacAlister talks to Oxford’s new queen of the catwalk, student Natalie Page

When Natalie Page isn’t studying hard for her Masters degree in geography you can find her strutting her stuff on the catwalks of Oxford Fashion Week.

Having been picked as The Face 2015, not only will the Brasenose College student be featured in every show, but she encompasses the look of the entire event.

The assured, calm, elegant and unflustered young woman I meet perfectly encapsulates not just what OFW is all about, but offers a contemporary, universal look, which is obviously what appealed to the casting judges.

OFW directors Tiffany Saunders and Carl Anglim said: “We chose Natalie because she brought a little something extra to the table. Her casting was flawless and she has a certain grace and elegance about her that we found captivating. We’re both very much looking forward to seeing her walk again this season for OFW.”

Delighted but fazed by all the attention, and despite last year’s ‘Face’ Indroneel Chaterjee being signed by three different agencies as a result, Natalie expects this will be the peak of her modelling career as she moves on to a full-time job come September.

It means she is enjoying every minute afforded by the gloriously glamorous and professionally astute OFW team, who are determined to put Oxford on the fashion map with their continuous and dazzling array of shows, which now grace the city twice a year.

Natalie spotted flyers for OFW at the Freshers Fair 2014 and was immediately interested. She had been scouted before, but decided to concentrate on her studies. “I was doing my A-Levels at the time and my parents wanted me to focus on my studies so I didn’t pursue it. They felt I didn’t know enough about the industry or the world of fashion.”

Oxford offered Natalie a more amenable option so she went to the castings last year to see what happened. So what was it like?

“I just turned up and walked. It was really easy even though I didn’t know what to expect and I got to know the OFW crew who really looked after me. OFW is much more intimate, so you really feel part of the team, and I got to wear clothes I could never afford in my wildest dreams, dresses made entirely of feathers, it’s very glamorous and creative.”

The opportunity to come back this year was a no-brainer for Natalie, although she had no idea that this time she would be picked as The Face. “Being chosen was a big surprise and a real opportunity so I’m really excited about it. I’m delighted because the competition was really high this year,” she says.

The 24-year-old who hails from Kent via Hong Kong, Australia and Brazil, has led an international existence from an early age. Her father is a banker whose job took them around the world. “I’ve always been interested in fashion, especially when we lived in Hong Kong and Australia, but it has always been more of a hobby.”

In terms of her own motivation, however, Natalie has got her feet firmly on the ground: “I take good care of myself and live a healthy lifestyle and do lots of exercise. “What’s more important is the confidence that comes from within. Coming to Oxford gave me that because you have to keep on proving yourself. There are no limits here. So you shouldn’t prioritise your appearance over your personality.”

As for OFW 2015, Natalie can’t wait. “This is a period of my life which I will look back on with pride, and I have already made lots of friends. I just wanted to be part of it again because it’s always fun, manic but fun,” she laughs. “So I’m trying not to think of it as a pressure, but as an exciting opportunity. Its just lovely to be part of OFW.”

Oxford Fashion Week runs from March 4-6. See oxfordfashionweek.com