Media release
Thursday, 2 November 2017
Search Begins for NZ’s Curvaceous Top Model
Lack of curvy models spurs top wedding gown designer on a national search
for confident woman to model plus-size collection.
Frustrated at the lack of plus-size models on agencies’ books, New Zealand wedding gown designer Katie Yeung is taking
the dress by the straps and launched a model search to find curvaceous women to model her designer Daisy collection.
Since the search begun calling for entries last week, more than 50 body confident women sized 16 and up, have submitted
photos into the national competition.
Daisy is a New Zealand designer collection making wedding couture accessible to every Kiwi woman who wants to look
spectacular on her wedding day.
With the average New Zealand woman a size 14, Katie questions the lack of a range of models of different sizes on
agencies’ books.
“At Fashion Week this year of the five model agencies offering models for casting there wasn’t a curvy model above size
16 that I could use for our range.
“So I’ve put the call out to all confident and curvaceous women who are comfortable in their skin and would like to be
the face of our bridal range,” said the designer.
The winner of the model search will get to wear and be photographed in a range of Daisy wedding gowns – long, loose
silhouettes, or lightly corseted dresses designed to suit a range of body shapes and styles.
“These dresses aren’t a new ‘plus size’ range; they’re a part of our regular range of beautiful dresses that happen to
be offered in all sizes from 8 to 24,” said Katie.
The Auckland designer has designed couture bridal gowns for television presenter Makere Gibbons, Gert Boult and New
Zealand netball player Cathrine Tuaviti (nee Latu).
While the competition is open to all ‘hitched and unhitched’ women, Katie says if the winner is a bride-to-be she will
be gifted a wedding dress from the collection. Conducted through theDaisy Brides by Katie Yeung Facebook page and daisy.co.nz Instagram page, aspiring models can enter by uploading a clear photo of their face and body using the hash tag#daisymodelsearch and a short description about what makes their body feel beautiful before 5pm, Saturday 25 November.
The winning model will be judged by a panel, including Katie. All entrants must be available for a photo shoot in
Auckland on 4 or 5 December, which includes return airfares to Auckland, hair and makeup styling, professional photos to
be used in Daisy by Katie Yeung’s marketing, and lunch with Katie.
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