Illawarra’s Top Model is moving into the final stage of the competition with the Illawarra Mercury People’s Choice voting starting this weekend.
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On Saturday a full gallery of all 12 finalists will be posted on the Illawarra Mercury website where members of the community can vote for their favourite model.
The photoshoots are being overseen by the Illawarra Top Model creative team headed by event founder Robyn te Velde and Peter Marx, of Blukiss Hair Gallery, representing silver sponsors De Lorenzo.
Mrs te Velde said the creative team have volunteered months of styling, hair and make-up. She said having De Lorenzo on board was amazing as it was uncommon for a national company to sponsor a regional event. De Lorenzo has also provided all styling products for ITM events and photoshoots.
On Tuesday 2015 Illawarra Mercury People’s Choice winner Mckaylah Evans had her hair done by Lorren Miron, Emma Ryles and Kristie Lambert at The Little Birdcage Salon in Victoria St, Wollongong for a shoot to promote the start of voting on Saturday.
McKaylah is the 2016 Campaign Ambassador and was dressed by Jam Woman Wollongong. Her makeup done by makeup artist Chantel Elliott. Also present was 2016 finalist Wyatt Brennan, dressed by Surf, Dive and Ski, and 2015 regional top model award winner Savannah McDonagh.
Mckaylah said the 2016 finalists were all keen to win the People’s Choice Award. “I think a lot of my family and friends definitely voted for me and I shared it on Facebook a lot”.
But many members of community who didn’t know Mckaylah voted for her as well and this years finalists have asked her for tips on how they can get people to vote. Her advise is to put it everywhere they can on social media. And ask their friends to spread the word by sharing it on their timelines. “But mainly it will come down to what the public likes”.
McKaylah got to go to Europe after the 2015 final and said the greatest thing for her was being able to watch the international fashions shows and seeing how it all works. “It has been great to be back here helping Robyn with choreography for this year’s competition”.
Mckaylah is still studying and is about to do a six week presenters course at NIDA. And she wants to get more experience in front of a camera as an interviewer at fashion events.
The 2016 finalists are Carmen Williams, Sam McGlone, Shania Montero, Wyatt Brennan, Kewana Whaddy Parsons, Jinima Whaddy Parsons, Olivia Strumfin, Natalie Barker, Chloe Ryan, Ashleigh Doherty, Bree Millar and Ellen McMullen.