Northside girls make model final

TWO stunning Northsiders have made it to the final of a competition designed to find models for a top boutique that specialises in selling top fashion in curvy sizes.

Student nurse from Glasnevin, Liana Forte, and mum-of-one Teresa Watson from Finglas are among 15 hopefuls from across Ireland who have qualified for the Tempted Boutique Model Search competition 2014.

Liana works weekends in a nursing home and lives at home with her parents and brother. She spends a lot of time with boyfriend Stephen and in her spare time enjoys going out with family and friends.

Liana would like to travel the world when she finishes her studies and says she entered the Face of Tempted competition because she thought it would be fun to try something different.

Liana’s nominated charity for the final is Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin as she did a paediatric nursing placement there and saw first-hand all the good work they do.

Teresa Watson, from Finglas West, has an eight-year-old daughter, Emma, and is engaged to Shaun who she met almost three years ago. The couple plan to marry in July 2015.

Teresa (27) has two sisters and two brothers and is the youngest of five. Her mum died when she was six and her dad had to take on the difficult role of being a Mam and Dad to the five children.

Teresa said it was a very tough job but it has made them a strong family who are there for each other through thick and thin.

Teresa has always been an out-going person and says she never let her weight be a problem for her. The reason she entered the competition was because she is a big fan of Tempted’s clothes and is always telling people to dress-up and go for it.

She also wanted to inspire her daughter and make her proud. Teresa’s chosen charity is Pieta House, who work with people at risk of suicide or related issues as it is a subject that has touched her life.

Wining the competition could launch either of the local girls into a career as Ireland’s next top curvy model and will earn them a prize package worth over $3,000.

The travel themed final of the competition takes place on Sunday, May 11 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Northwood, Santry, and will feature clothes from fashion capitals throughout the world.

The show will be presented by Sunday Independent and Xpose beauty guru, Triona McCarthy, and model and actor Karl Bowe.

Throughout the day, finalists will be in the capable hands of stylist Helen Egan, The International Make-up Academy and Elegance Hair and Day Spa, Kildare.

They will also be shown how to work their curves on the ramp with curvy model agent, Vicki Mooney, from V Plus Models. The eventual winner will be announced that evening by judges Stylist Cathy O’Connor, Vicki Mooney, Photographer Maria McGrail and Tempted owner, Rosemary Kearns who launched the search for a real woman to model the stores’ summer collection in February.

“We know there are lots of gorgeous curvy women out there, because we see them every day in our stores, but we didn’t realise what a fantastic response we would get to the competition,

? she said.

“Just like everyone else, curvy women look amazing when they have some great fashion design and good styling advice, so we are hugely excited at the prospect of dressing our 15 finalists for their catwalk debut in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

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This year’s Face of Tempted winner will have the amazing opportunity of signing with V Plus Model Agency, Ireland’s first agency catering exclusively for plus size models.

Seven curvy ladies, who were finalists from the past two years of Face of Tempted, are now represented by the agency. This year’s Tempted competition winner will model on Ireland AM and take part in a fashion shoot for the Tempted brand.

Tickets for the Face of Tempted Final are available by calling 01-8314293 or by logging onto www.tempted.ie.