Fashionista returns to her roots

OLD SCHOOL FRIENDS: Chonel owner Carol Hayward (left) with Carla Jayne Smith. Wanganui Chronicle Photograph by Stuart Munro

Growing up on the marae at Kawhaiki, Carla Jayne Smith dreamed of running away and seeing the world.

And now, after 23 years away, the fashion stylist and owner of a high-end clothing boutique and modelling agency has returned to her roots.

Ms Smith moved back to Whanganui from Queensland this week. She has taken up the role of assistant manager at Farmers, and also plans to set up a modelling agency here.

The agency will be called Embrace Model Management and Ms Smith is passionate about her vision of the agency helping Whanganui girls grow their confidence and self-esteem.

"We'll be taking girls from 13 years old. It's really about helping Whanganui girls build confidence, and step into the best version of themselves. We want to help young girls become confident young women," Ms Smith said.

Ms Smith, of Ngā Paerangi descent, was born in Whanganui and raised on the marae at Kaiwhaiki, on the Whanganui River, by her grandparents. She studied retail at Wanganui Polytechnic (now Whanganui UCOL) and headed off to Auckland to chase a retail management career.

She has worked with a number of fashion designers, and was the general manager for Karen Walker for 15 years.

"With that kind of role you have to be good at everything - selling, hiring, recruiting, firing, the whole lot."

After that Ms Smith moved to Australia and opened her own boutique, Runway Seven, and Runway Seven Model and Talent Agency.

After nearly a quarter of a century away, Ms Smith has had enough of travelling and big-city living, and wants to settle down in Whanganui. Her husband has come with her; she has one son living in Whanganui, one in Auckland and one in Australia. She also has lots of other family and friends in Whanganui.

Ms Smith is still settling into her new lifestyle, so the modelling agency isn't up and running yet. But she hopes to hold an open day soon, when anyone interested can come along and find out more about it.

She plans to work with other local businesses for modelling shoots - and first on the list is Chonel Hair Salon for hair and makeup. Chonel's owner Carol Hayward is an old school friend of Ms Smith's.

"We've known each other since we were 13-year-olds at Sacred Heart," Ms Smith said.

She thinks Embrace will be the first modelling agency in Whanganui.

"I'd really like to make a difference. There was nothing like this around when I was a teenager, and I wish there had been."